Thursday Bulletin – March 20, 2025
Executive Director's Message Richard Pearson |
Lieutenant Colonel David Grossman at IGOLD, May 14, 2025 We are pleased to announce Lieutenant Colonel David Grossman, internationally recognized speaker, scholar, author and soldier, will be at IGOLD
this year. Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear Lieutenant Colonel Grossman give the keynote address! More info will be posted as the event gets closer. I am looking forward to seeing you there. Legislative Update Election Security Bill Disarms Workers and Homeowners! Representative Bob Morgan has a new gun control bill (HB34) that prohibits concealed carry in polling places. This prohibition appears to be year round, not just on election day. Additionally, committee amendment 1 extends the prohibition to "building, real property, or parking area" of a polling place. This means if the polling place is your apartment building, condo association, or other community area, you can't possess a firearm in your own
home. Security officers at churches, synagogues, and schools would also be disarmed under this bill. On Tuesday, we asked our membership to file witness slips against HB34, CA1. The bill was heard at 2pm that day and the ISRA was notified that morning that the committee intended to move it forward. That gave us very little time to file witness slips. This frustrating tactic has become a common move on the
part of anti-gun legislators. We will continue to keep you informed as information comes to us. You can follow along by clicking the ISRA Legislation Page. Litigation Update The ISRA has filed a brief in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals for Schoenthal, et al v. Raoul and Schoenthal, et al v. Eileen O’Neil Burke. Eileen O’Neil Burke is the Cook
County States Attorney, for those who don’t who she is. This case deals with the right of a licensed concealed carry license holder to carry on public transportation. The ISRA looks forward to a favorable verdict by the Seventh Circuit of Appeals. We expect this case to eventually be heard by the Supreme Court of the United States. To read the case overview and
plaintiffs response brief, click HERE. Our Faithful Friend, Emma – A Relatable Story I am sure that many of you can relate to this story..... At 2:09 am on Saturday, February 22, 2025, my wife, Genee, was awaken by Emma, our miniature long-haired dachshund, gasping for breath. We quickly took her to the veterinary emergency hospital in Bloomington, Illinois. Only a few hours earlier, Emma had been her happy, tail-wagging self. My wife had to go to work, so I stayed with Emma until about 7:00
am. Then I had to leave for a while because I couldn’t stay in the emergency treatment area. Later that afternoon, I had a sudden urge to go check on Emma back at the veterinarian's office. Sure enough, Emma had taken a turn for the worst. The staff brought Emma into the treatment room. I was holding her when her heart stopped beating. Emma passed away at
3:49 pm. My wife drove directly from work but could not make it in time. Emma had been with us for 15 years and three days. My wife and I had been looking for a dog for some time. We finally decided on a long-haired dachshund, as Genee had a red, long-haired dachshund growing up. We looked for several months and finally a breeder was recommended to us by someone
familiar with the breeder's dogs. So, one Saturday morning, Genee and I took off, check book in hand, to make the 70 mile trip to the breeder, who we liked immediately upon our arrival. We entered a room where several nine-week-old puppies, both red and black and tans, were playing. Genee picked out a red puppy, but that puppy was stand-offish. Then, a little black
and tan came over and sat on my foot. I stooped and picked up that little puppy body and that was the end of it. Emma had picked us, we had not picked Emma, and it didn’t matter a bit...we were in love with her. I remember taking Emma to her first veterinary appointment. I had a cozy little bed for her to lay on but she wasn’t having it. Within two blocks, she
crawled over the console and curled up on my lap. Emma immediately wormed her way into our hearts. My daughter observed that Emma was the heart of the household. She certainly was. Emma was always happy. Her happy face and wagging tail brought us so much joy. Somehow, the good Lord had stuffed a big, happy soul into that little body. As Emma grew older, her eyelids began to turn gray, followed by her face. We called her our “little gray-haired lady” or “our little, brown-eyed girl”. When I was sick, Emma would lay beside wherever I was. I called her “Nurse Emma”. When mentioning our first trip to the veterinarian, I never dreamed of the day that I would take her there for the last time. She had always been
there for us and I am glad I was with her when she passed. I would have hated it if she had been alone. We now have Emma’s ashes in a little box and two paw prints. We love you, Emma. You will never be forgotten..... ISRA Academy Ladies Weekend – April 4 - 6, 2025 The ISRA Academy is hosting a Ladies Weekend with instructor Mandi Ehler at The World Shooting Complex in Sparta, Illinois, from April 4th to
April 6th, 2025. The NRA “Refuse To Be A Victim” program, which offers constructive tips and techniques for personal safety, will be held on Friday, April 4th. The NRA Basic Pistol shooting course, focusing on safety and fundamentals, will be held on Saturday, April 5th , and the NRA Basic Rifle Course, encompassing all things rifle-related, will be held on Sunday, April 6th , 2025. Reserve you spot today! For more information, please visit our website, email us at academy@isra.org or call the ISRA at: 815-844-9949. Register For “Bullseye 101” at Aurora Sportsmen's Club - April 5 The Aurora Sportsmen's Club is once again offering "Bullseye 101"--an introduction to Bullseye Pistol Shooting. This is a free, one day overview of bullseye and will be held on Saturday, April 5, at ASC. The session is open to ASC Members and invited guests. Shooters of all ages (10 year olds and up) and all skill levels are welcome to attend. Lunch is on your own, but we will organize a group pizza order. The classroom session in the morning will cover safety, scoring, equipment, and a seminar on improving your shooting skills. The afternoon session will provide an opportunity to shoot a National Match Course (or two) comprising the slow fire, timed fire and rapid fire stages found in any formal Bullseye match. Bullseye is a natural progression from shooting ASC
Club Pistol and knowledge of the process and protocols will open up new opportunities for shooting precision pistol. Pre-registration is required. You can find more information on the Bullseye 101 session HERE and REGISTER HERE . Upcoming Municipal Elections Tuesday, April 1 will be the municipal elections in Illinois. These elections are extremely important because this is from where the next round
of State Representatives and State Senators will emerge. It is very important that you review all candidates in these elections and vote for those who are pro-gun. Register NOW for ISRA Academy CCL Renewals Do not miss out on the ISRA Academy featuring CCL renewals each month. Upcoming dates are: 3/27/2025 (Thursday) 1:00pm – 4:00pm / Range 11 & Clubhouse – Register HERE Henry 1000 Man Shoot Rifle Raffle Help us fund our youth shooting programs by purchasing tickets for our Henry 1000-Man
Shoot Silver Boy rifles! ISRA will be raffling off rifle #873 out of 1000, which comes in its original case, on March 31, 2025. Don't miss this opportunity to not only win a beautiful and rare firearm but also to support and encourage our young marksmen! If you prefer to call the office and purchase
tickets, you may do so between 8am and 4pm, Monday through Friday. You can also mail a check to the ISRA at P.O.Box 637, Chatsworth, IL. 60921. Be sure to include a note stating it is for the Henry Rifle Raffle. Ticket prices are 1 for $25, 5 for $100 and 15 for $250.
Purchase Tickets for the Henry 1000 HERE New IGOLD Merchandise in the ISRA Online Store Come visit the ISRA Online Store to view our new line of IGOLD merchandise. We have new items added every week and, if you have
something particular you would like to see available, let us know! We would love to hear your ideas and appreciate your input! Email them to us at: member@isra.org Visit the ISRA Online Store HERE Education & Training @ ISRA Range, Bonfield, IL. ISRA Academy is continuing to offer CCL renewals each month – 3/27/2025 (Thursday) 1:00pm – 4:00pm / Range 11 & Clubhouse – Register HERE 4/27/2025 (Sunday) 9:00pm – 12:00pm / Range 11 & Clubhouse – Register HERE Basic CCL Qualification 4/27/2025 (Sunday) 9:00am – 12:00pm
/ Range 11 & Clubhouse – Register HERE Pistol Coaching Class / Level 1 – 3/22/2025 (Saturday) 8:30am – 4:30pm
/ Range 1 & Clubhouse – Register HERE 3/23/2025 (Sunday) 8:30am – 4:30pm / Range 1 & Clubhouse – Register HERE Pistol Optics Principles with Brian Hill of “The Complete Combatant” – 4/12/2025 (Saturday) 9:00am – 6:00pm / Range 11 & Clubhouse – Register HERE 4/13/2025 (Sunday) 9:00am – 6:00pm / Range 11 & Clubhouse – Register HERE *** Please contact academy@isra.org for any training or class questions and check the ISRA
Range Calendar HERE for links to dates, times, descriptions of ISRA activities and events. Important Announcement - IGOLD The 2025 IGOLD date has been moved to
May 14, 2025. This is due to a change in the legislative calendar. I am looking forward to seeing you there. The Illinois State Rifle Association is the home of marksmanship in Illinois Tidbits March 20, 1345 – The “Black Death” was created by the triple conjunction of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. That is what the scholars at the University of Paris said anyway. The “Black Death”, otherwise known as the Bubonic Plague, is actually caused by rats carrying fleas and, when the rat dies, the fleas would jump onto the next
furry thing. Eventually, the fleas would wind up on the body of a human being, biting them and transmitting the disease to that person. The city of Kaffa lay at the end of the Silk Road on the Black Sea. This city was an important trade stop and was controlled by the Italian city of Genoa. The Mongols attacked this strategic city and, in doing so, many of them fell ill
from the Black Plague. Before leaving, the Mongols catapulted dead victims of the plague over the walls to infect the Genoan defenders. The Black Plague was a scourge across the globe over a long period of time. It most likely came aboard trading ships from the Black Sea to Sicily, and then to the rest of Italy, and eventually most of Europe. The death rates were about
50% and it devastated the European population. March 21, 1871 – Newspaper man, Henry Morton Stanley, began his search for Dr. David Livingstone. Stanley worked for the New York Herald newspaper. The editor of the New York Herald, James Gordon Bennett, Jr., wanted to promote his paper, so he sent Stanley to find Livingstone, who had not been
heard from for six years. Stanley set out from Zanzibar, with 2000 men, for the interior of Africa. The area was unexplored at the time and no one knew what they would find. Stanley contracted dysentery, cerebral malaria and small pox. After eight months, Stanley finally
found Livingstone on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Livingston had been searching for the origin of the Nile River before Stanley found him. Livingstone would die 18 months later in Zambia. Stanley would eventually return to Africa to find the source of the Nile River, which was, by the way, Lake Victoria. I don't know why he didn't just Google it. March 22,
1894 – The first Stanley Cup game was played in Montreal, Canada. The Stanley Cup was a creation of Sir Frederick Arthur Stanley, an English nobleman. March 22, 1765 – The British impose the Stamp Act on the American colonists. The imposition of this tax was one of many causes that led to the Revolutionary
War. This was about taxation without representation. Since then, we have found that taxation WITH representation isn't such a great thing either. March 22, 1933 – Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Beer and Wine Revenue Act. This was a tax on all alcoholic beverages to raise money for the federal government and gave the option to the
States to regulate wine and beer. In December 1933, the 21st Amendment would be passed which would officially end prohibition. March 23, 1775 – Patrick Henry gave a speech before the second Virginia Convention. Henry's response to the
increasingly oppressive British rule over the American Colonies was - “I know what course other may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” March 24, 1958 – The “King of Rock 'N' Roll” was inducted into the United States Army. To his credit, Elvis simply reported for duty, put on his uniform and
served his time in the Army. He did his duty and was a sergeant at the end of his enlistment. March 26, 1945 – The fighting on Iwo Jima ended and the island is declared secure. This is one of the great battles in the history of the United States Marine Corps. While the gun show information shown in this email is believed to be accurate, sometimes changes occur. This is provided for informational purposes only.
If your club or organization is holding a gun show, event
or class, let us know the details, and we’d be happy to post it. Mar 29 – Mar 30, 2025 Sauk Trail Gun Show, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton, IL. April 5 – April 6, 2025 Chillicothe Sportsmen's Club Gun & Knife Show, Chillicothe Sprotsmen's Club House,
Chillicothe, IL. April 13, 2025 Kane County Sportsman's Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles, IL. April 26, 2025 National Civil War, Military, and Collector Arms Show, DuPage County Fairgrounds, Wheaton, IL. May 17 – May 18,
2025 Kankakee Gun & Sportsman's Show, Kankakee Co. Fairgrounds, Kankakee, IL. June 6 – June 8, 2025 Pecatonica Gun Show, Winnebago County Fairgrounds, Pecatonica, IL. Sept 20, 2025 National Civil War, Military, and Collector Arms Show, DuPage County Fairgrounds, Wheaton,
IL. Sept 27 – Sept 28, 2025 Chillicothe Sportsmen's Club Gun & Knife Show, Chillicothe Sprotsmen's Club House, Chillicothe, IL. Oct 12, 2025 Kane County Sportsman's Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles, IL. Oct 25 – Oct 26,
2025 Sauk Trail Gun Show, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton, IL. Nov 1, 2025 Bloomington Gun & Knife Show, Interstate Center, Bloomington, IL. Nov 9, 2025 Kane County Sportsman's Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles, IL. Nov 29 – Nov 30, 2025 Sauk Trail Gun Show, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton, IL. Dec 6 – Dec 7, 2025 Chillicothe Sportsmen's Club Gun & Knife Show, Chillicothe Sprotsmen's Club House, Chillicothe, IL. Dec 14, 2025 Kane County Sportsman's Show, Kane
County Fairgrounds, St. Charles, IL. ISRA Grassroots Monthly Meetings
Come and meet fellow activists and learn the latest on protecting our Second Amendment Rights! Northwest Suburban - 3rd Tues –
Village Pizza and Pub Elgin - 2496 N Randall Rd, Elgin, IL 60123 ; Doors open 6pm; Meeting 7pm – 8pm South Suburban/Cook County - 2nd Thurs – Kenootz Pizza, 4659 147th St., Midlothian, IL; Doors open 6:30pm; Meeting 7pm – 8pm Will County - 3rd Wed – Silver Dollar Restaurant, 422 E. Mississippi Ave., Elwood, IL; Doors open 6pm; Meeting 7pm – 8pm
Livingston County – 4th Saturday of the month – South Post Guns, 104 Livingston Rd., Streator, IL; Social Hour 4:30pm – 5:30pm; Meeting 5:30pm – 6:30pm Stand
Strong &
Thank you for being a member! |
|
|
