Elks Gun Show Draws Record Crowd
By Bill Wehrle / C-T Outdoor Editor, Tuesday, February 16, 2010

C-T Photo / Bill Wehrle

CAPTION: This past weekend’s 8th Annual Chillicothe Elks Gun and Knife Show enjoyed record attendance, and at times on Saturday the crowd was pretty much “elbow to elbow”. Bad weather can’t keep gun and knife enthusiasts from having a fun time!

The Chillicothe Elks Lodge’s eighth-annual Gun and Knife Show, held this past weekend at their lodge in southeast Chillicothe, drew a record crowd of gun and knife enthusiasts. Despite the weekend’s “winter weather advisory” with cold, snow and slick roads, a sellout group of vendors and 1,400 attendees came to Chillicothe to buy, sell, trade or just look at the latest in guns and knives, plus many older, even historical weapons. The number attending replaced the old record of 1,200, set last year. The Elks Gun Show just keeps getting bigger and better.

A polling of vendors, many of whom had been here for most or all of the previous shows, found them extremely pleased with this year’s show, with many remarking that, despite allegations of a “down” economy, their sales this year were the best they’ve been for some time. Most of them have already reserved their tables for next year’s ninth-annual show, and according to show coordinator Kerby Vulgamott. “This year’s show is barely over and we’re almost completely booked up to next year,” he said excitedly. “Many of our vendors have been coming here for several years and tell me our show is a favorite. “They love the way the Elks volunteers help them load their wares into the show and load back up when it’s over. They don’t get treated that special treatment everywhere.”

About anything a gun or knife enthusiast could want was on display at the show, with firearms from the latest in high-powered, scoped rifles and handguns to the most primitive and historical in black powder muzzleloaders. Some attendees came to the show all three days in order to be sure they saw it all.

Gun shows are a social event for participants and a lot of information and just plain tall tales changed hands during this three-day event. Vulgamott explained, “The show’s a lot of fun, but we don’t hold it just for fun. It’s one of the Elks' fund-raising events used to support their scholarship program. Each year we give scholarships to deserving area students. The money raised at this show plus the many sponsorships we’ve received will allow us to continue and expand the scholarship program.
He expressed his appreciation to all supporters.

“I would like to thank our sponsors, the vendors, and everyone who came to our show. We’ll be back with a ninth-annual Gun and Knife Show at about this time next year.”

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