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Harvey Hollandsworth from Brady, Montana is running for election to the NRA
Board of
Directors. He deserves our support, for unlike many in NRA leadership
he knows that
guns are useful for more than hunting and target practice. Read his
tragic childhood story
(below) and give him support. ~ Ben
Link: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050120/LIFESTYLE05/501200323/1055
Brady man aiming for NRA post Brady resident Harvey Hollandsworth is running for election to the National Rifle Association national board of directors; his story is interesting and tragic. Hollandsworth, a licensed firearms dealer and a farm chemicals and fertilizer salesman, is competing with 30 other candidates for 25 positions on the board, which meets three times a year and governs what is the nation's largest gun lobby. Kelly Hobbs, a NRA spokeswoman in Fairfax, Va., explained that there are 76 board members, including one at-large member who serves one year. The rest of the 75 are elected to three-year terms. She said ballots will be issued in February to NRA members through one of seven NRA publications, such as the American Rifleman or the American Hunter. Only NRA life members or those who have held memberships for five consecutive years will be allowed to vote and ballots must be returned within 60 days. Hobbs said votes will be counted at the NRA annual meeting, which will be April 16 in Houston, Texas. Hobbs said there are 4 million NRA members but NRA policy prevented her from saying how many Montanans belong to the NRA. She doubted a report that Hollandsworth will need approximately 85,000 votes to win a seat on the board; she said simply the 25 candidates with the most votes win. Among Hollandsworth's competitors is the actor, Tom Selleck. For those who don't know, the NRA represents gun owners and the right of Americans to own guns. The NRA is considered one of the most powerful lobbies in the nation. One might wonder if there is anyone more qualified than Hollandsworth to serve the NRA. As he points out in his campaign material, Hollandsworth has been a federally licensed firearms dealer since 1977; he has been a reserve deputy sheriff for 33 years; was a volunteer fireman for 20 years; and is a past director of the Weapons Collector Society of Montana. Hollandsworth has a major collection of World War II infantry weapons, which he began in 1957 when he was 20 years old. Hollandsworth "works to ensure the Second Amendment, which is the cornerstone and insurance policy that guarantees the rest of our Bill of Rights stays in place," he says in his campaign materials. When Hollandsworth was 11 years old, he, his father, mother and baby brother returned to their Glenou ranch to find a hired hand in their home. A noise in the basement prompted Glen Hollandsworth to go down the steps to investigate. He found James McVay, hiding in the coal bin with a rifle. McVay killed the elder Hollandsworth. When Harvey dashed downstairs to help his father, McVay shot him in the arm and hip. Upstairs, McVay threatened Mrs. Hollandsworth and the baby. After a struggle, McVay fled in the Hollandsworth family car, but not before he filled it with gas from the family's pump. Harvey Hollandsworth was hospitalized for two and a half weeks. In the meantime a posse tracked down McVay, McVay pleaded guilty and a state district judge sentenced the killer to life in prison. That was in 1948. The legal proceedings likely would take longer these days. Dennis Mack, a Great Falls gun collector and organizer of the spring and fall gun shows in Great Falls, says there have been other NRA directors from Montana, but not many. He could think of three and one of those actually lived in Colorado, although he grew up here. And, speaking of the NRA, a photograph of the late Frank Vukasin of Great Falls is displayed prominently in the January edition of The American Rifleman. The photograph of the former Black Eagle businessman is spread across two pages at the beginning of a story entitled "American Arms of the Battle of the Bulge." In the photo, Vukasin is reloading his M1. Caption on the photo, which begins on Page 56, reads: "The semi-automatic M1 Garand in .30-06 was the standard U.S. infantry rifle of World War II. Pfc. Frank Vukasin of the 331st Infantry Regiment, 83rd Division, reloads his M1 outside of Houffalize, Belgium." Vukasin, who died in January 1995, received the Bronze Star and other citations for his participation in the Battle of the Bulge, which began in December 1944, and was Germany's last major offensive of World War II. The battle was so named because of the German lines that pushed into Belgium. "The American Rifleman," by the way, is available only to members of the NRA. Babcock welcomes calls at 791-1487 or (800) 438-6600. His address is P.O. Box 5468, Great Falls, MT 59403; e-mail is [EMAIL PROTECTED]. Originally published January 20, 2005 |
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