‘Twas the night before buck season
and I'm in camp with the usual crew of old salts and several brand new salts
that are experiencing one of Pennsylvania's greatest and oldest traditions for
the first time. A tradition, I might say, that occurred here many millennia
before Europeans were to stumble onto this continent thinking it was India,
half a world away.
The person I'm picking on this newsletter is our own Nick Oslawsky. Nick may have been on the crew with Eric The Red's or Christopher Columbus' ships. Nick is pretty old but I don't think he's that old. Nick certainly would have been a useful gent on one of those old sail ships. His experience as a crainman and machinist for U.S. Steel or his time in the U.S. Army at the cease fire in Korea would have stood him well. Other hobbies and things Nick likes to do include golfing, traveling and enjoying his family, especially his grandchildren, Nicole and Chucky. Nick grew up in Rankin, PA during the late depression and probably can relate many stories of living above the many steel mills that shared the Valley of the Mon. I got to know Nick as a hard worker at our old Club site. He always helped out on work parties and lent a hand where ever he could. He has never been shy about speaking up at our regular membership meetings either! His questions are always thought provoking. Like, "What did he mean by that?" or "Huh?" No, really, we Directors and Officers enjoy the kind of questions Nick comes up with. Henry went gray and I went bald enjoying Nick's suggestions. Seriously, Nick, keep shooting those questions. They make life more interesting at our meetings.
Nick is a solid supporter of our Second Amendment Rights. He has attended all the NRA First Dinners over the years with the likes of Milt Lersch, George McClelland, Bob Burkhardt, and yours truly. Last year we had our best gathering for PMSC at this function and I need to share a tale from this event. As some of you know, the purpose of these dinners is to raise money for NRA Grants to deserving organizations that support youth shooting. This is done through raffles and auctions at the affair. Well, usually we donate to the cause and come away with nothing more than the knowledge that our funds will be put to a good, worthy cause. This past year Nick came up to me with a hot tip. I had just about spent all the money my bride had allotted her poor deserving husband when Nick said to me, "Let's pool our funds and by three tickets on the Surprise Gun". Well, he suckered me into it. It's Nick, so I'll go along on this long shot. I combined my coins with Nick's and we had three tickets. I kept one, Nick kept one, and the third one we would toss in the air and call heads or tails on it if it's number came up. What chance would that ever happen among all the tickets sold? Yep, you guessed it, that's the one that hit! So we flipped it up, Nick called it and the ticket came down on my side. It was a Ruger No. 1, laminate, stainless in 7mm Mag with a Burris 3x9 scope and beautiful hard case with wheels. I felt bad for my friend Nick, but not too bad. He wins guns once in awhile, like at our PMSC Gun Bash last year, and after all it's for a good cause, right Nick? Guns to guns. . . well, I thought you'd enjoy that story. Just don't tell my wife I have another 'item' in the safe.
Nick has been a friend and fellow sportsman at PMSC. I'd like to thank his 'better half', the fair, young, Kate for talking to me about Nick over the telephone while he was sitting nearby on Thanksgiving Eve. To Kate, their children, Nick Jr. and Karen, and the grandchildren, Nicole and Chucky, thank you for sharing this gentleman with all of us. To you members out there, anytime Nick comes up to you with an idea, listen to him! He is a lucky guy to be around and I plan on sitting next to him at this year's NRA First Banquet.
Bill Chessman