JACKSON NATIVE TO SPEAK AT NRA BANQUET

Dee Dee Sarff, a national spokesperson for shooting sports, will be the guest speaker for the "Friends of the NRA" banquet Saturday, April 4.

Sarff is originally from Jackson.

The banquet begins at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Cape Girardeau. The mixer starts at 5:30 p.m.

Sarff is director of communication partnerships for the National Shooting Sports Foundation of Newtown, Conn. She promotes shooting sports, top shooters and celebrities to produce media coverage of shooting sports.

Her media outreach efforts focus on creating a positive image of shooting sports in non-outdoor, mainstream media, including television and national magazines.

She has worked in the shooting sports industry since graduating from Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in business administration and marketing.

She joined Olin Corporation's Winchester Division in 1990 as the youngest person ever hired for their sales force. Promoted to area manager for shooting promotions in 1995, Sarff managed promotion of more than 150 shooting events that year, including coordinating public relations and promotion effort. She also co-hosted the television program "Americana Outdoors."

As the program mamager for all marketing, public relations and advertising programs for the National Skeet Shooting and National Sporting Clays Associations, she was the creator and event director for the organization's first "Sportsman's Showcase" outdoor fair with attendance exceeding 17,000.

Sarff learned to shoot and hunt at age 9 and has been actively competing in the shooting sports since. She continues to organize special learn-to-shoot programs for youth and women. In 1996, she captained the winning three-woman team at the Ladies National Sportsmans' Team Challenge title in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., setting new records for women in the sport.

"I am excited to have the opportunity to speak to the supporters of the shooting sports from my community and personally thank them for accepting me as a shooter and not a woman," she said. "This support and encouragement has enabled me to reach my personal goals and achievements in a non-traditional industry.

"As one of the very few women working in the industry, I am proud to be one of the millions of lady shooters annually participating in target shooting sports."

Sarff resides just south of Atlanta, Ga.

In addition to the speaker, the banquet includes a benefit auction. Money raised is used for shooting education, range development and training. Last year, almost $20,000 was raised for the NRA. Children under 12 receive a free entry to win a NRA Red Rider BB gun.