--OGCA Meetings are strictly LIMITED to members and their guests--

Upcoming Meeting Dates

 
September 12-13, 2020 is a "go"!  See Home Page for important changes and details.  Please read all OGCA correspondence and check back for updates especially before you leave for the meeting. 
Very Special Guest, The Winchester Arms Collectors Association (WACA). 
Nov. 21-22, 2020 (Annual Meeting/Director Election) Note: Director Nomination forms are available and the deadline has been extended. See below.
FOR A COMPLETE SCHEDULE, DIRECTIONS AND HOTELS, CLICK ON SHOWS.

Fall 2020 Member's Newsletter (click to read)

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A Word From Our President

I hope the Fall 2020 newsletter finds you and your family well. I think many of you may share my feelings of Gun Show withdrawal and look forward to being able to attend a show again.

I am excited to share that after a lot of planning and a meeting with the Roberts Centre staff and the Health Dept. that it appears that we will be able to have a September show.

Two words that will dictate our ability to have a safe and successful show are “change” and “compliance.”

"Change" in that just about everything you have come to expect and experience in prior shows will be different from the entrance to the exit to the interior traffic pattern within the facility. The location of services such as Gun-Tie Tables will be relocated as well. Plenty of signage will be posted to help you find your way.

You will also be required to wear appropriate masks and Social Distance. These changes are necessary to insure our ability to keep you and all the other members that choose to attend safe and to insure our ability to continue to have future shows throughout this Pandemic.

"Compliance" in that if we all tolerate and comply with these required changes, we will have a safe and successful show for you to attend.

Finally, I hope you enjoy the Fall 2020 newsletter. There are great articles and a new addition, member ads to help you add to your collection or sell something you want to move. I look forward to seeing you in Wilmington.

Stay strong,

Fred Kolb
President

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Register to Vote Today - Vote on or prior to November 3rd

Right now, an army of anti-gun organizations are registering voters. If all OGCA members and just a fraction of American gun owners turned out to vote on November 3rd, the battle would be won. If you’re not registered to vote, it’s easy to register.

If you live outside Ohio visit www.vote.gov or the NRA’s nonpartisan voter registration site www.triggerthevote.org.

Ohio members can also visit www.voteohio.gov to register to vote, check their voter registration status, and get an absentee ballot. Spend 10 seconds entering your name and county and you’ll find out instantly if your voter registration is current. If not, follow the simple instructions to register. You don’t have to register online. You can obtain a voter registration form and register to vote at numerous locations including public libraries and most Ohio BMVs, for example.  Ohio members, be sure your voter registration application reaches the office of a board of elections or the Secretary of State by Oct. 5th. All Ohio voters whose registration is up-to-date have the opportunity to vote from the convenience of their homes by requesting an absentee ballot. If you desire to vote via absentee ballot you can also use that website now to sign up to receive an absentee ballot for the Nov. 3rd election. This takes less than two minutes. (Do not wait to request your absentee ballot in the event that the system gets overwhelmed closer to the election.)

EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING in ohio

In Ohio, voters have many options to vote. Beginning October 6th, all registered voters may request and vote an absentee ballot in person at their county board of elections or early voting center as designated by the county.  Most Ohio counties provide early voting at their board of elections office. However, a few counties have separate early voting centers (so check online or with your county Board of Elections).

Important Dates for ohio

Military & Overseas Absentee Voting: Begins September 18 (46 Days Before Election Day)

Early In-Person Voting: Begins October 6 and includes the two Saturdays, two Sundays and the Monday before Election Day

Deadline to Register to Vote:  October 5 (BOEs open until 9:00 p.m.)

Absentee Voting By Mail: Begins October 6 (28 Days Before Election Day)

Election Day: November 3 (Polls Open 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.)

OCTOBER

October 6: Absentee Voting by Mail begins (ends November 2)

October 6: Early In-Person Voting begins

October 31: Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot (Noon)

EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING HOURS FOR OCTOBER

October 6-9: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

October 12-16: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

October 19-23: 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

October 24: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

October 25: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

October 26-30: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

October 31: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

NOVEMBER

November 2: Mailed absentee ballots must be postmarked by this date

November 3: General Election: Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

November 3: Voters are able to drop off absentee ballot at their county board of elections office until 7:30 p.m.

EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING HOURS FOR NOVEMBER

November 1: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

November 2: 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Source: www.voteohio.gov

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Ernie Pyle and Sergeant Joseph Toth

Sergeant Joseph Toth of Mansfield, Ohio, was one of the many brave men and women interviewed by noted WWII journalist, Ernie Pyle. Toth was an OGCA member and “professional gun collector” at a time when membership was approximately 700 members in 21 countries. Thank you to Sergeant Toth and our many veterans. 

After this article ran in our Summer Newsletter, we found out Sergeant Toth is a current member of OGCA.  Read Chuck Benton's article on page 4 of the Fall 2020 newsletter

 - Fred Kolb, President

In one small-arms repair section that I visited the only man who knew or cared anything about guns before the war was a professional gun collector.  He was Sergeant Joseph Toth, of Mansfield, Ohio.  He was stripped down to his undershirt as the day was warm for a change.  He was washing the walnut stocks of damaged rifles in a tub of water with a sponge.  Sergeant Toth used to work at the Westinghouse Electric plant in Mansfield and he spent all his extra money collecting guns.  He belonged to The Ohio Gun Collectors Association.  He said each one of the gun collectors back in Ohio had a different specialty.  Some collected machine pistols.  He had thirty-five in his collection, some of them very expensive ones.  Ironically enough, he had not collected any guns at all in Normandy, even though he was in a world of machine pistols and many passed through his hands.

A stack of muddy, rusted rifles is a touching sight.  As gun after gun came off the stack I looked to see what was the matter with it---rifle butt split by fragments; barrel dented by bullet; trigger knocked off; whole barrel splattered with shrapnel marks; guns gray from the slime of weeks in swamp mud; faint dark splotches of blood still showing.  I wondered what had become of each owner.  I pretty well knew.

 Infantrymen, like soldiers everywhere, like to put names on their equipment.  Just as a driver paints a name on his truck, so does a doughboy carve his name or initials on his rifle butt.  I saw crude whittlings of initials in the hard-walnut stocks and unbelievably craftsman like carvings of soldiers’ names, and many names of girls.  The boys said the most heartbreaking rifle they’d found was one belonging to a soldier who had carved a hole about silver-dollar size and put his wife or girl’s picture in it and sealed it over with a crystal of Plexiglass.  They didn’t know who he was or what had happened to him.  They only knew the rifle was repaired and somebody else was carrying it, picture and all. 

-       Ernie Pyle, Brave Men  

This thought-provoking article is a classic example of Ernie Pyle’s writing style.  He “told it like it is” primarily from the viewpoint of the average G.I.  Ernie Pyle’s newspaper columns have been compiled into several books.  Brave Men is a collection of his columns from 1943 and 1944 in Europe.  The above can be found on page 422. 

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Director Nomination Form Deadline Extended to Sept.

Director nominations for the 2021-2023 term are available now by calling Sherman Kirkland, III, Nominating Committee Chairman/1st VP, at (440) 479-7839 or emailing smk3@sbcglobal.net. The deadline to return the form and documents is extended from the May meeting to the Sept. meeting by 4 pm Sat. Sept. 12th due to the coronavirus. Complete instructions will be provided. Our goal is to encourage you to put your “hat in the ring.” Interviews will be held Sun. Sept. 13th at the Roberts Centre complex and the election will be Sat. the 21st at the Nov. 2020 meeting.

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Autographed USA Hat Raffle
OGCA PAC will run two raffles this year to raise much needed funds for pro-gun Political Candidates. One raffle is for a USA hat signed by the President of the United States. Ticket donation level is just $1/ticket or $5 for 6. Mail a self addressed stamped envelope (SASE) today with a check made out to “OGCA PAC.” We will return your numbered ticket stubs in your SASE. OGCA PAC, P.O. Box 670406, Sagamore Hills, OH 44067. The hat drawing will be held at the Sept. meeting after the big Annual 2020 PAC raffle drawing

Annual PAC Raffle
Look for Tickets in next Mailing, The Summer 2020 Newsletter

Six Great Prizes:
1st M-1 Garand CMP Korean
War Springfield Rifle
2nd Walther P-38 WWII Pistol
3rd Winchester Model 70, 7mm
4th Colt Mustang Plus II .380
5th Double Tap 9mm Pistol
6th Colt Knife

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If you are a member and need copy of a Table Application of Guest Pass Registration form do not hesitate to contact us anytime at ogca@ogca.com or (330) 467-5733.   

Guest Passes: MEMBERS-ONLY ON SATURDAY SEPT. 12. Guests are permitted on Sunday-only. This is designed to provide maximum opportunity for our loyal members who have waited so long to attend. Your spouse, minor children, and minor grandchildren are included as members, but they must wear their family badge. Call the business office if you have a question regarding family badges (330) 467-5733.  If you have a guest, please bring them on Sunday when we have much greater capacity. Guest Passes for  September will be on page 13 of the Fall 2020 Member's newsletter that will arrive in August.  For security reasons the form is not online.  If you are a member and would like a form before your Fall newsletter arrives, call (330) 467-5733 or email ogca@ogca.com. Guest Passes are $15. Members may bring up to 4 guests per meeting. Guests are limited to 2 visits per life. 

Table Reminders: We are sold out of tables for the September meeting.  Normally the Table Application for the next two meetings are included inside the newsletter. If you have tables for September but need to cancel please contact us asap at (330) 467-5733 or email ogca@ogca.com.  If you would like a table application for the November meeting, or if you would like to be added to the wait list for the September meeting please contact us.  (Forms are not posted on the web for security reasons.) Members may reserve tables for up to two shows at a time ($80 per table). Tables may be rented via mail, phone, or in person during a meeting.   "Annual Tables" provides a discounted rate when renting for all 6 meetings January to November and must be purchased in December or earlier.

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Meeting Hours Now Start at 8:30 AM / Save on Lodging Cost with Increased Sat. Set up Time

Sat. and Sun. Meeting Hours now start at 8:30 AM, and tableholder set up hours Sat. and Sun. morning have been extended to better accommodate members who rent tables and potentially avoid the time and cost of a Fri. hotel stay.  Based on the recent Membership Questionnaire it is clear that these minor time changes will make a big impact. There are no changes to the Friday set up time.   Note the Holiday Inn at Roberts Centre still has a strict 2-night minimum (which is beyond OGCA's control) and a list of other hotels can be found on the SHOWS page.

Meeting Hours Now in Effect Saturday 8:30 am - 5 pm Sunday 8:30 am - 2 pm Set up/Exhibitor Hours Fri. 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm exhibitor Set-up Sat. 7:00 am - 8:30 am exhibitor Set-up Sun. 7:30 am - 8:30 am exhibitor Set-up

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