A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA SUMMER 2014
Hunters for the Hungry Meet the ISRA's Junior Rifle Team:
High-Powered Hard Dogs
The NRA
Instructor Program is going ONLINE
NRA Annual Meeting: An Australian Perspective
m a g a z i n e
Remembering a Modern Civil Rights Fighter
3
143rd NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits Wrap-Up
4
NRA’s Annual Meeting
6
President’s Column:
from an Australian Perspective
How to apply for Range Grants
7
The Times They Are A'Changing:
14
Hunters Caring for & Supporting Their Communities
18
High-Powered Hard Dogs
19
NRA's Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
23
The NRA Instructor Program Goes Blended
6mm
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Published quarterly by the National Rifle Association of America NRA Sports
© Copyright 2014 National Rifle Association
Editors:
Elizabeth Bush National Manager NRA Sports ebush@nrahq.org (703)-267-1348 Son Nguyen Marketing Manager snguyen@nrahq.org (703)-267-1345
Design & Layout:
Stephen Czarnik Marketing Coordinator sczarnik@nrahq.org (703)-267-1343
(800) NRA-Club (672-2582) (703) 267-3939 fax clubs@nrahq.org
NRA Clubs & Associations • 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 • clubs.nra.org
Remembering a Modern
Civil Rights Fighter
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By James W. Porter II, NRA President
A long time ago when I was a child, my mother used to teach me about values. And she would always wind up saying this phrase: ‘Otis, if you don’t in life find something that you would give your life for, you really haven’t lived.
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hose are the words of Otis McDonald, the elderly grandfather and veteran—who braved death threats from gang-bangers and drug dealers in his South Side neighborhood and simultaneously fought intimidation by his city government—all to successfully challenge Chicago’s 28-year ban on handguns. At age 80, Otis McDonald succumbed to cancer April 4, 2014. He was an NRA member. The June 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision that bears his name as lead plaintiff, McDonald v. City of Chicago, did so much more than strike down Chicago’s onerous law. That historic decision wedded the 14th Amendment to the Second Amendment, thus ensuring the right to keep and bear arms for every American and extending the 2008 landmark Heller decision to protect against infringement at state and local levels, not just by the federal government. Upon his death, a transformation took place with the Chicago media. Perhaps Otis McDonald’s clear, simple arguments for the most fundamental civil right — armed self-defense —may have opened minds that were closed before he began his remarkable fight. I hope that’s the case. He was truly eloquent in defense of liberty and civil rights for all. In its obituary, the Chicago Tribune wrote,
“Mr. McDonald felt strongly that he had a duty to stand up for the rights that had been ta ken a way fr om A fr i c a n - A me r i c a n s during slavery. He had come to understand more about his ancestors … and the ‘black codes’ that kept guns out of the hands of freed slaves.” The Tribune also quoted him as saying,“ I could feel the spirit of those people running through me as I sat in the Supreme Court.”
”
McDonald, who came to Chicago in 1951 after serving in the U.S. Army, was born and raised in Louisiana where his parents were sharecroppers. In his hard-fought efforts to achieve a better life, he moved his family in 1971 to what was a peaceful middle-class neighborhood. In 2012, then speaking for passage of the Illinois concealed carry law, McDonald told a Peoria NAACP audience, “There had come a time when the neighborhood got really bad. My house had been broken into five different times. … The drug dealers and gang bangers decided to take it out on me personally because I was calling the police on them.” His life threatened, he wanted a handgun in his home for protection. Of course, handgun ownership for law-abiding citizens was a crime. Mr. McDonald stressed in an earlier interview that “something had to be done … surrounded by what I was surrounded by and seeing on the news what’s happening to people my age. And then to go down there [to the city government] and they say, ‘No you can’t have a handgun.’ I just wanted to protect myself, my family and my property. There was so many people in the city, so many people in the state that’s being victimized by gun laws that only apply to the law-abiding citizens. How can that be right? It can’t be right.” And so he fought, all the way to the Supreme Court. Because of Otis McDonald’s tenacious belief in the basic human right of armed self-defense, every free citizen of these United States is more secure in their liberty. We all owe this humble, courageous man a debt of gratitude. And we send our heartfelt condolences to his family.
Summer 2014 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • 3
143rd NRA Annual
Meetings & Exhibits Wrap-Up by Lars Dalseide, General Operations Marketing/Media Relations Manager
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ore than 75,000 people made their way to the city of Indianapolis this April for the National Rifle Association of America’s 143rd Annual Meetings & Exhibits. Moms and dads, hunters and shooters, doctors and coaches and architects and more. All arriving in the Crossroads of America for three days of Second Amendment support and celebration. “We had such an incredible crowd in Indianapolis,” said NRA Media Specialist Kyle Jillson. “So much excitement, so much to see and so much to do. It was difficult to figure out where to start.” If you go chronologically, the first thing on the list would be Thursday’s live taping of our new show, "NRA Gun Gurus". Premiering this Spring on the Outdoor Channel, NRA Gun Gurus follows NRA Museums Director Jim Supica and Senior Curator Philip Schreier as they evaluate firearms, interview collectors and take a few of those guns out to the range. At the Annual Meeting, the episode included interviews with Henry Repeating Arms CEO Anthony Imperato, NRA 1st Vice President Allan D. Cors and Outdoor Channel impresario Michael Bane. But that’s just the beginning. Following the taping, 13,000 NRA members ventured 4 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • Summer 2014
from the Indiana Convention Center to Lucas Oil Stadium for the National NRA Foundation Banquet and Auction. Right there on the same field that the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts play, NRA members gathered for an evening of fine food and merriment. “Oh, it was a wonderful evening,” said NRA Senior Field Representative Mike Webb from Tennessee. “Plenty of games, drawings, and auctions for everyone to take home an NRA memory of their own.” Once the evening drew to a close, members returned to their hotels and prepared for Friday’s official opening. Starting bright and early at 9:00am, NRA President Jim Porter welcomed the crowds to the official ribbon cutting ceremony. “Thank you Indianapolis! We are glad to be here. As Allan [Cors] said, ‘if you're a friend, then become a member, get your family to join, get your kids to join.’ It is the greatest organization in the world. 9 acres of guns and gear ... are you ready?” What they had ready was an extravaganza of NRA excellence. Seminars on Defensive Shooting Skills and Advanced Sausage Processing, displays by giants like Smith & Wesson, Colt, Buck Knives and Magpul. And as if that wasn’t enough, attendees were also
offered the opportunity to sit in on the 17th Annual National Firearms Law Seminar, as well as attend the 8th Annual NRA Women’s Leadership Forum, or to take part in the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum. To wrap up the night, a lucky few found a spot in the Crane Bay Event Center to listen to the 4th Annual NRA Country Jam. Those charmed souls spent the next couple of hours enjoying the sweet dulcet sounds of the talented Joe Nichols and Jerrod Niemann. “They were amazing,” said Julie from Kansas City, KS. “I was already a big Joe Nichols fan, but now I’ll have to add Jerrod to the rotation.” Two events stole the spotlight on Saturday; the Annual Meeting of Members and the Stand and Fight Rally. Mandated by the NRA’s founding charter, the Meeting of Members takes place at every NRA Convention. Think of it as a State of the Association Address where NRA President James Porter, Executive Director of NRA-ILA Chris Cox and NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre share their vision for the future of our fight for the Second Amendment. The Stand and Fight Rally? - Well that was just plain fun. Not only did we get to hear from former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin and Lt. Colonel Oliver North,
but the evening was accentuated with some roof raising performances by Sara Evans and the legendary country super group, Alabama. Sunday arrived with a break for the average NRA mom and dad –NRA Youth Day. With everything from an NRA Sports 3 Gun AirSoft experience with Top Shot Winner, Chris Cheng, to roping lessons from the High School Rodeo Association and pinewood derby races with the Boy Scouts, the NRA Youth Day was the perfect fun-filled collection of every boy’s and girl’s dreams. “After our first event in Houston, we knew we had to bring it back,” said NRA Recreational Shooting Program Specialist Samantha Olsen while taking a break from the magnetic fishing pond. The kids come in, shoot LaserShot or get their face painted, and are ready to head back out onto the floor.” And just like that, the Annual Meeting was over. Four days in Indianapolis. Four days of celebrating the Second Amendment with family, friends and newly found allies. Indianapolis, thank you for having us. It was fun and we hope that you enjoyed it too.
Summer 2014 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • 5
NRA's Annual Meeting From an Australian Perspective
by Chris Howard Vice President Shooters Union Australia
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ecently, I had the opportunity to attend the 143rd NRA Annual Meeting and Events as a representative of Shooters Union Australia. As a pro firearms lobbyist, attending such an event has given me the opportunity to learn from the very best and most effective firearms rights organization in the world. First, allow me to give some background into Shooters Union Australia. In 1996, the gun rights and the semi-automatic long arms of Australian citizens were confiscated by the government. Seven years ago, a few passionate pro firearms individuals saw that there was no organization openly standing up for the rights of firearms owners. The existing organizations focussed primarily on the sporting use of firearms, and not the rights of individuals to own firearms, especially for the purpose of defending yourself, your loved ones, your property, and your freedom, therefore Shooters Union Australia was born. Our goals are similar to that of the NRA. To prevent our politicians and government from destroying our freedoms, whilst also improving the conditions under which law abiding citizens can own firearms. In addition to forming partnerships with other pro-gun organizations in Australia, our membership is growing exponentially as Australians come to understand and support the work that we are doing. Contrary to the beliefs held by some, citizens are allowed to own firearms in Australia, but only under specific circumstances. If you hunt or participate in shooting competitions, only then, are you able to apply for the ‘privilege’ to own firearms. Semiautomatic rifles (including rimfire), semi-automatic and pump action shotguns are heavily restricted and the average shooter is unable to obtain a license to possess these types of firearms. Handgun ownership is also severely restricted, as the Australian laws are comparable to those of New York City. Shooters Union Australia are proud affiliates of the NRA. I was both honoured and excited to attend the NRA Convention. As I walked towards the Convention Center on Thursday in downtown Indianapolis to pre-register, one of the first things that caught my eye was a giant sign that read “9 Acres of Guns and Gear.” I knew instantly that this was going to be epic, like nothing I had ever seen before. I was so inspired that I took a moment to extend my NRA membership and purchase a gift membership for a good friend. When I first entered the exhibit hall on the Friday, I was in total awe at the scale of the event. Yes, I saw firearms (and lots of them), but more importantly I saw a celebration of freedom. All of the firearms that ensure US citizens remain free were openly on display. It was truly amazing to see the massive support from the firearms and accessories manufacturers and also from the attendees. In order to obtain the maximum benefit from the experience, I also attended the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum, NRA-ILA Auction and Dinner, Stand and Fight Rally and the NRA Clubs and Associations Workshop. 6 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • Summer 2014
It was at the Leadership Forum I heard one of the most remarkable things. Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. stated, “I trust the armed law abiding citizen.” These words, coming from a highly respected law enforcement professional, highlighted a major cultural difference between Australia and the USA. Law enforcement officers in the US view law abiding citizens as an ally in the fight against the criminal element. In stark contrast, in Australia, being in possession of any item – guns, knives, pepper spray, tasers - for the purpose of self defense is a criminal offence. Even keeping one of my legally owned guns loaded in my own residence to defend my family is an offence. This means even our own homes have become “gun free zones.” At the Clubs and Associations Workshop I learned how the NRA can support and nurture affiliated clubs to grow and prosper through programs, friendly competitions and funding opportunities. I am excited to learn more about the youth, marksmanship, conservationist and women’s programs that are offered by the NRA. The NRA has identified that the youth are the future, and competitions such as 3GE are promoting the shooting sports to that target market. Keeping costs low whilst promoting the safe use of firearms can only have positive outcomes for all of us. The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program is also a very important educational tool that I find to be exceptional. I am so impressed by the program that I have brought materials back to Australia to show to some educators. I hope to see Shooters Union Australia work with the help and support of the NRA to create educational materials and implement a local program similar to Eddie Eagle® but with an Australian flavour. In closing, I would like to thank the NRA for an amazing convention, and for making me feel so very welcome. I’d also like to remind all that no matter our race, nationality, gender or creed, we are all brothers and sisters in this battle and we must come together to Stand and Fight against those who would disarm us. See you all in Nashville next year!
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Range Grants
NRA range grant funds are made available at NRA’s sole discretion to qualifying NRA-affiliated clubs and associations by approval of the Range Development Committee -- a standing committee of the NRA Board of Directors.
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ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS AND PROJECTS In reviewing grant applications, the Range Grant Subcommittee will apply the following criteria and recommend to the Range Development Committee only those projects that conform to these guidelines: Any NRA-affiliated club or association of which 100% of the club’s members are also NRA members is eligible to apply for an NRA Range Grant. Preference will be given to recipients of the Gold Medal Club Award.
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PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING INCLUDE: • Acquisition, development and/or improvement of shooting facilities • Projects designed to enhance community relations • Brownells/NRA Day, public shooting, and junior programs • Projects addressing range safety, as well as environmental issues, i.e. lead reclamation.
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION Applicants must be a 100% NRA membership NRA-Affiliated Club, with preference given to Gold Medal Clubs. This Range Grant program is limited to $5,000 per applicant per year, and the deadline for submission is August 1st annually.
APPLY TODAY!
Applications are available online at http://range.nra.org/range-grants.aspx For more information, please contact us at (877) NRA RANGE (672-7264) or email us at range@nrahq.org.
NRA Presents $25,000 Check to NC Wildlife Commission for Public Shooting Range Reprint permission granted from Jodie B. Owen, NC Wildlife Commission
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he NC Wildlife Resources Commission recently accepted a $25,000 check from the National Rifle Association of America to help fund the construction of a public shooting range in Cleveland County. Brian Hyder, director of NRA General Operations, Program Development in the Education and Training Division, presented the check to Gordon Myers, the Commission’s executive director, at the Commission’s headquarters on Centennial Campus in Raleigh. The state-of-the-art shooting range will be available to the general public, shooting sports teams and law enforcement personnel for practice, training and recreational use for pistol, skeet and trap, rifle and archery. It will feature a 200-yard rifle range, five 50-yard pistol ranges, two skeet and trap shotgun ranges and a 3-D archery course. The Commission will begin construction in late summer. “The Wildlife Commission is grateful to have the National Rifle Association as a partner to help us
Pictured: Left - Gordon Myers Right - Brian Hyder
increase shooting range opportunities in North Carolina,” Myers said. “Through this partnership, the WRC is working hand in hand with the NRA to develop and enhance public shooting facilities across our state.” The $25,000 donation was a grant from the NRA’s Public Range Fund, which was established in 2009 to provide funding for the construction of public ranges across the country. The need for public shooting ranges nationally is huge, according to Hyder, so the program focuses on creating partnerships at the city, county, state and federal level, with a special emphasis on wildlife agencies in all 50 states. Since the start of the program, the NRA has given more than $1 million to fund public shooting ranges from Florida to Alaska. Summer 2014 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • 7
Congratulations to all the 2014 Gold Medal Clubs!!! The NRA offers special recognition by awarding Gold Medal status to NRA affiliated organizations that promote and support the purposes, objectives, policies, and programs of the NRA. Reaching this elite level sets your club apart from others in the area. Each year numerous organizations apply to achieve the Gold Medal status; an honor presented to clubs that meet the following 5 specific criteria: • Be a 100% NRA Club - Achieving 100% NRA enrollment amongst club members helps make the NRA stronger by increasing its membership numbers and providing a larger representation of the shooting public. A good show of force helps make any argument more compelling.
• Have a club newsletter – A newsletter helps the club communicate to its members. Help keep club members "in the loop" of club activities and community issues as well as what is current in the world of NRA, Freedom and Second Amendment rights issues.
Airfield Shooting Club American 1800 Adventure Club Apple Valley Gun Club Arnold Rifle & Pistol Club Ashe County Wildlife Club Blue Ridge Cherry Valley Rod & Gun Club Branford Gun Club, Inc. Buccaneer Gun Club Buffalo Creek Gun Club Cairo Sportsmans Club Central Florida Rifle & Pistol Club Cheboygan Hunter Safety Comm Citizens Range & Recreation Club of Central New Jersey Coastal Georgia Gun Club Colorado West Gun Club JR Div. Cumberland Riflemen Delaware State Pistol Club, Inc. Douglas Ridge Rifle Club East Hook Sportsmen Assn,Inc Eastern Nebraska Gun Club, Inc. Eaton Employee’s Gun Club Elgin Rifle Club, Inc. Elm City Gun Club Emerald Empire Gun Club Escondido Fish & Game Assn Estacada Rod & Gun Club Florence Gun Club, Inc. Forks Rifle Club Fort Hill Rifle and Pistol Club
• Belong to the NRA State Association of your state – Joining NRA State Association shows support on the state level. Their mission is to promote and support the purpose and objectives of the NRA while providing programs and support to clubs on the local level.
• Have administered, or currently incorporate, an NRA Youth Program within the club’s agenda - Incorporating a youth program helps introduce f irearms safety to younger shooters. Encouraging them to shoot at an early age will help keep the shooting sports going for future generations.
Georgia Competitive Shooters, Inc. Hat Creek Rifle and Pistol Club High Rock Shooting Assn, Inc. Hollywood Rifle and Pistol Club Humboldt Rifle And Pistol Club Jefferson State Shooting Association Kalicoontie Rod & Gun Club, Inc. Kern Shooting Sports, Inc. Lima Sabres Shooting Assn Livingston Gun Club Martin County Sportsmen’s Association, Inc. McDonald Sportsmen’s Assn, Inc. Miamisburg Sportsmen’s Club, Inc. Michigan City Rifle Club, Inc. Middleton Township Fish & Game Club Monumental Rifle and Pistol Club Negaunee Rod and Gun Club,Inc. Nescopeck Hunting & Rifle Club, Inc. New Paltz Rod and Gun Club New Sportsman Club New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, Inc. Norfolk County Rifle Range Northwestern Gun Club Old Trails Rifle & Pistol Club, Inc Palm Beach Guns & Coffee Club Palo Alto Rifle & Pistol Club, Inc. Paradise Rod & Gun Club, Inc. Richwood Gun & Game Club Ridge Rifle Association
• Actively participate in NRA’s Membership Recruiting Program - participating in the NRA recruiting program helps bring new members in at a reduced price, helps generate income for your club, and helps to grow NRA numbers.
River City Rifle & Pistol Club Roanoke Rifle & Revolver Club Rochester Rod & Gun Club Santa Clara Valley Rifle Club Scotts Valley Sportsmen’s Club Sebastopol Rifle & Pistol Club, Inc. Sheboygan Rifle and Pistol Club, Inc. Shoot Right Shoshone County Public Shooting Range Silver State Shooting Sport Association South Jersey Shooting Club, Inc. Southwest Gun Club Stone Bank Sportsmen’s Club, Inc. Stonycreek Shooting Center Inc. Streetsboro Sportsman Association Tallahassee Rifle & Pistol Club The Great Lot Sportsman’s Club, Inc. Tremont Sportsman’s Club Tri-City Gun Club Tri-State Gun Club, Inc. True Sportsman Club Van Wert Co. Outdoorsmen Assn Villa Park VFW Rifle & Pistol Club, Inc. Waldwick Pistol & Rifle Club, Inc. Waynesburg Sportsmen Association West Branch Rifle & Pistol Club West Liberty Gun Club, Inc. White Oak Rod and Gun Club Inc. Wilkes Barre Pistol & Rifle Club
A club that is applying for an NRA Range Grant will be given preference if they achieve and maintain Gold Medal status. The annual deadline for the NRA Gold Medal Awards is February 15. Applications will be mailed out to all NRA Affiliated Clubs that have given proof of 100% NRA Membership in the month of December. To access the application online, please go to http://clubs.nra.org/nra-gold-medal-clubs.aspx 8 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • Summer 2014
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PyramydAir.com Paul Milkovich 888-262-4867 x 235
Summer 2014 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • 9
2014 NRA S orts Youth Day by Samantha Olsen, Senior Program Specialist, NRA Sports/Recreational Shooting
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he 2nd Annual NRA Sports Youth Day held on Sunday, April 27 at the 143rd NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Indianapolis, IN, offered activities the entire family could take pleasure in. From cattle roping to BSA Pinewood Derby Races, NRA Sports 3 Gun Experience/AirSoft to Pioneer Town, families could enjoy a handful of activities that the NRA offers access to. Roughly 800 youth and their parents joined in on the excitement. A 14 year old boy participated with his younger siblings and parents said, “This was awesome! You had something for all the kids.” Claudia Olsen, NRA Youth Program Coordinator, said, “The participants, whether they were kids or parents, found something they could try. We saw a lot of adults try the cattle roping and barrel racing. Pete Brownell, NRA 2nd Vice President, even took a swing at cattle roping.” The NRA supports various youth organization’s shooting sports programs such as Boy Scouts of America,
Chris Cheng, winner of History Channel's "Top Shot" Season 4 stopped by to give some advice to a new AirSoft shooter. 10 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • Summer 2014
Royal Rangers, National High School Rodeo Association and more. These youth organization’s shooting sports programs were invited to share their programs with the families at NRA Sports Youth Day. Lyn Ankeny, National High School Rodeo Association, shared “The best part of my job is getting the opportunity to work with a diverse group of kids who are excited to learn. We got to meet kids of all ages and varied backgrounds to share what our organization does on NRA Sports Youth Day at the Annual Meeting. The most exciting part was having kids who were involved and currently involved with our association, demonstrate a couple of our rodeo events and let the kids try it out for themselves. I think the opportunity for both the visiting youth as well as our “rodeo family” kids to share time, laughs and smiles together was invaluable. We concentrate on mentoring kids in our association starting in 6th grade, so this event was aligned so well
with what we do on a daily basis with youth; not to mention that the muscles in my face were pretty sore at the end of the day from smiling so much. What a great time and opportunity for all of us involved.” As the youth left the ballroom, they were given a pit card and were able to partake in the “Sponsor’s 100”, a scavenger hunt through the exhibit hall to the 10 different Youth Day Sponsor’s booths which included: Eddie Eagle®, Brownells, Sure-Shot Game Calls, Marlin, Remington, Winchester, Crosman, Weatherby, Smith & Wesson, and the NRA booth. Other sponsors of Youth Day were Project Appleseed, Boyt, LaserShot and Magpul. Brownells/NRA Youth Shooting Sports Ambassadors were located in the Sponsor’s booths to sign autographs and to sign off on the pit cards. Once the pit card was completed, it had to be returned to the ballroom to receive a ticket for the drawing of prizes. Over 100 prizes were donated from event sponsors. As the youth and their families gathered for the drawing
of prizes, they were able to enjoy an ice cream social. It was a packed house as everyone waited for their number to be called. It was heart melting to see some of these kids receive their prize and how thankful they were of NRA and the various sponsors of Youth Day. One boy even received an airsoft rifle and kindly gave it to the boy sitting next to him who eagerly wanted his number to be called for the prize. “We had several voicemails at NRA headquarters where people had picked up the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification book and were interested in it as they have never seen it before. We were thanked many times over for doing this for the kids and also how great it was that almost every child left with something. The NRA Co-Op groups were very pleased to have the opportunity to participate in Youth Day to showcase their program as it sparked interest with the participants,” said Claudia Olsen. For more information on attending the 2015 NRA Sports Youth Day event, visit www.nraam.org.
NRA Recruiters Make a Difference by Randy Clark-Manager, Recruiting Programs
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his November, we will go to the polls for a midterm election that will set the tone for the last part of President Obama’s term. Making sure that every person that comes through your club, range, classroom or business is afforded the opportunity to join NRA will be of the utmost importance. You can have a direct impact on the strength of your NRA and our success in November by joining the NRA Recruiting program. The NRA Recruiting program provides an opportunity to strengthen NRA by signing up and renewing members during everyday activities. It’s free to join and the necessary materials are free of charge. For every member signed up, Recruiters earn up to $25 per membership to go back into their club, business or personal bank account. In 2013, Recruiters earned over 2.5 million dollars in commissions for signing up new members!
So what are you waiting for? If you are an Instructor, own a gun shop, are part of a club or just an individual looking to make a difference than this is the program for you. It provides a year round opportunity to raise money while strengthening the NRA; a win for everyone involved. For more information on how to join the NRA Recruiting Program call us at (800) 672-0004 (option 2), email us at recruiter@nrahq.org or visit us on the web at www.NRA.org/recruiter
Are you already a part of the NRA Recruiting Program? We ’d like to hear f rom you too. Email your suggestions to recruiter@nrahq.org and tell us how we can help you recruit more members. Summer 2014 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • 11
NRA gives a gun along with some praise to
California’s Paradise Rod & Gun Club
The Marksmanship Program is overseen by George Collins (Left) and Mark Mydahl (Right). Both NRA Triple Distinguished Experts who manage all of the PR&GC’s qualif ication programs. As a reward for their hard work, the club was recently presented with a .22 caliber Henry rifle by the NRA for the most Rimf ire Rifle Distinguished Experts in the country for 2013.
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ith nearly 500 members, the Paradise Rod & Gun Club, (PR&GC) in Paradise, CA is a private membership-only club, affiliated with the National Rifle Association. The PR&GC is very active in promoting Winchester/NRA Qualification Shoots. So active, in fact, that we were recognized by the NRA for having the most Shotgun Distinguished Experts in the country during 2012. An achievement we don’t take lightly. In addition to the Winchester/NRA Qualification Programs in trap, rifle, and pistol, the Paradise Rod & Gun Club also explore a variety of ways for beginners to learn about shooting. This includes welcoming boys and girls from the California Waterfowl Association, the Boys Scouts of America, and a youth program designed for the member’s families and friends to learn about firearm safety and marksmanship. The club also places special emphasis on teaching more women about firearms with events like NRA’s Women on Target®, (WOT). The WOT programs include lessons on safe firearms handling and storage, how to shoot and teaches first time female shooters 12 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • Summer 2014
about a sport they can enjoy for the rest of their lives. The Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification program should be the corner stone of any club striving to establish a successful shooting curriculum. Not only does it offer fun for the whole family, but it’s an enjoyment that can last a lifetime. It also promotes fellowship while providing incentives for developing and improving shooting skills. In short, it’s a heck of a step-up from a video game. Whether you’re a hunter, benchrest shooter or just an enthusiastic gun owner, the PR&GC is dedicated to providing a safe, comprehensive environment to enjoy a broad range of shooting sports. While we still care about building the club and developing programs, like the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program, we are always scheduling more and more events for our members and their guests. For additional information, please visit our website at www.prgclub.org.
APPLY TODAY!
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Please note the intro rate does not apply to balance transfers or cash advances. First Bankcard reserves the right to change the account terms should your credit profile change or for other reasons described in the Summary of Credit Terms. Required minimum payments may be allocated to the lower APRs first. Payments in excess of the required minimum payment will generally be applied to balances with highest APRs first. All changes in terms will be subject to requirements of applicable law. Offer applies to new accounts only. * For additional information about Annual Percentage Rates (APRs), fees and other costs, please see the Summary of Credit Terms. ** You will receive 5,000 bonus points that can be redeemed for a $50 statement credit. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for bonus points to show on your account. † See Reward Terms and Conditions in the Summary of Credit Terms. Cash back is received in the form of a credit to your account. Cards are issued by First Bankcard, a division of First National Bank of Omaha, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Copyright © 2014 First National Bank of Omaha. All Rights Reserved.
Summer 2014 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • 13
The Times, They Are A’Changing: The NRA Instructor Program Goes Blended
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was present at the NRA Annual Meetings in Indianapolis as John Howard, NRA National Manager of Training, made a rather significant announcement to nearly 800 NRA Certified Trainers. Online recertification that will soon require teaching activity (any firearms teaching activity)and an online refresher course to make sure that trainers are on the same page; as well as exploring the creation of simulator based training classes. However, that was not what caught the attention of most of those assembled. It was the announcement that NRA would be moving the Basic Pistol Course to a “Blended Learning” format. This spurred many questions from the trainers in attendance. Not the least of which was, “What is Blended Learning”? I spent a great deal of time after the announcement with John and Instructor Program Coordinator, Mark Richardson, answering as many questions as we could. However, given the numbers of trainers and the time available, it was impossible to address them all. So allow me to get into the weeds a bit and see if I can’t help illuminate on some of the finer points. What is Blended Learning? Wikipedia describes it pretty well: Blended learning is a formal education program in which a student learns, at least in part, through online delivery of content and instruction with some element of student control over time, place, path or pace. While still attending a physical school structure, face-to-face classroom methods are combined with computer-mediated activities. This brings me to the primary reason this initiative was started: Standardization for the students.We have all seen stories and incidents of trainers, NRA or otherwise, who have shirked their primary duty to the students and either omitted or even changed course material. NRA's primary concern and responsibility are the students and NRA must explore making use of the tools at our disposal to help ensure they get the best training we can. In a blended learning format, the students will get an overview and introduction to such things as: basic safety knowledge, nomenclature, ammunition, scoring a target, opportunities for ongoing training and practice, and other like objectives will be moved to a web based e-learning format.
By Sean Thornton NRA Senior Training Program Coordinator
The instructors will remain as the most important part of the implementation of the training program. Instructors will still do all of the practical exercises and verifications with the student: loading and unloading of the various action types, performing the fundamentals, learning a position, etc. Instructors must ensure that all the same objectives, knowledge, skills, and attitude are accomplished before you sign off that a student has passed. Although students may find the course in other ways, it is NRA's desire for them to go directly to www.nrainstructors.org and search for a course. Once the student registers they are directed to complete the elearning portion prior to attending the class. After completing the online portion and successfully pasing the test, a box indicating completion of this portion will be checked as such on the instructor’s report, letting them know that the student is now primed and ready for you. The student shows up for the “hands on” sections, and is then taken to the range to complete the shooting elements.When all of this is successfully completed, the instructor will go into the course report and submit it as they would normally. There are some big upsides to this method. • Standardization for the student. • Reduced liability for the Trainer and NRA. • Reduced need for classroom time and rental • No need to order student packets. The handbook will still be available as a hard copy, but the student will have access to the book as a PDF anytime they want. • No need to print certificates. The student will do that from home after you sign off online that they have passed. It will be able to show from whom they received their training and print certifications, email them, or download anytime they want. • Allow for the trainer to train more students in a given day.
NRA has already had some great suggestions, such as extra boxes the student can check off when they register, i.e: beginner, intermediate or advanced. Instructors can formulate their presentations based on this information, or continue to conduct their portion with everyone at the same time. Frequently Asked Questions:
1) Will instructors have access to a new lesson plan for what we are to go over with the students? Yes. 2) If there is a new lesson plan, will we be able to download the lesson plan (for free) or will we need to purchase it? We will make it available to download free of charge. 3) Will instructors have the ability to view the online portion of the course? I think it will be a great benefit for us to know what the students are learning so we can build on it, and, so we can follow up better on any questions they have. Yes, we’re just evaluating the best way to do that.
NRA is a team working toward a common cause. The bottom line is the students, quality, and standardization. 14 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • Summer 2014
The Isaacs Challenge is made possible by the generous donation of the Isaacs family to The NRA Foundation. The Isaacs Challenge Program is designed to encourage individuals to expand their shooting experience and clubs to expand their shooting programs by providing an incentive to shooting several different shooting events in the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program. There are individual and NRA club awards with the Isaacs Challenge Program. In the individual award category there is an award rifle for the individual who achieves the most Distinguished Expert (DE) ratings in a calendar year and also the Isaacs Challenge Certificate for each individual who achieves three or more Distinguished Expert ratings in a calendar year.
The 2014 winner on the individual award is Dennis Franklin from Fremont, CA. He was the first to achieve 3 Distinguished Expert Ratings in one calendar year. His third and final DE was achieved on June 30 2013. Mr. Franklin will be receiving a Henry .22 Lever Action Rifle as an award for his achievement.
The Isaacs Challenge’s NRA Club Award is given to NRA Clubs that have the most Distinguished Expert Ratings earned in one of three categories: rifle, pistol, or shotgun, in a calendar year. The winning clubs are as follows:
In the Rifle category, Paradise Rod and Gun Club, Inc. having submitted 33 Rifle DE’s The Pistol category was claimed by Howell Gun Club from Howell, MI with 28 DE’s. Shotgun is claimed by Angles Gun Club INC. Angles Camp California with 6 DE’s.
Congratulations to all those who participated and a special thank you to those folks who coordinated the program within your club!
We would like to welcome you to the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program — an informal, year-round activity that provides incentive awards for the developing and improving of marksmanship skills for everyone! The program is self-paced with highly attainable awards for every level of shooter. The most prestigious level is the Distinguished Expert which with hard work and dedication you can achieve this nationally recognized award. The NRA would like to congratulate the following shooters as the newest Distinguished Experts.
Distinguished Experts of Fall & Winter 2013 Fall Pistol:
Jan Adam, Whitemore Lake, MI Harry Akers, Dryden, MI James Allen, Columbus, OH Kenneth Bush, Redwood Valley, CA James Boyle, Langhorne, PA Juan Cabrera, Evansville, IN Chad Cheung, Porter Ranch, CA Bill Christianson, Genoa, WI Janie Clark, McCormick, SC Charles Crockett, Aurora, NY David Daboll, Aurora, CO Mike Doran, Brighton, MI Stephanie Doran, Brighton, MI Philip Drago, Port Arthur, TX Rick Dzwigalski, Whitemore Lake, MI Paul Fedorka, Clinton, PA Brian Frame, Brookville, OH Rebecca Frame, Brookville, OH Michelle Galen-Cabrera, Evansville, IN
John Gonzalez, Westerville, OH Lee Halverson Jr., Danville, CA Arthur Joslin, Pinckney, MI Arthur Kalbach, Mount Joy, PA Joe Kennedy, Los Altos, CA Kathlene Kenworthy, Howell, MI William Kirby, Howell, MI Brian Lamirande, Amarillo, TX Paul Lindsay, Pine Plains, NY Stanley Long, DP I, San Antonio, TX Stanley Long, DP II, San Antonio, TX Michael Maier, Aldie, VA Michael Maier, Aldie, VA Richard Martin, Aurora, NY Leslie Mongeur, Deland, FL Lisa Murphy, Middletown, OH Joseph Muse, Worthington, OH Tom Nolen, West Frankfort, IL Matthew O’Mullan, Gillette, NJ
Robert Palmer, Kirkland, WA Mark Phillips, Ukiah, CA Lorrie Richards, Raleigh, NC Lynn Replinger, Centennial, CO L.C. Roberts Tallahassee, FL Cory Robinson, McKees Rocks, PA Barry Silberman, Holly Springs, NC Eric Skinner, Rohnert Park, CA Bradley Smith, Clifton, VA Donna Stiles, Willow Springs, NC Ruben Tamez, Corpus Christie, TX John Tiffany, Hudson, OH Val Thompson, Deland, FL Dominick Tuzzo, Derby, CT Lindsey Waldrep, Lake Jackson, TX Lowell Westmoreland, Milford,MI David Whitney, Balwin, MO
Cont'd on next page Summer 2014 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • 15
Distinguished Experts of Fall & Winter 2013 Winter Pistol:
Jim Borst, Yakima, WA Timothy Breslin, Colorado Springs, CO Matthew Brigham, Snohomish, WA Amber Buriff, Hamilton, OH James Colotta, Matthews, NC Donna Cooper, Allen, TX William Crawford, Reynoldsburg, OH Henry Dobson, Matthews, NC Fred Dushe, Matthews, NC Sean Ellwood, Cleves, OH Michelle Fletcher, Gray TN Brian Giufire, Fullerton, CA Nelson Godbey, Charlotte, NC Frederick Goodrum, Orlando, FL Robert Gray, Fowlerville, MI Richard Gunn, Chico, CA Gerald Hall, Cheyenne, WY Michael Hall, Pfafftown, NC Zachary Hall, Pfafftown, NC Leigh Hannon, Lutz, FL Jeremy Harris, Santa Ana, CA John Harwell, Grove City, OH Karen Hoffmeyer, Howell, MI Billy Holland, Matthews, NC Sherri Huff, Wylie, TX Nakia Jackson West Monroe, LA Eric Jenson, Woodinville, WA Brian Krueger, Plymouth, WI Cheryl Long, Fairview, TX David Mabry, Brighton, MI Sandra Mabry, Brighton, MI Kimberly Mannuel, Wylie, TX Anita Marcott, South Lyon, MI William Marsh, Colorado Springs, CO John May, Paradise, CA Stephen May, Nederland, TX Edward McKee, Santa Ana, CA Anita Melton, Gray, TN James Payne III, Charlotte, NC Richard Pickard, Matthews, NC Mark Pickelmann, South Lyon, MI Fredrick Reznk, Cary, NC Janell Ross, Brighton, MI Robert Ross, Brighton, MI Scott Sampson, Chesapeake, VA Scott Sampson, Chesapeake, VA Steve Sautter, Missoula, MT Claudia Schmithuesen, Cleves, OH Ron Scheyer, Paradise, CA Randy Scraper, Edmond, OK Doug Shepherd, Plymouth, MI Larry Silver, Brighton, MI Jason Simpson, Clovis, NM Earl Skinner, Colorado Springs, CO Thomas Smeal, Howell, MI Vivki Smeal, Howell, MI Ryan Smith, Mansfield, MA Delores Sparre, Paradise, CA Thor Sparre, Paradise, CA Tim Stephens, South Lyon, MI Tim Stephens, South Lyon, MI Richard Stockman, Morrisville, NC Gregg Stouder, South Lyon, MI Steven Stringfield, Naperville, IL
16 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • Summer 2014
Winter Pistol (Cont'd):
Christiaan Van der Walt Kristin Viken, Phoenix, AZ Edwin Vincent, Woodbridge, VA Suzette Volkmar, Amelia, OH Sherry Westmoreland, Milford, MI Keith White, Cheyenne, WY Razel Wolf, Phoenix, AZ
Fall Rifle:
Michele Ahola, Chico, CA Michael Boyer, Bourbonnais, IL Daniel Campbell, Eighty Four, PA Frank DeYoung, Onalaska, WA Mark Douglass, Aliquippa, PA Kenneth Husk, Aliquippa, PA Benjamin, Kolmer, Spring Grove, PA Michael Mattia, Paradise, CA Matthew O’Mullan, Gillette, NJ Gregory Paff, Aliquippa, PA Aimee Palmer, Portsmouth, VA Jeff Rice, Paradise, CA Randy Scraper, Edmond, OK Tim Smolar, Beaver Falls, PA Stanley Stickles, Aliquippa, PA Kim Stolfer, McDonald, PA John Truman, Paradise, CA Dominick Tuzzo, Derby, CT
Winter Rifle:
Jeremy Harris, Santa, Ana, CA Nakia Jackson, West Monroe, LA Zach Middleton, Cartersville, GA Tom Nugent, Paradise, CA Valerie Nugent, Paradise, CA Andrew Price, Ashburn, VA Charles Price, Ashburn, VA Robert Rysdeck, Hopatcong, NJ Ron Scheyer, Paradise, CA Heidi Stefanko, Barberton, OH Randy Wilson, Shippingport, PA
Fall Shotgun:
Todd Abercrombie, Plainview, TX Mark Drozdowski, Grand Blanc, MI Michael Mattia, Paradise, CA Dominick Tuzzo, Derby, CT Bruce Winship, Clayton, CA
Winter Shotgun:
Simon Ellis, New Bern, NC James Hary, Stroudsburg,PA Michael Keough, Monument, CO John Kissam, Chico, CA Michael Mattia, Paradise, CA Vern McCrary, Paradise, CA Marion Mayer, Beaumont, TX Jack Walls, Rohnert Park, CA
Fall Double Distinguished:
Matthew O’Mullan, Gillette, NJ Kim Stolfer, McDonald, PA John Royer, Davidson, NC Jeff Rice, Paradise, CA
Winter Double Distinguished: Jeremy Harris, Santa, Ana, CA Nakia Jackson, West Monroe, LA Thomas McAdams, Paradise, CA Tom Nugent, Paradise, CA Fredrick Reznk, Cary, NC Scott Sampson, Chesapeake, VA Ron Scheyer, Paradise, Randy Scraper, Edmond, OK Delores Sparre, Paradise, CA Thor Sparre, Paradise, CA Kristin Viken, Phoenix, AZ
Fall Triple Distinguished: Paul Fedorka, Clinton, PA Dominick Tuzzo, Derby, CT Bruce Winship, Clayton, CA
Winter Triple Distinguished: Richard Gunn, Chico, CA James Hary, Stroudsburg,PA Michael Mattia, Paradise, CA
Qualif ication shooting is an informal, yearround recreational shooting activity that provides incentive awards for developing and improving marksmanship skills. It's a drill. We set the standards; you meet the challenge! Progression is self-paced and scores are challenging but attainable. Performance is measured against established par scores and any shooter who meets or exceeds those scores is entitled to the corresponding recognition awards for that rating. It's an honor system! Shooters acquire the large discipline patch at the onset of the program and as each rating is earned, they are entitled to all of the corresponding awards for the rating. Each rating level has a skill rocker, medal, and certif icate award that recognizes and highlights the achievement. The courses of f ire in the qualif ication program are designed to take shooters from beginning skill levels (Pro-Marksman, Marksman) through intermediate levels (Marksman 1st Class, Sharpshooter, Expert) up to a nationally recognized skill level -- Distinguished Expert -- the pinnacle of the program. By the time a shooter completes the Distinguished Expert rating, he or she has attained a prof iciency level paralleling that of a competitively classif ied Sharpshooter.Qualif ication shooting can be conducted anywhere -- on public ranges, at your favorite club range, even on your own home range. BB and pellet gun shooters will f ind air gun qualif ication courses especially suited for informal home air gun ranges and family learning environments. Parents can shoot side by side with their children or start a neighborhood air gun shooting sports program for their children and their friends. Go to http://mqp.nra.org for more information
Shooting Sports Payments Package Payment Alliance International (PAI) is the endorsed merchant services provider for the NRA’s Business Alliance, Clubs and Associations. PAI will reduce your credit card processing costs while helping to support the association. Program Benefits n Rates starting at 0.75% n Gun Friendly credit and debit card processing n Website credit card and check processing n Mobile payment solutions for gun shows n NRA, NSSF, NASGW and SASS endorsed n Experts who truly understand your business n Easy integration with GunBroker.com and GunAuction.com’s check out system n NEW! 3 and 6 month deferred payment plan with up front and guaranteed funding n Digital Donations program that gives back to the NRA
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© 2013 Payment Alliance International, Inc. All rights reserved. PAI is a trademark of Payment Alliance International, Inc. Other marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owner.
Summer 2014 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • 17
Hunters Caring for and Supporting their Communities by Nicole Waugh, Special Projects Coordinator, Hunter Services
T
he start of summer brings an exciting reminder to sportsmen nationwide – fall hunting seasons are just around the corner! As you begin planning hunts for the upcoming season, consider joining countless hunters in a nationwide effort to share game harvests and relieve hunger by participating in Hunters for the Hungry. Although program names vary state-by-state, all Hunters for the Hungry programs bring communities together to provide quality meat to those in need. The primary objective of Hunters for the Hungry is to coordinate the distribution of game meat from hunters to hungry people via a network of meat processors, food banks, sportsmen's associations, and hunger relief organizations. These cooperative, voluntary programs provide a meaningful outlet for hunters to donate game, contribute to responsible wildlife management, alleviate hunger in communities across the nation, and shed positive light on the hunting tradition. The NRA Hunter's for the Hungry Clearinghouse easily connects you with your local program; please visit huntersforthehungry.nra.org for more information. The impact of Hunters for the Hungry programs is dependent upon the efforts of the entire hunting community. Many may think that game contributions are the only way to participate in their local or state program, however there are a number of ways that hunters and non-hunters alike can support these invaluable efforts: 1. Donate all or part of your game harvest. 2. Make a monetary contribution. 3.Volunteer with your local or state program. 4. Encourage organizations and processors not currently involved to create or join a program. 18 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • Summer 2014
These programs continue expanding due to the generous support of the hunting community. As of May 2014, with roughly 40 states reporting, hunters donated 2,199,595 pounds of game meat, totaling 8,798,380 meals supplied during the 2012-13 season. We are pleased to note that these numbers are expected to match or exceed donations from the previous season. Deer heavy states in the Midwest and East led the pack in donations, but it is important to note that many organizations accept game meat other than venison, including turkey, quail, duck, elk, and pheasant. Please check with your local or state program for types of game meat accepted. Please consider encouraging local organizations to become involved with or establish a program in your area. With active programs throughout the country, Hunters for the Hungry connects hunters with community members in need and contributes to the positive image of hunting. If you would like to show that you and your fellow hunters care about your community, and want to share spare game meat with deserving families in your area, get involved today! With your support, Hunters for the Hungry programs will have the necessary resources to continue their fight against hunger. For information on your local or state program or to find ways to get involved, please visit the NRA Hunters for the Hungry Clearinghouse at huntersforthehungry.nra.org.
HighPowered
Hard
Dogs
LOAD AND BE READY! The Hard Dogs anticipate their targets appearing 500 yards away during the National Infantry Trophy Team match, better known as the Rattle Battle; The team loads magazines with rounds hand-loaded with match-grade components in preparation for the Rattle Battle.
By Peter Lawless Event Support Coordinator, National Rifle Association
S
ports fans and athletes alike take great pride in their team’s identity: its name, its mascot and the community it represents. The junior high power rifle team of the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) brings this same pride to the shooting range as the Illinois Hard Dogs, represented by the image of a grinning bulldog peering through the sights of an AR-15 rifle. The Hard Dogs regularly compete against some of the best civilian and military shooters in the country, attending high power rifle competitions in Illinois and Wisconsin as well as the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. “I can say that every major match will have members of the US Army Reserve Team and/or National Guard All Guard Team,” says Russ Friend, chairman of the ISRA Jr. Highpower Program. “When the juniors see the President’s Hundred patches on the adults’ coats, they know they are competing with the best.” Being a Hard Dog offers a unique experience and exciting opportunities, but participation demands a serious commitment of time and effort. Among other requirements, members are issued and responsible for the care of $2,300 of equipment, including a match-grade AR-15 rifle. To maintain membership status, each junior must shoot in at least one match or event per month from April through September, keep a thorough rifle data book, and uphold high
academic, behavioral, and firearms safety standards set by the coaches. Communication helps both the coaches and the competitors uphold their obligations. Shooters must report scores to the coaches, and the coaches publish the Hard Dog Herald, a quarterly newsletter featuring team updates and schedules, rifle maintenance instructions and detailed articles with marksmanship advice. In 2013 the Hard Dogs had 23 firing members—an incredible number for a civilian-run high power rifle team—and they constantly recruit new marksmen as others age out at 20-years-old. With such a commitment to learning and experience, it is no surprise that several Hard Dogs are shooting at Master (94+/100 point average) or High Master (97+/100 point average) levels: Alex Vitous, Matt Durdan, Eli Slonecker and Andrew Friend, to name a few. Recognizing the achievement and further ambitions of its high power program members, the Hard Dogs have recently started a Palma rifle program for juniors who want to shoot even further out than 600 yards. Like the equipment used and maintained by the team members, replenishing the team’s supply of bullets, powder and primers for reloading would not be possible without the support of numerous grants, including funds f rom The NRA Foundation. “Ammo is costly, even when reloading our own brass,” Friend explains. Each year, team
committee member Mike James manually reloads over 22,000 rounds of match-grade .223 ammunition for the team in two different loads: 77-grain bullets for the 200 and 300 yard courses of fire and longer, heavier 80-grain bullets for greater accuracy at 600 yards. “Last year we also used our grant funds to recondition eight upper receivers with new barrels and ¼minute sights as needed,” Friend continues. “We also bought new shooting coats and added a huge Hard Dog patch, which can be seen half way across any range.We bought spotting scopes and mats and replaced broken gear as well.” Few shooting sports teams have as strong a sense of identity and a commitment to excellence as the Hard Dogs. Even in Illinois, where state law can complicate firearm ownership, these juniors and their coaches continue to pursue their passion for firearms safety, education and superior marksmanship. Apply for an NRA Foundation grant at www.nrafoundation.org. To support shooting sports programs in your area, find a Friends of NRA event near you by visiting www.friendsofnra.org/Events.
Summer 2014 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • 19
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* FedEx shipping discounts are off standard list rates and cannot be combined with other offers or discounts. Discounts are exclusive of any FedEx surcharges, premiums, minimums, accessorial charges, or special handling fees. Eligible services and discounts subject to change. For eligible FedEx services and rates, contact your association. See the FedEx Service Guide for terms and conditions of service offerings and money-back guarantee programs. © 2013 FedEx. All rights reserved. 0011886PM
20 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • Spring 2014
NRA-Institute for Legislative Action Federal Update
Stand and Fight with NRA This Election Season! NRA’s strength rests with the activism of our five million members and millions of other supporters. The engine that drives the NRA machine is YOU! NRA members are well informed and engaged; ready to write, call and meet with their lawmakers to help advance or to defeat legislation both in Congress and in their home state legislatures. But that’s only half the story. Long before Congress and state legislatures convene for their sessions, the work of protecting our gun rights from legislative attack has begun. It starts with electing lawmakers who respect the Constitution and believe in the Second Amendment. With good people in office, the groundwork is laid for a productive legislative session. That’s where the NRA-ILA Campaign Field Representative (CFR) program comes into play. Started in 2008, and implemented every year since (including this election year!), CFRs live and work for months at a time in targeted states and districts with one goal in mind—turning out the pro-Second Amendment vote on Election Day. NRA-ILA’s CFRs are trained by NRA-ILA staff and then deployed to their assigned district in the late spring or early summer. CFRs begin their efforts by getting acquainted with the pro-Second Amendment community in their area. These individuals are uniquely positioned to take advantage of our ready-made “natural resources” when they arrive in new districts by tabling at gun shows, visiting gun shops, attending range days and other shooting events, and speaking at gun and hunting clubs. In addition to “hunting where the ducks are” at these natural resources, CFRs set up booths at local festivals, county and state fairs, sporting events, and other local events throughout the summer and fall with an eye toward recruiting volunteers and building a strong network to help advocate for their assigned candidates.
Over the years, CFRs have recruited thousands of new volunteers, visited tens of thousands of pro-gun households, and have made tens of thousands of phone calls. They have also conducted hundreds of NRA-ILA Grassroots Workshops and NRA Universities. CFR efforts are already underway for the 2014 election cycle with CFRs deployed in Idaho and North Carolina, with dozens more to come over the next few weeks. Information on local activism can be found on the NRA-ILA FrontLines™ volunteer program Facebook page (www.facebook.com/nrafrontlines). From there, you can find the state-specific pages that have been created by our CFRs already on the ground, and keep an eye out for new ones popping up close to you! There are a lot of opportunities this election year to help protect and preserve our Second Amendment rights by electing pro-gun lawmakers to office. Even if you have only a few hours to volunteer knocking on doors or making phone calls to help your CFR, you must do so! While we understand we can’t expect everyone to do everything associated with a successful grassroots campaign, we must work to ensure everyone does at least something! If you have a CFR assigned to your area, please contact him/her to start volunteering. If no CFR is working in your area, you can still help by calling the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) to find out about volunteer opportunities this election season. Ask yourself, if a few hours of your time isn’t worth protecting the Second Amendment, what is? Stand and Fight with us today! - Glen Caroline, Director, NRA-ILA Grassroots Division Summer 2014 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • 21
NRA & BSA: Providing Learning Opportunites for Future Leaders
by Lars Dalseide, General Operations Marketing
Media Relations Manager
A
number of men with a Boys Scouts past roam the halls of the National Rifle Association. Men who learned the basics of honor, duty and outdoor skills thanks to one of America's oldest youth cooperative organizations. And when it comes to earning a Rifle or Shotgun Shooting Merit Badge (a feat accomplished by almost 125,000 Scouts last year), the NRA has been working with the BSA for a long, long time. Exactly how long? "Since the Boys Scouts published their first handbook," said Mark Keefe, Editor-in-Chief of NRA's American Rifleman magazine. “For thousands of young people, the Boy Scouts is where they are first introduced to the safe and responsible use of firearms.” A proud Eagle Scout himself, Keefe continues supporting the organization by volunteering at local events as well as the National Jamborees. But Keefe isn't the only part of the National Rifle Association that plays a pivotal role with the Boys Scouts of America. In fact, the NRA has been supporting Boys Scouts shooting programs in a big way. “Last year, the Boys Scouts of America received more than $800,000 in NRA Grants,” said NRA Education and Training Director Bill Poole. “That’s money earmarked for instructor training, rifles, shotguns, ammunition, targets and more.”
22 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • Summer 2014
Top: A Scout proudly displays two spent 12 gauge shotgun shells. Bottom: Mark Keefe speaks to a group of Scouts about responsible and safe use, cleaning, and storage of f irearms.
Here’s how those numbers make their way from the accounting ledger to the real world. Thanks to those grants, more than 1,000,000 adult volunteers are able to teac h almost 3,000,000 Scouts the basics of firearms use and safety as they discharge 36,000,000 rounds of ammunition and BBs on an annual basis. How’s that for teamwork? The NRA and the BSA. From the first handbook to the last. Working together to preserve the great American tradition of shooting sports for generations to come.
NRA's 2013 Law Enforcement
Officer of the Year by Glen Hoyer, Director of NRA Law Enforcement Division
D
uring the early evening of March 10, 2013, officers of the North Liberty Iowa Police Department were dispatched to a 911 call reporting a domestic fight between a man and his girlfriend at their residence. The caller heard yelling and the male had been jumping on the woman’s car and screaming at her. This was not the first time officers had responded to this address. The residence was a mobile home with a small elevated enclosed deck attached with a ramp leading to the front door. Officers located a woman out-side who showed signs of being assaulted, was crying and clearly under emotional duress. This woman was in the process of moving out of the mobile home when attacked by her boyfriend. When asked about weapons inside she said she thought her boyfriend had removed his pistol from the trailer earlier that day, and he now was alone. Officers moved up the ramp to knock on the door only to find themselves confined in a very small area with little room to maneuver and impossible for all of them to step away from the front of the door. The officers communicated with the boyfriend but he refused to open the door or come outside. Negotiations with the boyfriend to open the door were going nowhere so he was warned that officers would force entry. At this point the boyfriend could be partially seen through a narrow window by the side of the door. Seeing no immediate threat from him, it was decided to attempt to force the door open by kicking it in. As soon as entry was attempted the suspect ran toward the back of the mobile home. Within seconds gunfire erupted and bullets burst through the front door, and two of the three officers, including Officer Christopher Shine, had been shot. Officer Shine was hit in the abdomen and the second officer, in the chest. While the rounds caused serious injuries, they did not penetrate the body armor of either officer. Two of the officers made it down the ramp to take covering positions, with one finding a side window to try to engage the gunman. Officer Shine remained on the deck and while he could not see the gunman, he knew he was still in line with the now open trailer door as rounds were still being fired towards the front door. Hoping the gunman would reveal himself, Officer Shine used to his advantage what little concealment he had to be ready to engage the attempted killer. There was a pause in the gunfire and the gunman moved into view. Seeing each other almost at the same time, the two exchanged fire Officer Shine prevailed, striking the gunman seven times
and ending the rampage. Amazingly, the time it took from the gunman’s first shot and his attempt to kill the officers until Officer Shine’s last shot to end the incident was only 19 seconds. Understanding that the danger was not necessarily over, Officer Shine moved off the deck to seek cover and only then realized he had been shot in the side and his hand was injured and bleeding apparently from shrapnel.
It is with great honor and pride that the National Rifle Association recognizes O ff ice r Chr istophe r Shine of the North Liberty Iowa Police Department for his valorous actions by naming him the 2013 NRA Law Enforcement Off icer of the Year. Officer Shine’s heroic actions under the most stressful and confusing circumstances while seriously injured is a credit to him, his department, and the community he serves, and were in keeping with the highest traditions of law enforcement. Had the gunman been able to continue his attack and exit the trailer there is no doubt the lives of the girlfriend and Officer Shine’s fellow officers would have been in jeopardy. Summer 2014 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • 23
Courtesy of Shooters World
When your customers tell you what they like and don’t like, you can adjust what you’re doing to make your range more appealing to your guests. The key to getting that kind of feedback is to give your customers a voice, a way to let you know what works for them and what doesn’t.
HOW TO RUN — AND USE —
FEEDBACK From Those Who
CUSTOMER "FEED" YOU
SURVEYS
INVALUABLE Can Be
This article originally appeared in the April 2014 edition of The Range Report®.Permission for reprint this article has been granted by the publisher, the National Shooting Sports Foundation®, and the author, Carolee Anita Boyles, who has covered business and trade topics in the shooting sports since 1986. The author can be reached at carolee@caroleeboylesmediagroup.com.
A
ccording to Don Turner, one very effective way to give your customers a voice is to use customer surveys. Turner is a shooting range operations and management consultant in Las Vegas, NV. In the past he was project manager for the Arizona State Shooting Range Project, which included Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, AZ in this capacity, he made good use of customer surveys to improve what ranges offered customers. “You have to remember that your range itself isn’t why people are coming,” Turner said. “Shooting is like bowling or golfing. You don’t go to the golf course just to play golf; you go to take lessons, to participate in tournaments or to do something else.” A customer survey can tell you why shooters come to your range, which, in turn, gives you information about how to craft your marketing and advertising. Turner uses his experience as an operational planner to teach range managers how to use the information they get from customer surveys to improve how they run their ranges. “In operational planning, you need to have a feedback loop, so you know if the implementation of your plans was successful,” Turner said. “A customer survey is one kind of feedback loop.” 24 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • Summer 2014
Let’s say that one of your goals is to create a customer friendly operation.“You need feedback on whether your employees are friendly or not,” Turner said. “So one of the questions on your survey should be about customer satisfaction; how happy is your customer with the service he or she received?”
HOW NOT TO USE A CUSTOMER SURVEY
Turner said that many businesses use customer surveys as just a way to collect customer information. Customers can see through that, and they don’t like it. “For customer surveys to be really valuable, they have to be tied into your plan for your business,” he said. “I recently received a survey card from a fast food place that offered me a chance to win $500, but the questions were ho-hum and what they wanted was my personal information. That was just a data-mining operation, and customers get tired of that. Sometimes on our surveys at Ben Avery we didn’t even ask for customers’ names or contact information.” Many businesses also see customer surveys as a quick “one and done” way of answering a question or two. Turner said this is an ineffective approach; customer
surveys should be an ongoing part of your range operation. “Surveys need to be continuous,” he said. “They shouldn’t be something you do once every few years. Your range should have monthly, quarterly and yearly goals, and your surveys will help you know if you’re achieving those goals.”
DATA VS. INFORMATION
According to Turner, data does not equal information. In fact, they’re quite different. “Too many people accumulate data and then don’t know what to do with it,” he said. “What you’re really looking for is information, and the information that you’re looking for is how you can modify, improve or change your operation to make it more customer friendly or cost efficient.” The information you’re looking for can be broken down into several categories. “One kind of information you’re looking for tells you whether or not you’re meeting your goals,” Turner said. “You’re also looking for information that tells you how to improve your product—what can you do to make people want to come back? Without a feedback loop, you won’t know those things.”
DIFFERENT KINDS OF SURVEYS
Turner said you can do surveys in several different ways. “One type of survey is an internal customer survey,” he said. "At the Ben Avery Shooting Facility I always had a suggestion box with cards we made up; people could fill them out at any time. With that type of survey, if a customer comes up to an employee and says, ‘I have a complaint,’ the employee can hand the customer the card and say, ‘Please fill this out.’” Once a week, Turner said, he would go through the suggestion box cards. “Every so often I would get something that made me say, ‘This is a good idea; let ’s implement it,’” he said. A customer survey of this type takes minimal staff time to implement. Another type of survey is an exit interview, which is more labor intensive than just comment cards. “This is a method that Disneyland uses,” Turner said. “When you do this, have an actual written survey and designate an employee to take care of it.” When a customer is leaving your range, the employee stops him or her and says, “Can I ask you a couple of quick questions about your visit here today?” “Don’t use this technique for data mining,” Turner said. “This is not a solicitation for marketing.” Have the employee ask specific questions about the customer’s experience on your range and then use that information to improve what you offer customers in the future. Customer feedback can help you create effective advertising. “When I was in Arizona, we did a big marketing plan using billboards and other methods of marketing,” Turner said. “We needed to know if that campaign was working, so we did exit surveys and found out that 70 percent of the people who came to the range were coming because of word of mouth. As a result, we completely changed
our marketing approach and went to methods that would more facilitate word of mouth, such as a day to bring a friend to the range. Then we went to local gun stores and gave them pads of certificates for them to give out to customers when they purchased guns.” The certificates were good for one day of free shooting at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. “The gun dealers liked it, because they were giving their customers something of value,” Turner said. “Although it’s not a survey, it’s still a feedback loop for you, because you find out where your customers are coming from.” When you do gun shows, Turner said, you can do the same thing: give out certificates for a free day of shooting, and tag them with a code number that indicates the specific show. That lets you identify geographic areas to which you can target your marketing efforts. If you maintain memberships on your range, a snail mail or e-mail survey is an option. “And if you have a web page, you can post a survey on it,” Turner said. Richard Sprague, owner of Sprague’s Sports in Yuma, AZ, uses a form on his website as a way to get feedback from his customers. “We get comments almost every day,” he said. “It’s really helpful, because we get feedback from all angles. Some we’re proud of, and some are about issues we need to address. Getting information this way lets us take care of our customers at a higher level.” Sprague said he has the website set up so that information entered into the feedback form goes to all his managers and to him, all at the same time. “That way if one of us is out of pocket, someone else is going to respond,” he said. “ When one person responds to something, he does it with a ‘reply all.’ That way we all know that everything got addressed and nothing got overlooked.” Sprague said his customer feedback form also is a way to get positive reviews that he can use as testimonials on his website. “We use those to help build our online reputation,” he said. “We never include a person’s personal information on those; we just use what they said.” At Shooters World in Tampa, FL, customer comment cards are on the concierge desk by the door. General Mgr. Bruce Kitzis goes through filled-out cards daily to keep his finger on the pulse of the range. “We’ve made a number of changes because of suggestions that customers have made,” he said. “We’ve changed the placement of certain items, and we’ve added services offered by the gunsmith and on the range. Members often ask for things to make their membership more valuable, such as a complimentary range pass for a friend.” One of the simplest types of customer survey is a very informal one. Just walk about on the range and greet people with a simple “hello” and ask them how they’re doing. You’ll hear everything from “great” to complaints. “Complaints give you a lot of information,” says Turner. “Ask the customer why he’s unhappy and what you can do to fix it. The customer isn’t always right, but he always is the customer.” Summer 2014 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • 25
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he NRA Endorsed Insurance program for NRA Business Alliance members and Club Affiliates was born over a dozen years ago with the purpose of making a simple task of securing insurance for clubs and businesses in the firearm industry. The program is administered by Lockton Affinity, LLC—a leader in insurance program administration— and offers a broad range of insurance, from basic coverage for a club’s firearms to million dollar liability coverage for retail operations, and more. Insurance for Club Affiliates One of the key elements to a club’s success is its protection if someone is injured. Securing a liability insurance policy is the surest form of protection. The NRA program offers custom coverage plans depending on the scope of the club’s activities.
shooting competition at another club, participating in a fundraiser, or other normal club activities that occur away from the club premises, the club and its members are covered. Coverage for club activities conducted in other states: General liability coverage applies in the coverage territory which includes the U.S. and its territories, Puerto Rico and Canada. Worldwide coverage applies for an insured, whose home is in the coverage territory, while away for a short time on business. The policy excludes any premises used for the purpose of holding one or more gun or firearm shows. These can be insured separately. Coverage for club members: Coverage includes club members as insureds. This means an individual member, as well as the club, would be defended for allegations of negligence relating to club activities. Coverage for guests: Members are insureds on the club’s policy; however, guests are not covered in the same manner. If a guest using a range injures another person in a shooting exercise, or damages property, the guest causing the injury is likely to be named in a complaint, and because the incident happened on club grounds, the club is also named in the complaint. Under this insurance, the club has protection for the guest’s actions, but the guest is not covered. The same would hold true for a trespasser that is injured on
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club property. The club has coverage, the trespasser does not. Insurance for Business Alliance Members The business insurance policy insures the risks of doing business in the firearm industry—protecting businesses that sell and service firearms, FFL holders, firing ranges, firearm instruction businesses, guides and outfitters and gunsmiths.
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www.insuremygunclub.com Spring 2014 • NRA SPORTS MAGAZINE • 27
NRA Affiliated State Associations ALABAMA STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION 2009 Rogers Dr Huntsville, AL 35811 256-534-7968 • James Moses, President j.moses1@comcast.net www.alabamaservicerifleteam.com/ ALASKA OUTDOOR COUNCIL, INC. 310 K St Ste 200 Anchorage, AK 99501 907-264-6645 • Rod Arno, Exe. Director aoc@alaskaoutdoorcouncil.org www.alaskaoutdoorcouncil.org ARIZONA STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 74424 New River, AZ 85087 623-687-4251 • Noble C. Hathaway, President president@asrpa.com • Ed Roberts, Vice President edroberts@cox.net www.asrpa.com ARKANSAS RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N P.O. Box 2348 Conway, AR 72033 501-327-4702 • David Joyner, President davidj@specent.com • Ann Fairless, Sec./Treas. aekfairless@sbcglobal.net www.arpa-online.org CALIFORNIA RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION, INC. 271 E Imperial Hwy Ste 620 Fullerton, CA 92835 714-992-2772 • Jim Shea, President jshea@crpa.org • John C. Fields, Exec. Director jcfields@crpa.org www.crpa.org COLORADO STATE SHOOTING ASSOCIATION 609 W Littleton Blvd Ste 206 Littleton, CO 80120 303-663-9339 • Tony Fabian, President pres@cssa.org • David Gill, Vice President dave@dgillphoto.com www.cssa.org CONNECTICUT STATE RIFLE & REVOLVER ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 754 North Haven, CT 06473 860-480-4600 • Brad Palmer, President csrra.president@gmail.com • Randy Bieler, Director cablerandy@snet.net www.csrra.com
DELAWARE STATE SPORTSMEN’S ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 94 Lincoln, DE 19960 302-697-2529 • John Sigler, President jsigler@ps-corp.net www.dssa.us FLORIDA SPORT SHOOTING ASSOCIATION, INC. 14629 SW 104 St #188 Miami, FL 33186 407-701-1030 • Al Dart, Secretary rimfire22@aol.com • Robert Stokes, President robertstokes@me.com www.flssa.org GEORGIA SPORT SHOOTING ASS’N PO Box 1733 Macon, GA 31202 478-955-7068 • Barbara Senbertrand, President beeranch@btconline.net • Tom Patton, Secretary/Treasurer gssasectres@charter.net www.gssa.info HAWAII RIFLE ASSOCIATION PO Box 543 Kailua, HI 96734 808-306-7194 • Harvey F. Gerwig, President hghawaii@gmail.com • Bill Richter, Secretary itsmeblr@gmail.com www.hawaiirifleassociation.org IDAHO STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N PO Box 140293 Boise, ID 83714-4183 208-452-4183 • Neill Goodfellow, President president@idahosrpa.org • Jon Carter, Secretary secretary@idahospra.org www.idahosrpa.org ILLINOIS STATE RIFLE ASSOCIATION, INC. P.O. Box 637 Chatsworth, IL 60921 815-635-3198 • Richard Pearson, Exe. Director executive@isra.org • Donald Moran, President donm@isra.org www.isra.org INDIANA STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION, INC. 7527 State Route 56 Rising Sun, IN 47040 812-534-3258 • Jerry Wehner, President president@isrpa.org • William B. Thomas, Jr., Secretary billed2@hotmail.com www.isrpa.org
IOWA STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N 240 Prospect Road North Liberty, IA 52317-9660 319-626-2710 • Bill Besgrove, Secretary billb@iasrpa.org • John Klopfenstein, President president@iasrpa.org www.iasrpa.org KANSAS STATE RIFLE ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 219 Bonner Springs, KS 66012 913-608-1910 • Patricia Stoneking, President pstoneking@ksraweb.org • Jackie Todd, Secretary info@ksraweb.org www.ksraweb.org LEAGUE OF KENTUCKY SPORTSMEN, INC. 2500 Handy’s Bend Road Wilmore, KY 40390 859-351-7113 • Thomas J. Mansfield, NRA Liaison thomasjmansfield@gmail.com • Mark Nethery, President markn11501@bellsouth.net www.kentuckysportsmen.com LOUISIANA SHOOTING ASSOCIATION 350 Quill Ct. Slidell, LA 70461 985-781-4174 • Daniel Zelenka II, President dzelenka@louisianashooting.com • Danny Hudson, Secretary danohudson@bellsouth.net www.louisianashooting.com (ME) PINE TREE STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION, INC PO Box 373 Yarmouth, ME 04096 207-882-4713 • Ronald Vaillancourt, President ronval@roadrunner.com • Angus N. Norcross, Treasurer gusnor@roadrunner.com www.mainerpa.org MARYLAND STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION 341 Whitfield Rd Catonsville, MD 21228 410-838-1734 • Margaret Clarke, President marston.clarke@verizon.net • Douglas Self, 1st Vice President dself@msrpa.org www.msrpa.org (MASSACHUSETTS) GUN OWNERS’ ACTION LEAGUE 361 W Main St Northboro, MA 01606 508-393-5333 • James Wallace, Exe. Director jameswallace@goal.org • Jon Green, Dir. Trng. & Ed. jon@goal.org www.goal.org
NRA Clubs & Associations • 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 • clubs.nra.org
NRA Affiliated State Associations MICHIGAN RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N P.O. Box 71 Marshall, MI 49068-0071 269-781-1223 • Leo Cebula, President lcebula@hotmail.com • Charles Hayes, Secretary secretary.mrpa@att.net www.michrpa.com MINNESOTA RIFLE & REVOLVER ASSOCIATION, INC. 4737 CR 101, Box 114 Minnetonka, MN 55345-2634 320-968-6898 • George Minerich, President mrrapresident@gmail.com www.mrra.org MISSISSIPPI STATE FIREARM OWNERS ASSOCIATION PO Box 1061 McComb, MS 39649 601-341-8797 • Douglas Bowser, President douglasmbowser@yahoo.com • Deborah Withers, Secretary debbie@withersplace.com msfoa.tripod.com MISSOURI SPORT SHOOTING ASS’N PO Box 209 Columbia, MO 65205 314-440-3811 • Mike Kight, Secretary mkight@centurytel.net • Kevin Jamison, President kljamison@earthlink.net www.missourisportshooting.org MONTANA RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N P.O. Box 48 Ramsay, MT 59748 406-868-4181 • Jamey Williams, President jameydan@gmail.com • Zona Mowrer, Secretary secretary@mtrpa.org www.mtrpa.org NEBRASKA MARKSMANSHIP ASS’N PO Box 390311 Omaha, NE 68139 402-880-4868 • Bill Keil, President hpinne@cox.net • W. Aaron Woehler, Secretary wawoehler@msn.com www.nemarksmanship.org NEVADA FIREARMS COALITION 5575 Simmons St, Ste I-176 North Las Vegas, NV 89031 702-353-5935 • Don Turner, President don@nvfac.org • Megan Ferrante, Secretary megan@nvfac.org www.nvfac.org
GUN OWNERS of NEW HAMPSHIRE, INCORPORATED P.O. Box 847 Concord, NH 03302-0487 603-225-4664 • Mitch Kopacz, President president@gonh.org • Ralph Demicco, Vice President vicepresident@gonh.org www.gonh.org ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY RIFLE AND PISTOL CLUBS, INC. 5 Sicomac Rd Ste 292 North Haledon, NJ 07508 973-697-9270 • Scott L. Bach, Exe. Director defendfreedom@earthlink.net • Kathy Chatterton, President kschatterton@anjrpc.org www.anjrpc.org NEW MEXICO SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION, INC. P.O. Box 20787 Albuquerque, NM 87154 505-286-8449 • Gayle Dye, President president@nmssa.org • Ken Laintz, Secretary membershipsecretary@nmssa.org www.nmssa.org NEW YORK STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N, INC. 90 S. Swan Street Suite 395 Albany, NY 12210 518-272-2654 • Tom King, President info@nysrpa.org • Joseph P. DeBergalis, Jr., VP jpd556@hotmail.com www.nysrpa.org N. CAROLINA RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N P.O. Box 4116 Pinehurst, NC 28374 910-295-7220 • David McFarling, President dhmcfarling@mindspring.com • David Prest, Secretary dprest@pinehurst.net www.ncrpa.org NORTH DAKOTA SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 228 Bismarck, ND 58502 701-255-4601 • Rick Jorgenson, Executive Director rjorgenson@dvl.midco.net • Kevin Fire, President fireaudiology@gmail.com www.ndssa.org OHIO RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N P.O. Box 43083 Cincinnati, OH 45243-0083 513-891-1325 • Bob Sacco, President president@orpa.net • Mary Sacco, Secretary secretary@orpa.net www.orpa.net
OKLAHOMA RIFLE ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 850927 Yukon, OK 73085-0927 405-324-8498 • Charles Smith, Executive Director okgun@cox.net • Rick N. Baker, Secretary rbaker@burford.com www.oklarifle.org OREGON STATE SHOOTING ASS’N 34423 Brewster Rd Lebanon, OR 97333 541-409-3358 • Dan Sweet, Secretary ossavp@ossa.org • Nelson Shaw, President president@ossa.org www.ossa.org PENNSYLVANIA RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION 1573 Chestnut Grove Hwy Grampian, PA 16838 814-236-0708 • Jack Lee, President prpaleg@zoominternet.net • Becky Dutra jbd10@verizon.net www.pennarifleandpistol.org GUN RIGHTS & SAFETY ASSOCIATION of PUERTO RICO PO Box 191919 San Juan, PR 00919-1919 • Rafael Torres, President 787-691-1919 rtorres@grsapr.org www.grsapr.org RHODE ISLAND SECOND AMENDMENT COALITION 928 Atwood Ave Johnston, RI 02919 401-944-1600 • Frank Saccoccio fjwhoopie@aol.com www.ri2nd.org GUN OWNERS of SOUTH CAROLINA P.O. Box 211 Little Mountain, SC 29075 803-345-5761 • Gerald Stoudemire lmgs@sc.rr.com • Peggy Bodner mbodner@comporium.net www.gosc.org SOUTH DAKOTA SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION PO Box 3 Dell Rapids, SD 57022 605-428-5488 • Gregory Iverson, Secretary lazyhy@wescomm.com • Tom Raines, President tom@sdshootingsports.org www.sdshootingsports.org
NRA Clubs & Associations • 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 • clubs.nra.org
NRA-AFFILIATED STATE ASSOCIATIONS CONT’D TENNESSEE SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION, INC. 6653 Jocelyn Hollow Road Nashville, TN 37205 615-352-3954 • Ray Harvey, President tnssa@earthlink.net • Eugene Paranick, Director eparanick@comcast.net
VIRGINIA SHOOTING SPORTS ASS’N P.O. Box 1258 Orange, VA 22960 540-672-5848 • Lucien Charette, Exec. Director vssamain@verizon.net • Andrea T. Smith, Secy/Treas andrea.smith@myvssa.org www.myvssa.org
www.tennesseeshootingsportsassociation.org
WASHINGTON STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION, INC. 17541 Fremont Ave N Shore Line, WA 98113 206-427-8257 • Alan Carey, Secretary secretary@wsrpa.org • James Crosier, President president@wsrpa.org www.wsrpa.net WEST VIRGINIA STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 2504 Buckhannon, WV 26201 304-472-5174 • Amy Tenney, Treasurer wvsrpa@gmail.com • Gary Bailey, President glbfarm@aol.com www.wvasrpa.org
TEXAS STATE RIFLE ASSOCIATION 314 E. Highland Mall Blvd., Ste 300 Austin, TX 78752 512-615-4200 • Robert Butler, Executive Director execdir@tsra.com • David Stroud, President sass332@windstream.net www.tsra.com UTAH STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N 5926 S Fashion Point Dr #200 Ogden, UT 84403 801-499-9763 • Elwood P. Powell, President 1dpowell@sisna.com • Ralph Schamel, Vice President ralph@xmission.com www.usrpa.org VERMONT FEDERATION OF SPORTSMEN’S CLUBS, INC. PO Box 225 Lyndonville, VT 05851 802-535-7111 • Clint Gray, President clintgrayvt@yahoo.com • Evan Hughes, VP/NRA Liason vtguns@aol.com www.vtfsc.org
WYOMING STATE SHOOTING ASSOCIATION, INC. 625 Sweetwater St Lander, WY 82520-3044 307-335-9323 • Roger Sebesta, Secy/Treas wssa@wyoming.com www.wyossa.com
WISCONSIN FIREARM OWNERS, RANGES, CLUBS AND EDUCATORS PO Box 130 Seymour, WI 54165-0130 920-687-0505 • Jeff Nass, President jeff@wisconsinforce.org • Gary Nichols, Secretary gnichols@wi.rr.com www.wi-force.org
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NRA Field Representative Directory EASTERN REGION Eastern Regional Director Bryan Hoover bhoover@nrahq.org Area 1 (ME, NH, VT) Brian Smith bsmith@nrahq.org Area 2 (NY) Jay Rusnock jrusnock@nrahq.org Area 3 (CT, MA, RI, NJ, Lower NY) Jim Reardon jreardon@nrahq.org Area 4 (DE, Eastern PA) Kory Enck kenck@nrahq.org Area 5 (Western PA) Thomas Baldrige tbaldridge@nrahq.org Area 7 (WV, Western VA, Western MD) Jim Kilgore jkilgore@nrahq.org Area 12 (Southern OH) Andrew Root aroot@nrahq.org Area 45 (DC, Eatern MD, Eastern VA) David Wells dwells@nrahq.org Area 49 (Northern OH) Marc Peugeot mpeugeot@nrahq.org CENTRAL REGION Central Regional Director Chad Franklin cfranklin@nrahq.org Area 13 (Northern MO) Travis Scott tscott@nrahq.org Area 14 (IN) Craig Haggard chaggard@nrahq.org Area 15 (KY) John LaRowe jlarowe@nrahq.org Area 17 (WI) Scott Taetsch staetsch@nrahq.org Area 18 (Northern IL) Michael Huber mhuber@nrahq.org Area 19 (MO) Gregg Pearre gpearre@nrahq.org Area 23 (IA, NE) Tim Bacon tbacon@nrahq.org Area 51 (MI) Allan Herman aherman@nrahq.org Area 52 (Southern IL) Donald Higgs dhiggs@nrahq.org SOUTHERN REGION Southern Regional Director Al Hammond ahammond@nrahq.org Area 8 (Eastern NC) Lloyd Edwards ledwards@nrahq.org Area 9 (SC) Charles Johnson cjohnson2@nrahq.org Area 10 (GA) Brad Ward bward@nrahq.org Area 11 (Northern FL) Patrick “Bret” Eldridge beldridge@nrahq.org Area 16 (LA) Chad Bowen cbowen@nrahq.org Area 22 (AL, MS) Gene Newman gnewman@nrahq.org Area 42 (Western NC) Robert Doug Merrill dmerrill@nrahq.org Area 43 (TN) Mike Webb mwebb@nrahq.org Area 48 (Southern FL) Tom Knight tknight@nrahq.org MID WEST REGION Mid West Regional Director Tom Ulik tulik@nrahq.org Area 20 (OK) Darren DeLong ddelong@nrahq.org Area 24 (KS) Rick Chrisman rcrisman@nrahq.org Area 25 (Northern TX) Chris Griffin cgriffin@nrahq.org Area 26 (Southern TX) Liz Foley lfoley@nrahq.org Area 27 (NM) Peter Ide pide@nrahq.org Area 30 (CO) Brad Dreier bdrier@nrahq.org Area 39 (AR) Erica Willard ewillard@nrahq.org Area 47 (Western TX) Jack Cannon jcannon@nrahq.org WESTERN REGION Western Regional Director Brad Kruger bkruger@nrahq.org Area 21 (MN) Scott Lembke slembke@nrahq.org Area 28 (MT) Joseph Crismore jcrismore@nrahq.org Area 29 (WY) David Manzer dmanser@nrahq.org Area 33 (ID) Steve Vreeland svreeland@nrahq.org Area 34 (HI, OR) Mike Carey mcarey@nrahq.org Area 38 (Southern AK) Greg Stephens gstephens@nrahq.org Area 40 (Western WA) VACANT -------------------------------------Area 41 (ND, SD) Clay Pederson cpedersen@nrahq.org Area 53 (Northern AK) Josh Toennessen jtoennessen@nrahq.org SOUTHWESTERN REGION Southwestern Regional Director Jason Quick jquick@nrahq.org Area 31 (AZ) Winston Pendelton wpendelton@nrahq.org Area 32 (UT, Esatern NV) John Kendall jkendall@nrahq.org Area 35 (Northern CA) Daniel Wilhelm dwilhelm@nrahq.org Area 36 (S. CA, S. NV) Mike Davis mdavis@nrahq.org Area 37 (Central CA) Paul Rodarmel prodarmel@nrahq.org Area 46 (E. CA, W. NV) Steve Wilson swilson@nrahq.org Area 50 (Mid California) Bob Anderson banderson@nrahq.org NRA Clubs & Associations • 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 • clubs.nra.org
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