FAIRFAX, VA - The National Rifle Association is pleased to announce their 2013 Friends of NRA Volunteer of the Year recipients, recognizing outstanding efforts for the grassroots fundraising program at the local and regional levels.
Area Volunteers of the Year, selected by NRA Field Representatives, were evaluated on a number of criteria including banquet tickets sold, underwriting received and years of service. Recipients were awarded a '2013 Friends of NRA Volunteer of the Year' jacket along with special recognition from their NRA Field Representative.
From the pool of Area Volunteers, a committee of senior NRA staff selected the recipients of the prestigious Region Volunteer of the Year award. In addition to receiving the '2013 Volunteer of the Year' jacket, Region Volunteers of the Year will be honored guests at the 2014 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Indianapolis, Indiana, where they will receive special recognition for the accomplishments during the National NRA Foundation Banquet on Thursday, April 24.
"Volunteers are the backbone of Friends of NRA and its mission to preserve America's shooting sports traditions," said NRA's Director of Volunteer Fundraising Sarah Budi. "The commitment of our Volunteers of the Year is beyond reproach and we are honored for them to be a part of our organization."
Created in 1992, Friends of NRA is a National Rifle Association grassroots fundraising program for the shooting sports. All net proceeds from Friends of NRA events are allocated to qualified local, state, and national programs through The NRA Foundation, America's leading charitable organization in support of the shooting sports. The program has reached more than 2.8 million people and raised over $550 million for the shooting sports in its 22 year history.
Below are the 2013 Friends of NRA Region and Area Award winners and their committees:
Region Volunteers of the Year:
Eastern Region: Eastern Virginia and Eastern Maryland: Pat Patterson, Southern Commonwealth & Greater Richmond
Central Region: Kentucky: Mitchell Howard, Big Rivers
Mid West Region: Oklahoma: Travis Mann, Northwest Oklahoma
Southern Region: Texas (Southern): Darrell & Sandra Hester, Mid-Coast
Western Region: California (Mid): Stan Rothfuss, Mariposa, Oakhurst, 3 Rivers, Madera, & Patterson
Area Volunteers of the Year:
Eastern Region:
Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York (Lower) and Rhode Island: Jonathan Hirons, Rhode Island
Delaware and Pennsylvania (Eastern): Donna Gerz, Lancaster County
Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont: Cheryl Ziembroski, Northeast Kingdom
New York (Upper): Carmen & Joan Heitczman, Orange County / Hudson Highlands
North Carolina (Eastern): Elvie Jackson, Greater Triangle
North Carolina (Western): Ricky Profitt, Guilford County
Ohio (Northern): Todd Figard, North East Ohio
Ohio (Southern): Sean Maloney, Butler County
Pennsylvania (Western): William Tylavsky, PA's 1st
Virginia (Eastern), Maryland (Eastern) and Washington, D.C.: Pat Patterson, Southern Commonwealth & Greater Richmond
West Virginia, Maryland (Western) and Virginia (Western): Lee Godbey, Seneca Trail
Central Region:
Illinois (Northern): Christina Cira, East Central Illinois
Illinois (Southern): Ted Buck, Jr., Mt. Vernon Area
Indiana: Jason Franklin, Falls of the Ohio
Iowa: John Allen, Founders
Kentucky: Mitchell Howard, Big Rivers
Michigan: Tom & Bonita Tompkins, Northwest Michigan
Missouri: Amy Stilfield, State Fair Area
Nebraska: Jim McChesney, Platte Valley
Tennessee: Mark Lee, Davidson County
Wisconsin: Kellie Walsh, State Line
Mid West Region:
Colorado: Jim Eckersley, North Colorado
Kansas: Bruce & Mary McCune, Butler County
Minnesota: Leroy Van Brunt, South Metro
Montana: Tara Kiel, Southeast Montana
New Mexico: Jim & Dorothy Greene, Mountainair
North Dakota: Stephanie Sandstrom, Burliegh County & Morton County
South Dakota: Mike Deakins, Mitchell
Oklahoma: Travis Mann, Northwest Oklahoma
Utah: Denise Knight, Ogden
Wyoming: Kathy Watt, Southeast Wyoming
Southern Region:
Alabama: Larry Jones, Lake Eufaula
Arkansas: Kelly Ford, Independence
Florida (Northern): Connie Davis, Silver River
Florida (Southern): Jennifer Williamson, Martin County
Georgia: Donna Wyatt, Sumter Area
Louisiana: Bill Laird, Ark-LA-Tex
Mississippi: Chris Haycraft, MS Delta
South Carolina: Faye Stoudemire, Mid-Carolina
Texas (Northern): John & Kim Capps, Ellis County, Lone Star Oil Shale, & Alliance Corridor
Texas (Southern): Darrell & Sandra Hester, Mid-Coast
Texas (West): Betty Deneen, Taylor County
Western Region:
Alaska (Northern): Sarah Espelin, Upper Susitna
Alaska (Southern): Ken & Marie Murdock, Alaska State
Arizona: Hugh Winderweedle, White Mountain
California (Central): John Howe, Kern County
California (Mid): Stan Rothfuss, Mariposa, Oakhurst, 3 Rivers, Madera, & Patterson
California (North Eastern): Barry Blaylock, Tuolumne County
California (North Western): Robert Hampson, North Santa Cruz County
California (Southern): Eric & Sue Johnson, East County
Nevada: John Madden, Reno/Sparks, Modesto, Carson City, & Carson Valley
Hawaii and Oregon: Katie Jones, Douglas County
Idaho: Craig Seymour, Upper Snake River
Washington: Steve Dazey, North Puget Sound
About the National Rifle Association
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. Five million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and is the leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visithttp://nra.org.
Contact: Kyle Jillson
kjillson@nrahq.org; (703) 267-1595
