Keith DeHaan

You can hear it in Keith DeHaan's voice. When he speaks of family, when he speaks of waterfowl hunting, and when he talks about supporting Delta Waterfowl, he does so with equal passion.

"Some of my best memories are with my son and other family members, going back to even before he could hold up a shotgun," DeHaan said. "In a duck blind, just watching Labs work, you simply can't find a better family time connection. To me, that's so important, that connection between father and son or uncle and nephew or mother and daughter."

DeHaan calls himself a semi-retired taxidermist. He spends much of his time in Indianapolis, Indiana, but admits his heart is in rural Steuben County because it's where his hunting lodge is located and where he hunts with family.

At age 57, DeHaan serves as vice president and director of the Christel DeHaan Foundation. Christel is Keith's mother, and the family foundation was created following the sale of her company in 1995. The foundation supports philanthropic causes around the world.

"Each of us on the board of directors is granted some discretionary funding for their own interests," DeHaan said. "My interests are conservation, hunting and fishing."

Perhaps nothing is more revealing of his passion for waterfowl hunting than what he calls his prize possession: a double-banded, neck-collared Canada goose he took on his own property many years ago. That hunter's mindset is what most inspires DeHaan to support Delta's conservation efforts.

"One of the things I've noticed working with Delta is their focus on the hunting and local aspects of waterfowl, including duck production," he said. "That's the direction that appeals to me."

The efforts of the Northeast Indiana Chapter of Delta Waterfowl are DeHaan's pride and joy, especially two of its programs: Duck Days and the Steuben County Young American Awards.

"The biggest is our annual Duck Days event," said DeHaan, whose foundation sponsors the entire two days. "We have every 7th grader in Steuben County's school districts join us to learn about conservation, ecosystems, water, and more. It's very hands on. What's amazing is this is a rural area, yet for many of the kids, it's the first time they are exposed to a swamp. We've been doing the event for 24 years and I've been involved for 22 years."

In 2005, the chapter started the Steuben County Young American Awards program, which recognizes people ages 18 to 25 for outstanding accomplishments that might otherwise go unnoticed. The award winners receive deserved recognition as well as an engraved over/under shotgun. DeHaan is proud of the program's growth and that it puts the Delta chapter in partnership with the local National Wild Turkey Federation chapter.

"It's outstanding cooperation that doesn't happen often enough between organizations," he said.

Delta has recognized DeHaan as a Diamond Lifetime Sponsor for underwriting more than $100,000 of the Northeast Indiana Chapter's programs and banquets over the years. Yet he's still looking for ways to expand his support.

"As I grow, as this chapter grows, as Delta as a whole grows, we see doing more," he said. - Bill Miller