NRA Club Connection - Summer 2023

INSIDE: pg 4: NRA Club Award Winners pg 8: NRA Sponsor Spotlight pg 20: Giving Back - E&T Spotlight pg 23: NRA-ILA Update

President's Column:

Help NRA Win The War For Self-Defense

General Operations Update: NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program

Feature Story:

Congratulations to our NRA Club Award Winners

NRA Sponsor Spotlight

NRA Competitive Shooting Update

NRA Education & Training Spotlight

NRA-ILA Update

Cover Photo: Education & Training SpotlightGiving Back: A Scout in a wheelchair gets a little more independent due to Eagle Scouts and local Northwest Indiana VEX VRC Robotic Students

By Charles L. Cotton President

Help NRA Win The War For Self-Defense

Akey truth established by last year’s landmark U.S Supreme Court Bruen decision is that the right to bear arms outside the home to protect innocent life was not questioned, let alone prohibited, when the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights were written.

This was considered the right of all free people. It was so fundamental, inherent and beyond debate that some argued it wasn’t even necessary to put it down in writing through a Bill of Rights. So, it wasn’t until the 20th century that many cities and states began routinely denying that right, led most notoriously by New York’s Sullivan Act. The Supreme Court’s Bruen decision ended all that—or should have. Yet, before the ink was even dry on that opinion, anti-gun state legislatures and governors began scrambling to pass new laws erecting new barriers to this fundamental right.

NRA OFFICERS

Charles L. Cotton President

Willes K. Lee

First Vice President

David Coy

Second Vice President

Wayne LaPierre

Executive Vice President

John Frazer Secretary

Sonya Rowling Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer

Randy Kozuch Executive Director, NRA-ILA

Joseph P. DeBergalis, Jr. Executive Director, General Operations

New York passed a law requiring CCW applicants to, among other requirements, take 16 hours of training, submit to an interview with law enforcement—and hand over several types of personal information for inspection— including social-media accounts used over the past three years—to decide whether an applicant is of sufficiently “good moral character” to be licensed.

New Jersey increased its handgun “permitto-purchase” fees by 1,100%, quadrupled its carry permit fee to $200 and required permittees to buy liability insurance. Maryland, as of press time, seemed to be considering doubling its carry permit fees. Some Californians are now paying $617 just to apply for a license, then waiting for months to even begin the process, which also includes “psychological testing.”

New York, Maryland and New Jersey used their new laws to impose a wide variety of “sensitive places” where carry is not allowed, including private property without the permission of the owner.

They might as well have said, “Sure, you can carry a gun for protection—just not anyplace where it might be needed, and not on any day that ends with a ‘y.’”

defensive gun use statistics from its materials. Even the FBI is reportedly suppressing statistics about lawfully armed citizens stopping “active shooter” events.

Second Amendment advocates in the U.S. Senate have introduced legislation to codify the Bruen decision into federal law, but even if that bill is passed by Congress, you can bet President Biden will veto it. And if the states currently defying the Supreme Court on Bruen are successful, you can bet those same legislative strategies will spread nationwide.

For news about your NRA, visit: nra.org and nraila.org. Share this column online at nrapublications.org.

It might be tempting to shrug off these cynical stunts if you don’t live in California, Maryland, New Jersey or New York. After all, more than half the states in the U.S. now have constitutional-carry laws restoring the right of lawful adults to carry a concealed firearm for protection without prior permission. But more than 22% of the U.S. population lives in those four states. And these attacks on your right to carry aren’t limited to a handful of states—they’re also being launched at the federal level nationwide. The anti-gun lobby successfully pressured the CDC to scrub

With NRA’s support, lawsuits in New Jersey and New York have successfully blocked several of the worst of these antigun provisions. But counting on courts to overturn the unconstitutional edicts of elected politicians isn’t a strategy—it’s a last resort. Because the judges who sit on those courts are selected by the same politicians who pass and sign these laws, the best and most lasting strategy is to elect leaders who will both respect our rights and appoint judges who will do the same.

Before the birth of Christ, Cicero wrote: “If our lives are endangered ... any and every method of protecting ourselves is morally right. When weapons reduce them to silence, the laws no longer expect one to wait their pronouncements.” Two millennia later, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes echoed Cicero, writing: “Detached reflection is not demanded in the presence of an upraised knife.” St. George Tucker—an American jurist whose works have been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in scores of cases—put it even more simply. “The right of self-defense,” he wrote, “is the first law of nature.”

We’re on the right side of history on this issue. That’s why we’ll fight—in Congress, in the legislatures, in the courts, on Election Day and every day—to secure this freedom as the birthright of all free people. Because it’s not just the first law of nature—when all else fails, it’s your last, best hope to secure your ability to survive.

“SURE, YOU CAN CARRY A GUN FOR PROTECTION—JUST NOT ANYPLACE WHERE IT MIGHT BE NEEDED, AND NOT ON ANY DAY THAT ENDS WITH A ‘Y.’”

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Friends of NRA events celebrate American values with fun, fellowship and fundraising for The NRA Foundation. To learn more about events in your area, visit friendsofnra.org, contact your local field representative or send an email to friends@nrahq.org.

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TRAINING

refuse.nra.org | nrainstructors.org

The NRA’s Refuse To Be A Victim® program provides information on crime prevention and personal safety. To learn more about the program, visit refuse.nra.org. The most up-to-date seminar and instructor training schedule is available on the Internet by visiting nrainstructors.org, or online training is available at nraonlinetraining.org Questions? Email to refuse@nrahq.org or by calling (800) 861-1166.

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For more information, send an email to Shelly Kramer at mkramer@nrahq.org or call (703) 267-1459.

STATE ASSOCIATIONS

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Joining NRA-affiliated state associations supports NRA’s mission in your state. See clubs.nra.org for more information.

The “NRA Regional Report,” a service for NRA members, is an up-to-date listing of NRA conducted and/or sponsored events scheduled in your region for the current month. Call to verify event dates and locations before traveling.

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By Joseph P. DeBergalis, Jr. Executive Director, General Operations

NRA QualificationMarksmanshipProgram

One of our flagship programs, the National Rifle Association’s Marksmanship Qualification Program, has helped develop the skills of hundreds of thousands of new shooters since its inception in 1903.

The NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program is a training environment for new shooters to develop fundamental skills with tracked development. NRA sets the standards for the drills, and individual shooters can progress in the program at their own pace. To make participation more convenient, Marksmanship Qualification Program shooting can be a self-administered activity performed on the honor system—or it can be supervised by parents, club leaders, coaches or instructors. All performances are measured against established par scores—any NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program shooter who meets or exceeds those scores is entitled to the corresponding recognition awards for that rating. The goal is to advance one step at a time, from Pro-Marksman to the top rating of Distinguished Expert. Each rating level has a skill rocker, medal, pin and certificate that recognizes and highlights the achievement.

Most importantly, NRA Marksmanship Qualification courses of fire are open to everyone—men and women, old and young. Additionally, NRA Marksmanship Qualification shooting can be conducted just about anywhere. You can use public ranges or your favorite club range. Your own home range is even an option for BB and pellet gun shooters,

as there are air gun qualification courses that are perfect for informal home air gun ranges and family learning environments. Since it covers all classes of guns, nearly everyone has something to gain from participation in the NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program. There are currently 23 different courses of fire in the NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program, including popular disciplines such as Bullseye Pistol, Rimfire and Smallbore Rifle, High Power Rifle, F-Class, Shotgun, Muzzle Loading and Multi-Gun. You can learn firearm safety and basic marksmanship with air guns, improve defensive-handgun skills or even go through tactical drills. The courses of fire are designed to take shooters from beginning skill levels (Pro-Marksman and Marksman), through intermediate levels (Marksman 1st Class, Sharpshooter and Expert), all the way up to the nationally recognized skill level and pinnacle of the program, Distinguished Expert.

Regarding awards, the NRA has Marksmanship Qualification Program award packets, certificates, medals, bars, pins, patches and rockers for the Pro-Marksman through Distinguished Expert ratings that can be ordered from the NRA Program Materials Center. Go to materials.nrahq.org/qualificationawards/ For more information about the NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program, go to mqp.nra.org, call (703) 267-1505 or email marksmanship@nrahq.org.

Photo by NRA

Joining NRA-affiliated state associations supports NRA’s mission in your state.

Congratulations to our 2022 NRA Club Award Winners

Each year the National Rifle Association recognizes outstanding clubs, state associations, youth clubs and an individual or organization for public service. The Annual Awards program recognizes significant accomplishments achieved in areas of organization, operation and public service rendered.

This past year's award winners were selected during the January 2023 NRA Board Meetings and were presented with their awards at the May 2023 NRA Board Meeting held in Indianpolis, Indiana on Monday, April 17, 2023.

The Outstanding Youth Club Award is presented annually to an NRA-affiliated youth club that has demonstrated noteworthy achievement in training programs that teach firearm safety and handling, marksmanship, hunting skills to the community youth.

The recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Youth Club Award was the Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club for their program with the Illinois Valley Central High School Trap Shooting Club of Chillicothe, IL.

The Chillicothe Sportsmen's Club in 2021 established sponsorship as the home field for the Illinois Valley Central High School Trap shooting club. Since its inception, participation on the team has been in excess of 30 high school student youth shooters each of the 4 semesters the HS trap club has been operating. The Chillicothe Sportsmen's Club supports the team by providing clay birds, subsidizing and pre-buying ammunition to ensure the students can participate in a cost effective program.

Pictured Above:

Debbra Park, the President of the Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club, and NRA President Charles L. Cotton presenting the 2022 Outstanding Youth Club Award to The Chillicothe Sportmen’s Club.

The Outstanding State Association Award is presented in honor of a state association’s effectiveness in carrying out the purposes and objectives of the National Rifle Association in their state.

As an all-volunteer organization, with the help of NRA, IFC doubled their membership in the last 4 years. Their communications with their members are exceptional including social media and email campaigns that have a strong 41% opening rate. They also offer a newsletter, blog, YouTube channel, and have recorded a weekly "Warrior Wednesday" video setting the new standard for State Associations. At the time of the award application, IFC was approaching one million total views on YouTube. With a dedication to building a solid volunteer core, they are expanding their program offerings to include more programs and competitions, with a focus on youth. In addition, IFC worked with NRA to pass Constitutional Carry and the Firearms Industry Protection Act.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit documentation demonstrating compliance with the award criteria. Such documentation may include but is not limited to: newsletters, program schedules, rosters, photographs, news articles, videos, match schedules and publications.

To be considered for the 2023 Club Awards, the application deadline for submission is December 1. Announcement of results will be after the January NRA Board Meetings. Check out information on this program and other awards online at https://awards.nra.org/awards

Pictured Above:

Iowa Firearms Coalition President, Dave Funk (left) accepting the 2022 Outstanding State Association Award for the Iowa Firearms Coalition from NRA President Charles L. Cotton (right).

1,000 EXHIBITORS

400 OUTFITTERS

200 FREE SEMINARS & DEMOS

MAKE YOUR PLANS NOW FOR

THE WORLD’S LARGEST OUTDOOR SHOW

FEB 3 - 11, 2024 |

Make your plans for the Great American Outdoor Show; a 9-day event celebrating hunting, fishing, and outdoor traditions that are treasured by millions of Americans and their families! Over 200,000 enthusiastic hunters, anglers, and outdoorsmen and women gathered at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA for the 2023 show - Don’t miss out! Make your plans for 2024 today!

WWW. G REAT A MERICAN O UTDOOR S HOW.ORG

Over 1,000 exhibitors, 650,000 Sq. Ft. of Exhibit Halls, and an entire hall dedicated to firearms!

THE WORLD’S LARGEST OUTDOOR SHOW FAMILY FUN FOR EVERYONE

Eddie Eagle Kids Zone, Rock Climbing Wall, Airsoft Range, Trout Pond, and more!

A JAM-PACKED SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Tons of free and ticketed special events including the DockDogs competition, Friends of NRA Banquet Dinner & Auction, NRA Wall of Guns, and a rockin’ NRA Country Concert!

PA FARM SHOW COMPLEX HARRISBURG, PA

HENRY REPEATING ARMS SALUTES VETERANS AND NRA FOUNDATION AT

Henry Repeating Arms President Andy Wickstrom had the distinct honor of presenting three Indiana native military veterans with specially engraved Henry Military Service Tribute Edition rifles as a token of gratitude for their service at the Indianapolis Convention Center ahead of the 152nd NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits.

Wickstrom also presented a $25,000 donation to the Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program, a firearm accident prevention program that seeks to help parents, law enforcement, and community leaders educate Pre-K through 4th-grade children about what to do if they come across a gun.

The first recipients called to the stage were Retired First Sergeant Johnathan Teagarden Jr., who served in the United States Army for more than twenty-five years with four tours in the Middle East, and his father Johnathan Teagarden Sr., who served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. The Teagarden family has a long history of answering the call of duty, with every generation serving in the military dating back to Teagarden Jr.’s great-great-grandfather, who fought as an Infantryman in the Civil War.

Following the Teagardens, Wickstrom called Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Sammy L. Davis to the stage. Davis was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson for his unwavering courage and tenacity during battle and for saving the lives of at least three comrades despite a broken back and extensive injuries.

“A hero in the truest sense of the word, a treasure of Indiana and America as a whole, I am humbled and honored to welcome Sammy Lee Davis to the Henry family with this Henry Military Service Tribute Edition rifle in salute to your selflessness and bravery,” said Wickstrom.

As the presentation concluded, Davis took the microphone. First, he told the crowd a moving story about a harmonica his mother sent him while overseas and how he could comfort those around him by playing the song “Shenandoah.” Then, completely unprompted, Davis pulled out a harmonica to recite the song, bringing the crowd to its feet with tears in their eyes.

Henry Repeating Arms is proud to support the NRA’s efforts in promoting gun safety, instruction and training programs, and protecting our 2nd Amendment rights.

77,246 ATTEND 2023 NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS!

THANK YOU FOR AN INCREDIBLE WEEKEND IN INDY!

Thank you to the 77,246 patriots who came out to the 2023 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Indianapolis, IN to support the NRA, Defend the 2nd, and enjoy thier American freedom! NRA members spent hours discovering the latest and greatest firearms and accessories, attending free daily seminars, and listening to 2nd Amendment leaders including:

• President Donald Trump

• Vice President Mike Pence

• Governor Kristi Noem... and many more!

Visit www.nraam.org to see all the highlights from the show and to watch our 2023 recap video!

MAKE YOUR PLANS NOW FOR DALLAS, 2024!

MAY 16 - 19 / DALLAS, TX

Make your plans now for the 153rd NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits held from May 16 - 19, 2024 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas - Don’t miss out!

2024 Rooms are Now Available! Book now through our housing partner, ConferenceDirect to receive the special NRA discounted rate negotiated just for you!

BOOK NOW

2024 NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS & EXHIBITS

MAY 16 - 19 / DALLAS, TX

Friends of NRA Announces 2022 Volunteers of the Year

Volunteers are the backbone of the Friends of NRA Program. It takes more than 13,000 volunteers from across the country to tackle over 660 annual Friends of NRA events. Their grassroots fundraising efforts have raised well over $1 billion gross dollars for The NRA Foundation, which supports firearms education and training—including more than 180 NRA programs—at the local, state, and national levels.

“Our volunteers are the backbone of Friends of NRA,”explains Director of Volunteer Fundraising Sarah Engeset. “They are a fundraising force with tireless energy, determination and passion to move our mission forward.”

Since 1992, Friends of NRA has held over 25,000 events, reached more than 4.5 million attendees and awarded nearly $457 million in grant funding, contributing to 57,000 NRA Foundation grants.

NRA Field Representatives evaluate volunteers on a number of criteria including event tickets sold, years of service, leadership and overall impact on the program. Each Field Rep selects one Volunteer of the Year (VOY) for their area, and then the Regional Directors determine their Regional Volunteer of the Year from those nominations. The four 2022 Regional Volunteers of the Year have more than 35 years of combined

volunteering experience, during which they’ve raised over half of a million dollars for The NRA Foundation.

The VOY program also recognizes an exceptional Friends of NRA committee each year. Falls of the Ohio Friends of NRA in Indiana topped the charts in 2022. With approximately 1,000 attendees, they raised more than $262 thousand net and earned the title of Outstanding Committee of the Year.

Award recipients received an all-expenses-paid trip to the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits. This year they joined the 152th NRA Annual Meetings in Indianapolis, IN, on April 13-16. Special recognition was given to each Region Volunteer of the Year and the Committee of the Year during the National NRA Foundation Banquet & Auction on Thursday, April 13.

Visit friendsofnra.org/news/volunteers/ to view more of our 2022 volunteers of the year. A volunteer is highlighted every other week.

2022 REGIONAL VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR

EASTERN REGION

Indiana

Pete Neiman Falls of the Ohio Friends of NRA

CENTRAL REGION

Illinois

Roger Needham Winnebago-Boone County Friends of NRA

SOUTHERN REGION

Tennessee

Karen Hinkle East Tennessee Friends of NRA

WESTERN REGION

Montana Judy & Mark Atwell Hamilton Friends of NRA

2022 COMMITTEE OF THE YEAR

Falls of the Ohio Friends of the NRA

Indiana

Help secure American freedoms and shooting sports traditions for generations to come! To join in the fundraising efforts near you, contact your local Field Rep or attend a local Friends of NRA event.

Ohio makes it # 11 !

Members of the NRA Affiliated Ohio Gun Collectors Association, NRA’s largest gun collectors affiliate, gather with NRA Editorial Director Mark A. Keefe IV at their display booth during the NRA’s 152nd Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Indianapolis, Indiana. Sean McCarter of the OGCA holds the coveted NRA Gun Collectors Committee Trophy, which has been awarded annually since 1960 to the best overall exhibit at the Annual Meetings.

This makes the 11th time that the OGCA has won the trophy since its inception and the 67th consecutive year that the OGCA has participated in the Annual Meetings. Their winning exhibit, “19th Century Semiautomatic Pistols”, was assembled by Dr. Leonardo Antaris and featured Kaiser Wilhelm II’s fully engraved and cased Mannlicher pistol as well as many other rare and significant pistols that figured prominently in their early development.

The OGCA was one of 19 affiliated collector clubs that participated in the NRA Annual Meetings. Each year, the Gun Collectors Department of the NRA makes exhibit space at the annual meetings available free of charge to affiliated collector clubs. If you wish to see your club represented at the NRA’s 153rd Annual Meetings in Dallas, Texas next May, then contact Philip Schreier at pschreier@nrahq.org to reserve your booth today.

Photo L-R, Timothy Inwood, Sean McCarter, Dr. Leonardo Antaris, Mark Keefe, Tom Bowersox, & Christina Holden. Photo by Peter Fountain, NRA Staff

NRA Announces Silver Mountain E-Targets Returning For 2023 High Power National Championships

After a successful first year at the 2022 NRA National Matches, electronic targets are returning to Camp Atterbury for the 2023 NRA High Power Nationals.

Last year at the NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury, Ind., the High Power Rifle Nationals were fired on electronic targets from Silver Mountain Targets. The e-targets that made their debut last summer were by all measures a huge success, and will be returning for use again in competition this year at Camp Atterbury during the High Power and F-Class National Championships.

Camp Atterbury Range Six

An active National Guard facility, Indiana's Camp Atterbury has served as the home of the NRA National Matches since 2021 and the High Power Rifle Nationals since 2017.

“For 2023, we are continuing with range improvements, including 50 Silver Mountain electronic targets to support High Power Rifle and F-Class,” NRA’s Director of Competitive Shooting, Cole McCulloch, said. “We will have these targets in place for the 2023 National Matches.”

The NRA used the Silver Mountain Solo system, an open-sensor electronic target from Germany that retails for $850 per unit. David Schnelle, the owner of Silver Mountain Targets’ U.S. distributor, was at Camp Atterbury during the 2022 NRA National Matches to assist with the transition from the paper targets. “It was very nice to work with NRA on its first venture with e-targets at the National Matches,” Schenlle said. “We had a few bumps to work through the first day, but things ran perfectly smooth afterwards.”

E-target and shot display

For many years, there really weren’t any notable electronic target systems deployed on a grand scale, but the technology has come a long way over the past 20 years.

The number-one request of NRA High Power Rifle National Championship competitors, the addition of e-targets to Range Six at Camp Atterbury last summer not only eliminated the chore of pit duty, but also provided for real-time scoring. Shooters on the firing line could view the results with live targets online using tablets or smartphones connected to Wi-Fi originating from the Solo e-target systems. After a few hiccups on day one of the 2023 NRA High Power Nationals, which were quickly rectified, the Silver Mountain electronic targets performed without any major issues for the duration of the championship— including Across-the-Course, Mid-Range and Long-Range.

High Power Rifle shooters at Camp Atterbury last summer expressed their happiness about the introduction of electronic targets at the 2022 NRA National Matches. “E-targets were a godsend, as they totally eliminated the need to pull in the pits, which was especially valuable this summer in the scorching Indiana heat,” Charles Rowe, a longtime NRA High Power shooter, said. “And, after the first day of setup and teething issues, the e-target systems generally ran flawlessly. Well done and thank you to the NRA for listening to competitors.”

NRA High Power Rifle competitors

Last summer, the NRA High Power Rifle National Championships were fired on electronic targets for the first time ever.

In addition, by employing electronic targets, the daily matches at the High Power Nationals go by much faster than with paper targets. While there is much to be said about the camaraderie found during long days on the range spent with friends, having extra time each day is something that all High Power Rifle competitors should take note of. Last year, shooters at the NRA High Power Nationals had the opportunity to use the time saved by the use of e-targets to enjoy everything that Camp Atterbury and the local area offers.

Since the 2021 NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury, the National Rifle Association of America and its partners have been working tirelessly to improve the state of the competition. This hard work has been noticed—in 2022, there was a year-over-year increase in entries at the NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury across all three disciplines. High Power especially has enjoyed significant improvements at the National Matches, which McCulloch explained is due to “exceptional communication between NRA staff and competitors, sponsor support and range improvements, and support from the Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association (ISRPA).” (You can read more about the 2022 NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury by reading our recap.)

Camp Atterbury range six with e-targets

2023 NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury Registration

New for this year, by registering for the NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury prior to Wednesday, June 14, competitors can order a T-shirt, polo shirt or hoodie with the NRA National Matches logo and one of three disciplines.

Below is the 2023 NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury schedule.

National High Power Rifle Championships: July 8-28

National Precision Pistol Championships: July 18-22

National Smallbore Rifle Championships: July 25-August 6

Register for the 2023 NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury at the NRA Competitive Shooting Division website: competitor.nra.org.

For more information, email comphelp@nrahq.org.

Pictured above is Range Six at Camp Atterbury with Silver Mountain Solo e-targets deployed during the 2022 NRA National Matches.

A lot can go wrong at the club from property damage to third-party injuries, but Club insurance helps cover the costs if something does. Plus, Lockton Affinity Outdoor’s Club insurance is available to a variety of firearm-related clubs like:

Outdoor rifle and pistol ranges

Trap and skeet ranges

Hunting clubs

Leased hunting land

Landowner coverage and more

If you have your own range, meet at a range, participate in competitions and events, travel or own land, Lockton Affinity Outdoor has coverage for you. See what coverage will look like for your club by completing a quick, five-minute price indication at LocktonAffinityOutdoor.com.

Crnokrak

Scouts BSA – Life Scout, Jacob Gates-Ehlers (a.k.a. Jake) from Troop 209 in the Pathway to Adventure Council, drove his wheelchair down to the rifle range with his mom Betsy like he did in years past, but this year was different. He would be able to use a 0.22 rifle to shoot at targets by himself using a Robotic platform that was designed by Crown Point, and Portage Indiana VEX VRC Robotics students.

The story begins last year, on September 10, 2022, when Jake drove his wheelchair down to the rifle range at Scouts BSA’s – Pathway to Adventure Council’s - Camp Frank S. Betz with his mom to have fun shooting 0.22 rifles at the range. Jake and his mom listened to the NRA instructors and when directed, Jake drove up to a shooting bench while his mom stood by his side. His mom would play a critical role as she would hold the rifle on the shooting bench, while Jake whispered in her ear – “Up, Down, Left, Right, shoot…” Mr. Nick Crnokrak (Eagle Scout, NRA Instructor, and prior Robotics Mentor) was helping Jake and his mom that day, ensuring that they were safe, and that Jake had a great time. But when Mr. Crnokrak left Camp that night, he started thinking that there might be an alternative way for Jake to shoot a rifle safely at the range by himself.

Fast forward to March of 2023, when Gage Bagwell, Cameron Mucha and Daniel Crnokrak were in the family room at the Crnokrak’s home, playing with a new 3D printer and talking about Daniel and Cameron’s trip to the VEX World Robotics Championships that would occur at the end of April in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Crnokrak walked by and asked the three students a question. “How hard would it be to design a platform to allow Jake to shoot a rifle on his own?” The three students were intrigued and asked Mr. Crnokrak several questions. The students drafted the prototype on paper within an hour. In the next couple of weeks, they would design, build, program, and test the prototype to ensure it would work safely and properly while having the functions needed for Jake

Submitted by Nick

Pathway to Adventure Council - Troop 45 - Committee Chairman NRA Instructor (RSO, Rifle, Shotgun)

Giving back: A Scout in a wheelchair gets a little more independent due to Eagle Scouts and local Northwest Indiana VEX VRC Robotic Students.

to control the platform. They would meet Jake at Camp Betz a week prior to the shooting event to ensure the platform would fit on the shooting benches and get feedback from Jake on the controller portion. (Jake has limited mobility in his hands but can use a joystick and press a button.) Jake signed off on the controller design and the students went back to work 3D printing housings for the platform circuit boards and controller boxes to house the joystick and firing button for Jake.

On May 13, 2023, at 1:00 PM on the Camp Frank S. Betz rifle range, Jake was able to safely, look down the iron sights of the rifle, aim the rifle towards the target, and fire the rifle when he was ready. Jake did this multiple times all while his mom and grandmother sat in chairs taking pictures and videos, of Jake independently shooting on his own. Jake, his mom, and grandmother expressed their gratefulness to everyone that helped make this day be a memorable one. Everyone in attendance left with big smiles and a sense of accomplishment because they made a difference...by giving back.

Many thanks to:

• Jacob Gates-Ehlers

o (Life Scout – Troop 209)

• The Gates-Ehlers Family

• Mr. Nick Crnokrak

o (NRA Instructor, Eagle Scout, and former Robotics Mentor)

• Gage Bagwell

o (Former VEX VRC Robotics Student at Portage High School – Team 2567 MARS)

• Daniel Crnokrak

o (VEX VRC Robotics Student at Crown Point High School – Team 1233W - Whiplash, Eagle Scout – Troop 45)

• Cameron Mucha

o (VEX VRC Robotics Student at Crown Point High School – Team 1233W - Whiplash)

• Scouts BSA – Pathway to Adventure Council – Camp Frank S. Betz

• The REC Foundation and VEX VRC Robotics!

• Robotics Coach – Matthew LeBlanc – Crown Point High School Robotics Coach – John Kappes – Portage High School

Photo in Header - From left to right: Daniel Crnokrak, Gage Bagwell, Jacob Gates-Ehlers and Cameron Mucha on location at Camp Betz.

Whats the Key To Writing Effective Emails for Your Club

KEEP IT SHORT.

Your eye moves differently over an email than a print document.

When you’re looking at this article, you can see the whole thing at once. Your eye moves over the whole thing. You glance at eye-catching graphics, you skip from one section to the next.

But when you’re reading an email, the visual area is different. Your screen -- whether on a computer or on a cell phone -- restricts you to a shorter viewing window that you move downward as you scroll. You don’t see the whole thing at once.

Grab the reader’s attention right away. If the reader has to scroll through a lot of text and graphics before you get to the point, your reader will lose interest and delete your email without getting to your message.

Shorter paragraphs are easier to read in an email. Longer paragraphs seem like a wall of text, especially when they’re crunched to fit into a cell phone screen.

Focus on your message.

Your email should have a goal. What is it that you want the reader to do? Maybe you’re asking people to join your organization, or inviting them to participate in an upcoming event.

Think of this goal as an action item. You want the reader to want to take that action and get involved. Eliminate extraneous information to streamline the reader’s pathway to your action item.

That action item often takes the form of a link -- the webpage where you want the reader to go to sign up, to take the survey, to do the thing. If you have any images, they should link to this page -- and there should be links within the text, too.

Three short paragraphs can be plenty.

Let’s say you want to get the word out about an upcoming class at your range so local scouts can earn their Rifle merit badge.

Your first paragraph should provide the basic information about what’s happening, and where and when. Start with a verb to give your message an active tone. There should be at least one link to your action item.

Bring your scout troop to the Rifle Merit Badge Class on July 22 at the Spoondale Sportsmen’s Club!

Your second paragraph should tell the reader how this action item will benefit them.

NRA certified instructors and BSA merit badge counselors will be on-hand to help your scouts learn how to handle a rifle safely. Scouts can complete all of the requirements at the event.

Your third paragraph should tell the reader how to sign up, and who they can contact for more information.

Space is limited, so sign up today! For more information, email us at rifle@spoondale-sportsmen.org.

You can add a button to the bottom of the email so that people who have scrolled all the way down have one last reminder of what you want them to do. (Make sure that this is a text-based button; some email systems will block graphics, and you don’t want to lose readers who don’t understand what you want them to do.)

Nebraska Became the 27th State to Adopt Constitutional Carry

Nebraska became the 27th state in the nation to pass constitutional carry on April 25th, 2023, when Gov. Jim Pillen signed the bill into law.

“Nebraska joined 26 other states whose constituents and leaders recognize that law-abiding Americans should not have to ask for special government permission and pay additional fees in order to exercise their rights outside of the home,” said Randy Kozuch, executive director, NRAILA. “The NRA has worked tirelessly to protect the rights of Americans to defend themselves for decades, and we’re thrilled that this protection has now come to Nebraskans.”

Constitutional carry protects Americans’ right to carry a firearm for self-defense by eliminating the requirement that law-abiding gun owners obtain a permit to carry. The law does not affect previously issued permits, and does not eliminate the permitting system. Those who wish to obtain a permit to carry in states that recognize Nebraska permits still can. In addition, this bill does not change who is permitted to obtain a firearm. Felons and other disqualified persons can still be punished under federal, state and local statutes for unlawful possession of a firearm.

Travis Couture-Lovelady, NRA Nebraska state director, said, “This is a great bill that will make gun laws less restrictive and more streamlined for law-abiding Nebraskans. The NRA would like to thank Sen. Tom Brewer for his leadership on this important piece of legislation, and applauds the legislature and the governor for passing and signing the bill.”

Nebraska is the 11th state to adopt Constitutional Carry since President Joe Biden took office in January of 2021 – which goes to show that the majority of America supports our right to Keep and Bear Arms. Your NRA-ILA will continue to fight for Constitutional Carry in the years to come.

NRA Affiliated State Associations

AL STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS'N 2009 Rodgers Drive Huntsville, AL 35811

205-655-3730

Eambhm1@aol.com

AK OUTDOOR COUNCIL, INC. 310 K St Ste 200 Anchorage, AK 99501 907-740-1702

www.alaskaoutdoorcouncil.org

AZ STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS'N P.O. Box 74424 Phoenix, AZ 85087 623-687-4251

www.asrpa.com

AR RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N P.O. Box 2348 Conway, AR 72003 501-327-4702

arkansasrifle.com

CA RIFLE & PISTOL ASS'N, INC. 271 E Imperial Hwy Ste 620 Fullerton, CA 92835 714-992-2772

www.crpa.org

CO STATE SHOOTING ASS'N 7661 McLaughlin Road Falcon, CO 80831 719-966-7512

www.cssa.org

CT STATE RIFLE &REVOLVERASS'N P.O. Box 754 North Haven, CT 06473 860-480-4600

www.csrra.com

DE STATE SPORTSMEN’S ASS'N P.O. Box 94 Lincoln, DE 19960

www.dssa.us

FL SPORT SHOOTING ASS'N, INC. P.O.Box 56261 Jacksonville, FL 32241 904-880-1715

www.flssa.org

GA SPORT SHOOTING ASS’N 880 Marietta Highway - PO Box 351 Roswell, GA, 30075 478-955-7068

www.georgiasportshootingassociation.com

HI RIFLE ASSOCIATION PO Box 543 Kailua, HI 96734 808-224-2824

www.hawaiirifleassociation.org

ID STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N PO Box 140293 Boise, ID 83714-0293 208-900-1911

www.idahosrpa.org

IL STATE RIFLE ASS'N, INC. P.O. Box 637 420 E. Locust St. Chatsworth, IL 60921 815-635-3198

www.isra.org

INSTATERIFLE &PISTOL ASS'N,INC. P.O. Box 40025 Indianapolis, IN 46240 812-534-3258

www.isrpa.org

IA FIREARMS COALITION PO Box 310 Moville, IA 51039 515-423-0391

www.iowafc.org

KS STATE RIFLE ASS'N P.O. Box 8760 Topeka, KS 66608 913-608-1910

www.kansasrifle.org

LEAGUE of KY SPORTSMEN, INC. 1116 Hume Rd Lexington, KY 40516 859-858-0135

www.kentuckysportsmen.com

LA SHOOTING ASS'N 350 Quill Ct. Slidell, LA 70461 985-781-4174

www.louisianashooting.com

ME PINETREESTATE R&PASS'N,INC 14 Pine Road Wiscasset, ME 04578 207-882-4713

www.mainerpa.org

MD STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS'N 341 Whitfield Rd Catonsville, MD 21228 410-838-1734

www.msrpa.org

(MA) GUN OWNERS’ ACTION LEAGUE PO Box 567, 361 W Main St Northborough, MA 01606 508-393-5333

www.goal.org

MI RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N P.O. Box 71 Marshall, MI 49068-0071 586-727-1977

www.michrpa.com

MN RIFLE & REVOLVER ASS'N, INC. P.O. Box 143 Farmington, MN 55024 320-968-6898

www.mrra.org

MO SPORT SHOOTING ASS’N 6140 N. Wagon Trail Rd. Columbia, MO 65202-9658 573-449-2849

www.missourisportshooting.org

MAGNOLIA STATE SHOOTING SPORTS ALLIANCE 662-397-3671

https://www.facebook.com/people/ Magnolia-State-Shooting-SportsAlliance/100092283475481/

MT RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N P.O. Box 48 Ramsay, MT 59748 406-579-8694 (weekends only)

www.mtrpa.org

NE MARKSMANSHIP ASS’N PO Box 390311 Omaha, NE 68139 402-880-4868

www.nemarksmanship.com

NV FIREARMS COALITION 5575 Simmons St, Ste I-176 North Las Vegas, NV 89031 702-373-5935

www.nvfac.org

GUN OWNERS OF NH, INC. P.O. Box 847 Concord, NH 03302-0487 603-225-4664

www.gonh.org

ASS'N OF NJ R&P CLUBS, INC. 5 Sicomac Rd Ste 292 North Haledon, NJ 07508 973-764-4100

www.anjrpc.org

NM SHOOTING SPORTS ASS'N, INC. P.O. Box 93433 Albuquerque, NM 87199 505-990-1802

www.nmssa.org

NY STATE R&P ASS’N, INC. 713 Columbia Pike East Greenbush, NY 12061 518-272-2654

www.nysrpa.org

NC RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N P.O. Box 4116 Pinehurst, NC 28374 910-639-4742

www.ncrpa.org

NRA Affiliated State Associations

ND SHOOTING SPORTS ASS'N P.O. Box 228 Bismarck, ND 58502 701-255-4601

www.ndssa.org

OH RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N PO Box 1201 Morehead, KY 40351-5201 330-714-3597

www.orpa.net

OK LAHOMA RIRLE ASSOCIATION 1530 N. Harrison Box 333 Shawnee, OK 74804 405-374-9262

https://oklahomarifle.org/

OR STATE SHOOTING ASS’N P.O. Box 231191 Portland, OR 97281-1161 503-635-5874

www.ossa.org

GUNRIGHTS & SAFETY ASS'N OF PR PO Box 191919 San Juan, PR 00919-1919 787-691-1919

www.grsapr.org

RI 2nd AMENDMENT COALITION 928 Atwood Ave Johnston, RI 02919 401-944-1600

www.ri2nd.org

GUN OWNERS OF SC P.O. Box 211 Little Mountain, SC 29075 803-345-5761

www.gosc.org

SD SHOOTING SPORTS ASS'N 304 West Prospect Ave Pierre, SD 57501 605-660-1059

www.sdshootingsports.org

TN SHOOTING SPORTS ASS'N, INC. 4442 Gray's Point Rd Joelton, TN 37080 615-491-2633

www.tennesseeshootingsportsassociation.org

TX STATE RIFLE ASS'N P.O. Box 2140 Bastrop, TX 78640 512-615-4200

www.tsra.com

UT STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N 2718 E. 9725 South Sandy, UT 84092-3405 801-942-6529

usrpa.org

VT FED'NOF SPRTMN’S CLUBS,INC. PO Box 225 Lyndonville, VT 05851 206-427-8257

www.vtfsc.com

VA SHOOTING SPORTS ASS’N P.O. Box 1258 Orange, VA 22960 540-672-5848

www.myvssa.org

WA STATE R&P ASS'N, INC. P.O. Box 64971 University Place, WA 98464 725-400-4867

www.wsrpa.net

WV STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOC. PO Box 553 Charles Town, WV 25414 443-623-3150

www.wvasrpa.org

WISCONSIN FORCE PO Box 130 Seymour, WI 54165 607-799-3539

www.wisconsinfirearmowners.org

WY STATE SHOOTING ASS'N, INC. Box 942 Worland, WY 82401 307-335-9323

www.wyossa.com

Director of Field Staff

NRA Field Representative Directory

Bryan Hoover bhoover@nrahq.org

EASTERN REGION

Eastern Regional Director

Area 2 (NY, CT, MA, ME, NH, VT, RI)

Area 4 (DE, NJ, Eastern PA)

Area 5 (Western PA)

Area 7 (WV, Western VA, Western MD, KY)

Area 14 (IN)

Area 45 (DC, Eastern MD, Eastern VA)

Area 49 (OH)

Area 51 (MI)

CENTRAL REGION

Central Regional Director

Area 17 (WI)

Area 18 (IL)

Area 19 (MO)

Area 20 (OK, KS)

Area 21 (MN, ND)

Area 23 (IA, NE)

Area 29 (WY, SD)

Area 30 (CO, UT)

SOUTHERN REGION

Southern Regional Director

Area 9 (SC, Eastern NC)

Area 10 (GA, AL, MS)

Area 26 (Southern & Western TX)

Area 39 (AR, LA)

Area 42 (NCW)

Area 43 (TN)

Area 44 (Eastern & Northern TX)

Area 48 (FL)

David Wells dwells@nrahq.org

VACANT

Greg Nyce gnyce@nrahq.org

Cory Schaeffer cschaeffer@nrahq.org

Michael Swackhamer mswackhamer@nrahq.org

Josh Toennessen jtoennessen@nrahq.org

Tom Eshelman teshelman@nrahq.org

Marc Peugeot mpeugeot@nrahq.org

Allan Herman aherman@nrahq.org

Donald Higgs dhiggs@nrahq.org

Tylor Flynn tflynn@nrahq.org

Jason Wolfe jwolfe@nrahq.org

Tim Besancenez tbesancenez@nrahq.org

Chad Grissom cgrissom@nrahq.org

Eric Linder elinder@nrahq.org

Dennis Conger dconger@nrahq.org

Byron "Dusty" Klein bklein@nrahq.org

Brad Dreier bdreier@nrahq.org

Mike Webb mwebb@nrahq.org

Steve Slavik sslavik@nrahq.org

Greg Brown gbrown@nrahq.org

Tyler Ward tward@nrahq.org

Alex Campbell acampbell@nrahq.org

Phil Martin pmartin@nrahq.org

Tom Knight tknight@nrahq.org

Liz Foley efoley@nrahq.org

Bret Eldridge peldridge@nrahq.org

NRA Field Representative Directory

WESTERN REGION

Western Regional Director

Area 28 (MT)

Area 31 (AZ, NM)

Area 33 (ID)

Area 34 (OR, HI, WA)

Area 35 (Northern CA, Central CA)

Area 46 (Eastern CA, NV)

Area 50 (CAM and CAS)

Area 53 (Alaska)

Important upcoming deadlines and events:

Brad Kruger bkruger@nrahq.org

Joseph Crismore jcrismore@nrahq.org

Ron Capalongan rcapalongan@nrahq.org

Steve Vreeland svreeland@nrahq.org

Robert Berg rberg@nrahq.org

Daniel Wilhelm dwilhelm@nrahq.org

Vacant

Jason Russo jrusso@nrahgq.org

Randall Clavell rclavell@nrahq.org

2023 NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury schedule:

• National High Power Rifle Championships: July 8-28

• National Precision Pistol Championships: July 18-22

• National Smallbore Rifle Championships: July 25-August 6

Deadline for NRA State Association Grant Program - August 1 - https://stateassociations.nra.org/

2024 NRA's Great American Outdoor Show - February 3-11, 2024 - Harrisburg, PA

2024 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits - May 16-19. 2024 - Dallas, Texas

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

11250 Waples Mill Road

Fairfax, VA 22030

DOES YOUR CHILD KNOW WHAT TO DO IF HE OR SHE FINDS A GUN?

The Eddie Eagle GunSafe ® Program was developed in 1988 as a firearm accident prevention program seeking to help parents, law enforcement, community groups, and educators navigate a topic paramount to our children’s safety.

For over 30 years, the program has taught children what to do if they find a gun:

STOP! Don’t Touch. Run Away. Tell A Grown Up. In fact, over 31 million children have received Eddie’s important message since the program began.

In 2015, the program evolved with a fresh new look and some new friends for Eddie—his Wing Team. Together they remind children of Eddie’s important message. The program is designed for Pre-K through 4th graders and provides the tools to help parents and educators bring up an important safety issue with children in a fun and interactive way. Through a special kid-friendly web page, the Eddie Eagle Tree House , children are able to explore lessons, read storybooks, print coloring pages, watch Eddie’s video, and more!