2024 Induction Events

WCHF 2024 Inductees:

Walt Bresette and Lewis Posekany

Ceremonies were held virtually on Wednesday, April 17th, 2024.

Walt Bresette and Lewis Posekany

Walter Bresette was born on July 4, 1947, on the Red Cliff Reservation of Lake Superior Ojibwe. Catholic school in Red Cliff was followed by high school in Bayfield. In 1965, he attended a summer camp for Indigenous youth at UW-Eau Claire. Walt served four years in the U.S. Army (stationed in Japan) as a communications specialist. After service, Walt expanded into other avenues in communications—art school (Chicago); Indian issues advocacy (Madison, Wisconsin); WOJB Radio (Lac Courte Oreilles); Great Lakes Indian Fish Commission (Odanah, Wisconsin) and first editor of their conservation newsletter, Masina’igan, and then he shapeshifted into public speaking and activism.

Lew Posekany partnered with the Izaak Walton League to protect the Namekagon River from a hydroelectric project preserving it and the St. Croix as federally designated wild and scenic rivers. The Supreme Court Namekagon Hydro Dam decision resulted in far-reaching and durable changes to state water law.