HELP NRA MEMBER TO GET DISABILITY WAIVER TO SHOOT IN
WHEELCHAIR

From: "debbienclapp" <debbienclapp@msn.com>
To: <silhouette@nrahq.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2001 3:43 AM
Subject: Please Help My Disabled Husband Continue Competing in NRA Silhouette matches

Dear Greg Connor, JIM GILCHRIST, MARILYN GRAVES, ET.AL.,

As an NRA member myself and on behalf of my husband, Rodger C. Clapp, I am begging for your assistance in the matter I will describe further. Rodger has been an avid shooter in many NRA matches and an NRA member and instructor for so many years. And now, it seems to me that no one at the NRA cares about disabled shooters, except if you place yourself in the disabled services group. There are other disabled shooters competing in regular silhouette competitions. We have done everything we've been asked by NRA; to supply medical information (more than once) and to supply pictures of him shooting in his wheelchair (more than once) and for two years Rodger has not been able to acquire the NRA waiver. I cannot tell you how angry and disappointed I am in what the NRA is doing. This is no way to treat competitors at a time when Rodger is very limited in what he can actually still do. Due to his low heart rate of 14% he cannot stand to shoot.

Rodger had a "widow-maker" heart attack and his circulation is very low. NRA Silhouette shooting/competition is one of the few activities that have kept him going and now NRA wants to take that away! This is outrageous!

I wrote NRA (M. Gilchrest) last year when they turned him down the first time and never received a response. Instead, Rodger received a letter from Mr. Gilchrest. When Rodger called he was told the pictures submitted didn't show from different angles how he would be shooting. So, why didn't someone call or write to us requesting more pictures? So, he was told to go ahead and submit more pictures. They were mailed within 48 hours and it's been another year. The protest committee meetings have been put off twice this year and once again when Rodger called he was informed they would be meeting in October.

He called today and he was told he will not be approved for a waiver! Why? NRA does not have enough medical information!! I really don't know what more medical information they could want. Over the last two years, we have sent them information from both Rodger's primary care physician, as well as, from his cardiologist. What does the NRA not understand? Rodger is terminal, inoperable, and does not qualify for a new heart! Does that mean he should sit at home and die? I think not. We have traveled to other states for competitions where we both compete, as well as, different parts of Florida. If his doctors believe that it's great that he can still compete, except from a wheelchair, then why should the NRA "doctors" disagree? Or is this a purely political decision? We may not have agreed with every NRA public decision, but we've always supported the NRA. Now it's time for the NRA to truly support its membership and stand with those members who become disabled. Rodger may not become the next Olympic champion, but he darn well should be able to continue competing in NRA sanctioned matches where his scores are recorded. Is this going to be the new NRA who's not really concerned about the average shooters and only concerned with those who can give the organization more political clout? Or
is this going to be the new NRA who supports ALL members in the shooting sports, as well as, the other branches of the NRA?

Since I do not have other email addresses, would you please forward this for me to the following persons within the NRA:

NRA President, Charlton Heston
NRA Board Member, Bob Barr

Please also feel free to forward to anyone else within the NRA who might be interested in what acts are being perpetrated on the NRA disabled members on behalf of the NRA and who just might be able to help Rodger and I turn this around. I don't know how long Rodger has to live any kind of an active life before he is totally bedridden. Initially, the doctors gave him "maybe a year" and he's surprised them all. Yes, he has bad days and sometimes we've had to cancel our plans to attend a silhouette competition, but when he's doing well, he should be allowed to compete in his wheelchair and his scores to count!!

I beg you and whoever else within NRA to please help us resolve this situation. Thank you for any assistance you can give me in getting Rodger an NRA waiver. Please feel free to call me or Rodger at home at 407-2xx-xxxx.

Sincerely,

Debra Turbe-Clapp

Orlando, FL 32811

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