club news continued from page 21 super-sizing our hunter safety program to 100 students per class. This brought a tremendous amount of exposure, as the parents all came with the kids, and invariably asked about the club while they were there for the events. We also procured a Ladies Coordinator and a “Junior Coordinator”. These individuals then began teaching classes such as NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program, Refuse To Be A Victim®, Women On Target®, youth day camps, and various other beginner classes to entice new shooters to give the club a try. We then turned our attention to participating in local events that would help bolster the clubs image and allow us to expose the community to what Livingston Gun Club had to offer. We decided to host the first-ever Friends of NRA Banquet for our county. We contacted our State Representative, Al Herman, and made our intentions known. Al guided us through the process and helped us get the program off the ground. We had added a social dimension to our club that we previously could have never enjoyed. There was a wonderful dinner, drinks, raffles, games, auctions, and the camaraderie was unbelievable! A Friends of NRA event truly fosters a sense of community and belonging in a club. It also makes people and businesses in the community aware that you exist and greatly enhances the traffic pattern at your club. Most importantly, our participation allows us to send a representative to the state fund allocation meeting to convey our interests, and help determine how the money is spent. Many people don’t know it, but all the money raised by Friends goes back to The NRA Foundation with half going back to clubs in that state to fund shooting clubs and its programs. 24 l club connection l Volume 13, Number 2
Lastly, we turned our attention to major events. We obtained a booth at “Outdoorama”, the largest sportsmen’s show in our state. We put together a backdrop, printed media about the club, blew-up pictures and had some promotional DVD’s put together by one of the guys in the club. We highlighted our women and youth programs and also had show specials for memberships to stimulate interest. Members staffed the booth for the weekend, and we enjoyed all the exposure that the show afforded. It has led to us signing a lot of new members and allowed us to project a positive image of our club. All the ideas I have listed above are very viable ways for you to promote your club, and make it a place for everybody to come and enjoy the shooting sports. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Clubs need to grow or they run the risk of closing. Being proactive and advertising your club is one way to insure your clubs future and be sure that your children and their children can enjoy the shooting sports. After all, the choices we make and the efforts we make now will determine if shooting is available to the next generation and if we don’t do it…who will? For more information about the Livingston Gun Club contact: Jeff LaFave LGC Vice President livingstongunclub.org jlafave@mich.com
Congratulations to 141 Shooting Range, Inc. – Jonesboro, Arkansas On April 4, 141 Shooting Range, Inc. was the first business to be awarded the Environmental Stewardship Award from the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce, AR. With their grand opening only being in October 2007, 141 Shooting Range won this award over hundreds of other applying businesses. 141 Shooting Range, Inc. was selected for this award because of their outstanding commitment to improving the quality of life in their region through good stewardship of the environment. 141 Shooting Range is a private shooting range just off 141 in Jonesboro, Ark. where all types of guns can be shot; such as air rifles, pistols, rifles, shotguns (slugs), muzzleloaders, and bows for only $120 a year. Visit their website at www.141shootingrange. com for more information.