Attendance at Hunter Defense Fund Exceeds Expectations, Additional Space Added
Safari Club International 01.03.13
Due to overwhelming demand by sportsmen and women to attend the inaugural Hunter Defense Fund luncheon, Safari Club International (SCI) is adding additional seating to accommodate every hunter who supports the protection of our hunting freedoms.
The inaugural Hunter Defense Fund (HDF) Luncheon will be held on Saturday, January 26, 2013 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the 41st Annual Safari Club International Hunters’ Convention in Reno, Nevada.
“The Hunter Defense Fund is positioned to become the most powerful advocacy tool for hunters across the country,” said Jeff Kimbell, chairman of Hunter Defense Fund. “No matter whether you are a deer hunter in Texas, a pheasant hunter in South Dakota, a bear hunter in Nevada, or an American hunter who enjoys the sport overseas — the Hunter Defense Fund is your new resource to protect hunting.”
“At Safari Club International, we have been protecting hunters’ freedoms for over a generation. The Hunter Defense Fund will take advantage of the latest developments in political campaign finance law to offer laser-focused strategies to support pro-hunting policymakers,” continued Kimbell.
“If you care about your hunting heritage as much as I do, then join me in Reno, Nevada at the Inaugural Hunter Defense Fund Luncheon,” said SCI President and HDF Gold Level Sponsor John Whipple. “Some organizations claim to protect hunting, but they simply do not have the tools or top-class professionals to successfully protect your hunting freedoms.”
“I hope that every hunter, outfitter, and manufacturer who attends the greatest hunting convention knows they need to be at the Hunter Defense Fund Luncheon on January 26,” concluded Whipple.
The Hunter Defense Fund luncheon will open its doors at 11 a.m. and run until 1:00 p.m., with a live auction and a keynote address from award winning outdoor writer, wilderness guide, and outfitter Jim Shockey. The event is not to be missed. Any hunter or company concerned about the future of hunting, management of our public lands, or fighting back on the anti-hunting extremists, can purchase a table or individual tickets. Please go to www.ShowSCI.org to find out how.
Protecting hunters’ rights and promoting wildlife conservation, SCI’s two areas of focus, historically has been the interest of hundreds of individuals long before SCI was established. But how did SCI as an organization begin?
Forty years ago, there were many safari clubs across the country made up of local, unaffiliated groups of hunters. One such was Safari Club of Los Angeles, which was formed in April 1971 by forty-seven individuals. In early 1972, an out-of-towner from a similar club in Chicago attended one of the monthly Wednesday night meetings, and it was decided that the L.A. club should attempt to combine with the one in Chicago to make it an affiliated chapter. The founder of Safari Club of Los Angeles, C.J. McElroy, went to the Windy City and instituted the new chapter.
Eleven months after the formation of Safari Club of Los Angeles, on March 9, 1972, the name was changed officially to Safari Club International. SCI continued to reach out to other independent safari clubs throughout the United States in an effort to combine them into a single overall organization.
Today, interest in SCI’s two primary missions has grown a worldwide network. Subsequent involvement and promotion of these missions is rooted in each of our 55,000 members, supported through each of our 190 membership chapters found across the globe, and put into action by government representatives and personnel both nationally and internationally.
In this way, we can encourage an appreciation for nature and wildlife so that conservation efforts remain strong, while also fighting to protect our rich hunting heritage. Big changes can be achieved through the endeavors of many who are united in a mission – the mission of Safari Club International.
