The November meeting was exciting with the director’s election and a great turn-out of 678 guests and 199 new applicants. We are gearing up for a busy 2009, and I am honored to be your new president. I want to thank Joe Pittenger for his hard work during his term as president and for accepting the office of OGCA Secretary where he will remain an asset to the association. I also want to welcome Tom Bowersox as our new Director and congratulate returning Directors, Frank Becker, Jr. and Jon Chorpenning. Tom Kyser was elected by the Board to another term as OGCA Treasurer, and we have a new Executive Committee with Cecil Parker moving up to First Vice President and Jim Tekavec to Second Vice President. Thanks to all of you who voted, those who ran, and to those who took the time to offer their services to the OGCA including the Nominating Committee.

We are happy to say that we had several members of our military sign up as applicants at the November meeting. Reminder that one-year dues fees are waived for active duty members as per the last newsletter. Jerry Klinger’s son, Sgt. Jeremy Klinger, U. S. Air Force who just returned home from Afghanistan joined his Dad on Saturday at a recent meeting. Jeremy had a few days leave and came to Ohio to run in the Air Force Marathon in Vandalia the same weekend as our meeting. We want to thank all of our military for their service to our country.

People come from all over the state, country and world to attend our meetings. In September, five people from Australia were present. We see loyal members each meeting from places like Iowa, Georgia, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey, California, Alaska and many other far states. (I would mention Florida, but I hear we export more members than we import from this state as per the article on page 7.) I believe OGCA is worth the drive/flight. When the meetings were at the IX Center, I almost never missed a meeting even if it meant having to make the 4 hour drive to go home and back in one weekend. Our site search efforts will continue under the able hands of Director Charles Metcalf. In the meantime, to those of you who have not joined us lately, please come and check us out at The Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio.

To those of you who are unable to attend especially due to health or family situations, we are thinking of you and enjoy your notes and letters. We hope that the many great photos by Pete Cox and Bob Wos contained herein make you feel like you were there.

The cover of this newsletter features the November Featured Display by Jerry Pitstick entitled “Identified Guns and Their Published Stories: Smoking Guns, Real People, Tales of Adventure.” Jerry has always taken gun collecting one step further by learning the history of the gun and its owner. Jerry’s articles have been in many publications such as the Civil War Historian, Man at Arms and The Gun Report. Jerry, you need to write a book! We want to thank the Civil War Historian magazine for supplying Jerry with so many copies of their recent edition for our members to pick up and enjoy. We also want to thank Jerry for his great display and for all the copies of his articles from other magazines that he took the time to make for us. Like genealogy, tracing the history of a gun and its owner can be a very rewarding experience. I am sure that if you are interested in this endeavor Jerry will be there to help you.

We also look forward to a display by the members of Big Irons S.A.S.S. (Single Actions Shooting Society) at the January 10-11 meeting. We need YOU to be our Featured Displayer for March 14-15, 2009 so give us a call if you are interested.

After much research, we are working with the post office to track this mailing. Many members have alerted us of their newsletter arriving so late – sometimes a full 3 weeks from when we mailed them. All newsletters are mailed “bulk” at the same time and pass through approximately 3-5 postal facilities before it reaches you. We have noticed a marked decline in service in recent months and our objective is to determine what or where the hold up is. As always, you do not need to wait for your mailing to reserve table space - sign up at the prior meeting, pick up table applications in the foyer and mail it from home at your convenience, or call your reservation in to the business office.

Your Board of Directors are now looking ahead to our busy season especially January, March and May including the Display Show and Banquet coming up the weekend of May 30-31. Director Robert Ray Preston is the Display Show Chairman, Terrie Hill is the Banquet Chair and Jon Chorpenning is Chair of the NRA 2009 Display Committee. If you have any questions regarding these areas, please see these Directors. Have a happy and healthy Holiday Season and see you January 10-11th!

Sincerely
Frank S. Hodges, Jr.
President