2008 Woodie Awards
A Glimpse of the Gun Show
Moore, Ryan
Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: TruLife
Last weekend's gun show had people fired up about firearms.
From Feb. 22 to 24, the NEMO Fairgrounds hosted a gun festival, which displayed personal collections from an assortment of arms dealers. Traveling businesses occupied most of the tables, along with a few local residents and firearm vendors.
One man in particular captured the hearts of browsing customers with a warm smile, a friendly demeanor and a clever idea.
Jerry Gillum has been a member of the Shriners Organization for more than 35 years and made a philanthropic effort at the gun show. He raffled away $5 tickets to anyone who wanted a chance to own a new camouflage shotgun. Gillum said the money raised from the shotgun raffle will go to support the Shriners' hospital charity.
"It goes for a good cause, for what we do for the community with the hospitals," Gillum said. "People don't have the money to ... solve their problems."
Gillum also was promoting the 28th annual El Kadir Wild Turkey Day & Calling Contest.
"We're trying to get the youth involved in it," Gillum said. "We get the youth involved in it and make everything keep rolling. [We've got to] have the youth to take a whole step and go with it, or it will die out."
Although Gillum had his hands full with his charity, the gun show included more than charities and games. The show, which was well advertised in Kirksville, attracted many out-of-state dealers.
The promoter of the show, Waylon Pearson, who declined to be interviewed, rented 120 tables at $46 each to dozens of firearm dealers. The tables showcased various firearms and firearm products, ranging from discreet handguns to assault rifles.
Price tags on the firearms ranged from $200 to $300, but items such as automatic weapons, rifle pistols and other rare memorabilia climbed significantly above the $1,000 mark. Handguns of all makes covered tables in rows of three and unique items like a high-powered rifle painted multiple neon colors had a little room to breathe.
From Feb. 22 to 24, the NEMO Fairgrounds hosted a gun festival, which displayed personal collections from an assortment of arms dealers. Traveling businesses occupied most of the tables, along with a few local residents and firearm vendors.
One man in particular captured the hearts of browsing customers with a warm smile, a friendly demeanor and a clever idea.
Jerry Gillum has been a member of the Shriners Organization for more than 35 years and made a philanthropic effort at the gun show. He raffled away $5 tickets to anyone who wanted a chance to own a new camouflage shotgun. Gillum said the money raised from the shotgun raffle will go to support the Shriners' hospital charity.
"It goes for a good cause, for what we do for the community with the hospitals," Gillum said. "People don't have the money to ... solve their problems."
Gillum also was promoting the 28th annual El Kadir Wild Turkey Day & Calling Contest.
"We're trying to get the youth involved in it," Gillum said. "We get the youth involved in it and make everything keep rolling. [We've got to] have the youth to take a whole step and go with it, or it will die out."
Although Gillum had his hands full with his charity, the gun show included more than charities and games. The show, which was well advertised in Kirksville, attracted many out-of-state dealers.
The promoter of the show, Waylon Pearson, who declined to be interviewed, rented 120 tables at $46 each to dozens of firearm dealers. The tables showcased various firearms and firearm products, ranging from discreet handguns to assault rifles.
Price tags on the firearms ranged from $200 to $300, but items such as automatic weapons, rifle pistols and other rare memorabilia climbed significantly above the $1,000 mark. Handguns of all makes covered tables in rows of three and unique items like a high-powered rifle painted multiple neon colors had a little room to breathe.
Be the first to comment on this story