Join Union Members and ‘Escape to the Wild’

by Mike Hall, Dec 22, 2008

Chicago Plumbers and Pipe Fitters (UA) member Wes Blankenship kicks of the new season of “Escape to the Wild” on VERSUS Country Jan. 4 as he scales Idaho’s rugged Clearwater Mountains in search of spring black bear.

The outdoors show, “Escape to the Wild,” is the union-sponsored television series of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP). New episodes air each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. (EST). The show rewards members of AFL-CIO unions with a hunting or fishing trip of a lifetime. “Escape to the Wild” is supported by the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA), a joint venture of the TRCP and 21 unions to promote conservation and access for hunters and anglers.

Each week, viewers will join host Tom Ackerman in an elaborate scheme to surprise the winner in the most unexpected way. Says Ackerman:

“Escape to the Wild” is about teaming up with deserving winners and taking them around the world to fulfill their dream hunting and fishing adventures. Special people, special places.

This season, along with Blankenship’s Idaho bear hunt, nine other union winners will head to outdoor adventures that include a trip to Argentina to hunt majestic red stag, world-class Texas bass fishing with  professional bass angler Byron Velvick for, a trek Canada’s expansive tundra to hunt caribou.

Says TRCP President and CEO George Cooper:

In a pack of field sports shows, Escape to the Wild is a unique breed. Not only does it deliver on the dreams of everyday American workers, it often highlights their commitment to species conservation, a particularly strong commitment in the community of union sportsmen.

For complete schedule with additional airings, visit www.versuscountry.com.

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