ILA Announces Its Award Winners For 2003

Each year, NRA-ILA acknowledges the outstanding efforts in defense of our freedom of a select group of individuals and an organization. The ILA volunteer award winners for the year 2003 are:

Jay M. Littlefield Memorial NRA-ILA Volunteer of the Year winners: Larry Deptula (Mo.) and Jim Johnson (Penn.). NRA-ILA Volunteer Organization of the Year Award: Ohioans for Concealed Carry (Ohio).

Larry is the NRA-ILA Election Volunteer Coordinator (EVC) for Missouri`s Ninth Congressional District, where he has served since 2002. U.S. Senator Jim Talent (R-Mo.) nominated him personally for this award. Larry participates with other Missouri EVCs in conference calls directly with Senator Talent to discuss current firearm-related legislative efforts, and other issues of importance to gun owners. He is also active in state and local legislative activities.

Jim Johnson joined the EVC program in March 2003, and quickly took helm of the EVC program in Pennsylvania`s Sixth Congressional District, dividing the district into seven regions and then further dividing each region into seven areas, with each area under its own coordinator. Jim has recruited hundreds of volunteers at gun shows in southeast Pennsylvania from various states over the past year, including as far away as Georgia. He`s an avid letter writer to various news organizations and his letters have been published in The New York Times and Philadelphia Inquirer.

Finally, Ohioans for Concealed Carry (OFCC) were instrumental in the passage of the state`s historic Right-to-Carry law, through its formation of a coalition of groups, businesses, and organizations (including NRA) that supported Right-to-Carry. The organization also fought in the courts, as a plaintiff in a lawsuit that ultimately led the Ohio Supreme Court to declare "open carry" a fundamental right. Additionally, OFCC organized "Defense Walks" in support of Right-to-Carry including the Tony Gordon Memorial "Defense Walk" dedicated to Tony Gordon who was killed in August 2003 in an attempted car-jacking, while his 13-year-old nephew was in the car. OFCC established a memorial fund for his nephew and two-year-old daughter. If you wish to make a donation to the Tony Gordon Memorial Fund, checks should be made out to "Phyllis Jean Gordon, Dayton, Ohio" and may be deposited at any Bank One location, or mailed to: Bank One, 260 East Dayton-Yellow Springs Road, Dayton, OH, 45324. To donate online, visit www.ohioccw.org and click on Tony`s picture.

We know you all join us in congratulating these individuals and Ohioans for Concealed Carry for their tireless defense of the Second Amendment. Congratulations to all!