Some of you may remember Charles “Stretch” Ledford and the video he made about the GSL Burma Signs back in 2012 – “Handguns and Humor in the Heartland.”    As you might imagine, we were a little skeptical about this professor of journalism that came to us wanting to literally peek inside our world (and inside my gun safe!).   We guardedly allowed him in and the final products were beyond superlative and we were impressed with the fair shake Stretch gave us.

The video (click here) was picked up and prominently featured by the BBC and The Atlantic, and led to interviews from a London-based reporter and videographer who came to Rantoul, IL to report on our group, and another team from Moscow reporting for Russia Today.  In fact, it marked the beginning of a host of video features and documentaries on Guns Save Life seen throughout the world.

New Project

Now Stretch is working on a new project and has asked for our help.  “I’m putting together a collection of photographic portraits of families who have kids named after firearms manufacturers,” he said.  “I’d love to find a bunch of little girls named ‘Beretta’ or boys named ‘Winchester.’  Maybe there’s a ‘Ruger’ or a ‘Sig’ out there, too.”

Before he was a University of Illinois journalism professor Stretch traveled across the country for USAWeekend shooting portraits of kids who were born on 911. “That’s the kind of thing I want to do again, this time with families who are unapologetic about their love for firearms and the Second Amendment,” he said.   He’s shared some of the 911 babies photos here – http://bit.ly/bornOn911  – and we’ve reposted a few here as well, with his permission.

So if you know of anyone who would be interested in him making a nice family portrait (he’ll come to you), e-mail or call him – stretch@illinois.edu or 804-643-6747.  (Ideally in or near Illinois, of course!)