The 2nd Annual Friends of NRA Volunteers of the Year Award recognizes those volunteers who have made an outstanding impact on the program at the local or regional levels during the previous year. There are many who contribute their time to Friends of NRA banquets each year, but those who lend exceptional help deserve recognition. This program by Friends of NRA is designed to let these dedicated and loyal volunteers know their efforts do not go unseen and are deeply appreciated.
Area Volunteers of the Year are individuals acknowledged for their hard work and accomplishments that enhanced the success of banquets over the past year. They are recommended by their area field representative and chosen by a select committee of senior NRA staff, who evaluates criteria such as banquet tickets sold, sponsorships sold, pre-event raffle dollars, and underwriting they received during the previous year, as well as years of volunteer work and positions held during their service. Recipients of the award were given a sharp “2009 Friends of NRA Volunteer of the Year” leather jacket to further display their support for the NRA along with special recognition from their area field representative.
Region Volunteers of the Year are chosen from those already selected as Area Volunteers by senior NRA staff. They make a tremendous impact in the Friends of NRA program not only locally, but also throughout the entire region they volunteer. Each Regional Volunteer will be honored as a guest to the 2010 Annual Meetings in Charlotte, N.C. and recognized at the National NRA Foundation Banquet, which takes place Thursday, May 13th.
“This award stands as a tribute to your leadership, dedication and commitment to the preservation of the shooting sports and the Second Amendment that have advanced and will continue to expand the shooting sports in America,” wrote Wayne LaPierre in a letter awarded to Region Volunteers of the Year.
Below is the list of winners for the Friends of NRA Regions and Areas.
Region Volunteers of the Year:
Eastern Region: Maryland: Randy and Suzanne Lewis, Washington Co.
Central Region: Tennessee: Tracy Hightower, Kentucky Lake
Mid West Region: Oklahoma: Ron Tarrant, Southeastern Oklahoma
Southern Region: Florida (Southern): John and Jean Gettle, South Bay
Western Region: Alaska: Denny Hamann, Alaska State
Area Volunteers of the Year:
Eastern Region:
Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York (Lower) and Rhode Island: Ron Borgio, Pioneer Valley
Delaware and Pennsylvania (Eastern): Kee Bubbenmoyer, Lehigh Valley
Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York (Northern): Stan Grover, Central Maine
New York (Upper): Thomas Kelly, Chautauqua County
North Carolina (Eastern): Mac Watson, Southeastern
North Carolina (Western): Sam Summey, Western North Carolina
Pennsylvania (Western): Dale Emerick, Pennsylvania’s First
Virginia (Eastern) and Washington, D.C.: Chris Fauver, Frederick County
Virginia (Western) and West Virginia: Gary Taylor, Wytheville
Central Region:
Illinois (Northern): Tony and Christina Cira, East Central Illinois
Illinois (Southern): Jeff Hargaugh, Central Illinois
Indiana: Brad Landwerlen, Shelbyville County
Kentucky: Scott Smith, Big Rivers
Michigan: Bruce Bayles, Lenawee County
Missouri: Greg Stephens, Current River Area
Ohio (Northern): Darrin Verhoff, Lima Area
Ohio (Southern): Karen Unfried, Miami Valley
Wisconsin: Arnold “Bud” Larson, Indianhead
Mid West Region:
Colorado: Gwen Chermak, Colorado
Iowa and Nebraska: Jerry McKnight, Sioux Land
Kansas: Leon Schumacher, Northwest Kansas
Minnesota: Allen Moy, Wright County
Montana: Colette Wilburn, Dawson
New Mexico: William and Rhonda Van Dran, Grant County
North Dakota and South Dakota: Arnie and Lori Goldade, Northeast
Wyoming: Rick Rothleutner, Weston County
Southern Region:
Alabama: Reece Stewart, Northwest Alabama
Arkansas and Mississippi (Northern): David Joyner, Northwest Arkansas
Florida (Northern): Laura Watson, First Coast and St. Augustine
Georgia: Jeremie Wallace, Valdosta Area
Louisiana and Mississippi (Southern): Chester “Bud” Carpenter, Cenla
South Carolina: Faye Stoudemire, Mid-Carolina
Texas (Northern): Tony Randall, Pineywoods
Texas (Southern): Darrell and Sandra Hester, Mid-Coast
Texas (Western): Gary Graham, North Plains
Western Region:
Arizona: Guy Garlinghouse, Catalina Mountains and Cobre Valley
California (Central): Tim and Karen Benedix, King City
California (North Eastern) and Nevada (Western): April Diaz, Gold Country
California (North Western): Mike Schrader, San Mateo
California (Southern) and Nevada (Southern): Warren Weir, West Valley and Mountain Communities
Hawaii and Oregon: Gary Winlund, Astoria
Washington (Western): Dutch Jacoby, Skagit County
Friends of NRA is a grassroots fund-raising program that fosters community involvement, raises money, and gives 100% of the net proceeds to qualified local, state, and national programs. Working with the NRA’s field staff, thousands of volunteers nationwide participate in the program by organizing committees and planning events in their communities.
Visit the Friends of NRA website at www.friendsofnra.org. For more information contact Event Services Manager Jeremy Greene at (703) 267-1354 or jgreene@nrahq.org.