The West Liberty Gun Club of West Liberty has been awarded a 2013 Governor’s Volunteer Award, it was announced by the Office of Iowa Governor Terry Branstad on April 23, 2013.
This award comes via the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and is in recognition of 25 years of service in providing facilities and instruction for the Iowa Hunter Education Program. In an award letter to the club, Governor Branstad stated, “We are pleased to honor those who have given the precious gift of their time to make a difference and enrich lives all across Iowa.” The award will be presented by Governor Branstad to West Liberty Gun Club President David Kelzenberg and other honorees in a special ceremony to be held on June 12 in Marion.
Kelzenberg stated, “We are very pleased to be recognized and honored by the Governor in this way. The West Liberty Gun Club has always been a strong proponent of the safe handling and use of firearms. Our mission has always included the instruction of our youth in the safe handling of firearms, through programs such as 4-H, scouts, our own youth shooting programs, and of course Iowa’s Hunter Safety Education Program. And this recognition comes at a crucial time as we struggle with the challenges of reconstructing our primary facility.” The club’s indoor shooting range and clubhouse were destroyed by a major fire in January, and efforts to rebuild this facility are on hold as they attempt to negotiate a complicated path through the bureaucracies of the city of West Liberty and Muscatine County, where the club is located. “We plan to rebuild our facility, and to continue our mission of providing a safe and supportive venue for firearms instruction and participation in the shooting sports,” Kelzenberg said.