Club Connection, Volume 13, Issue 1

A PubLiCATiON OF THE NATiONAL RiFLE ASSOCiATiON OF AMERiCA VOLuME 13, NuMbER 1

Planning your Spring programs inside / / 8 Planning Your 2008 Shooting Sports Camp 20 NRA Day: A Celebration of America’s Freedom

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Contents

President’s Column

Madame President

By John C. Sigler

3

After Winter Comes the Spring: Planning your programs

By Elizabeth D. Hellmann

4

Planning Your 2008 Shooting Sports Camp

By Amanda Millward

8

Become a Refuse to be a Victim® Training Counselor

President

10

David A. Keene

Wayne R. LaPierre

Executive Vice President Edward J. Land, Jr.

NRA Launching Web Site Devoted To Hunters’ Rights

13 16

Legislation to Improve and Modernize BATFE is Introduced 17 Now is the Time

By John Joines

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NRA Day: A Celebration of America’s Freedom

By Kerrin Brinkman

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Club News

22

2008 NRA Gold Medal Awards

25 28

Madame President

M

arch was Women’s History Month and March 8, 2008 marked the 99th anniversary of International Women’s Day, so visiting the concept of women as national leaders seems especially appropriate in this election year.

1st Vice President 2nd Vice President

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NRA Affiliated State Associations

John C. Sigler Ronald L. Schmeits

NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program Reaches 21 Millionth Child

NRA Files Amicus Brief in U.S. Supreme Court

Established 1995 and published quarterly by the Field Operations Division of the National Rifle Association of America.

Secretary Wilson H. Phillips, Jr.

Treasurer

Kayne Robinson

Executive Director, General Operations Chris W. Cox

Executive Director, Institute for Legislative Action NRA-affiliated clubs and associations are authorized to reproduce all or parts of this newsletter.

All editorial matter should be addressed to Elizabeth Bush, National Manager, Clubs & Associations Department National Rifle Association 11250 Waples Mill Road Fairfax, VA 22030, ebush@nrahq.org, or fax it to (703)267-3939.

Design and layout by Son Nguyen, NRA Clubs & Associations Dept.

© Copyright 2008 National Rifle Association

“Madame President.” As applied to NRA’s first woman president, Marion P. Hammer, and to my immediate predecessor, Sandy Froman, the appellation “Madame President” has enjoyed a very positive connotation among gun owners and other defenders of American freedom.

Both of these courageous, intelligent and energetic women of integrity made fine presidents for America’s largest, oldest and most powerful civil rights organization. NRA was ready for, and greatly benefited from, having these two great women at its helm, but is America’s “ship-of-state” ready for Hillary Clinton to take command?

Will America’s first woman president be a Godsend to the cause of freedom—as were Presidents Hammer and Froman— or could she be freedom’s worst nightmare?

As you read this column, the 2008 primary election season is well under way and we will soon know who the two major parties will choose as their candidates to become America’s

Make no mistake: Hillary Rodham Clinton’s position on the Second Amendment is clear. She John C. Sigler, NRA President supported the Million Mom March for more anti-gun laws. She pledged to work with U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to impose mandatory nationwide licensing of every gun owner and registration of every gun. And she has called for trigger-lock mandates for handguns; punitive sanctions on parents whose children use firearms to commit crimes; one-gun-a-month schemes to ration Second Amendment rights; and a variety of other antigun policies.

Regardless of who the next president may be, and regardless of whom the parties may eventually nominate, NRA must prepare for the worst.

We must prepare to defend freedom at all levels, from the White House to the state house to city hall.

...

NRA has proven by example that America is ready for its first woman president. ... next president. As of this writing in early January (just after the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary), Senator Clinton could well be one of those chosen to stand for election in November.

If she were elected, whom would she appoint as federal judges?

Remember, she voted against both Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito. Would Joe Biden be her Secretary of State?

And whom would she send to the U.N.—her husband Bill?

Whom would she name as her Attorney General—Andrew

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Cuomo, Chuck Schumer, or another Janet Reno?

And whom would she name to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE)?

Not only will Americans elect their next president in November, but also 12 governors, 35 U.S. Senators, all 435 members of Congress, thousands of state legislators from Alabama to Wyoming, and countless county and municipal officials—all of whom can have a profound and prolonged effect on your rights.

Freedom is in peril in 2008, and we must strengthen our defenses—now, not later.

What can we do? Well, whatever NRA does, it can only do with your active support and participation; so here is what I am calling upon you to do: continued on page 9 Volume 13, Number 1 l club connection l

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Featured Story By: Elizabeth D. Hellmann NRA Education & Training

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t’s an age-old concern. The New Year often stimulates a desire to spruce up one’s house, change habits, take on a new hobby, or consider all those neglected outdoor chores like pruning and landscaping that will soon be impossible to ignore.

In some locations, it will be too cold, too icy, or too damp to work or play outdoors. During the winter months, club members may be taking a long, hard look at the environments, and may decide to take desperate measures – desperate measures like repainting interiors, caulking and weather stripping windows and doorways, and cleaning windows. Work parties are organized, and before long the place looks spiffy.

After Winter Comes the Spring: Planning your Auburn Trap Club (Auburn, California) Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinic Patricia McLelland, Clinic Director (center)

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More than a cosmetic approach, some clubs may overhaul equipment like trap and skeet throwers. Machinery is inspected, cleaned, and oiled. Storage sheds are mouse-proofed and checked to ensure that they are not leaking.

Water that thaws and re-freezes can do a lot of damage, so sheds may need to be checked several times over the course of the winter.

Programs

Some clubs may organize work parties for major projects such as diverting standing water by creating drainage fields and digging ditches, or they reinforce the berms and fencing surrounding outdoor ranges. They may elect to build target stands for the coming busy months of spring and other necessities. During the winter, many volunteers labor to make the club’s amenities possible for the entire membership. In doing so, they put the best possible face on their club

– not only in terms of its appearance, but its camaraderie, for what work party is complete without fellowship, refreshments and the joy of a job well done.

Spring-cleaning can also mean reconsidering the programs your club offers. In addition to the necessities, some officers, leaders, and forwardthinking members are thinking of how to prepare the club for open houses, youth camps, women’s programs, and other classes that are being offered to members, their families and guests.

More than imagining how sprucing up the club will present a welcoming image, these leaders are wondering if programs can be refined, revamped, or tailored to function better than ever, to reach more people, and to possibly help garner new members.

NRA Programs can help your club with safe, proven, tried-and-true events. NRA staff can assist with technical know-how, as well as complimentary program materials in many cases.

Our classes, clinics, and camps have an unblemished safety record. As many as 800,000 individuals receive instruction from NRA Certified Instructors each year.

Women On Target® is only one example of an NRA program that will attract attention to your club, benefit the community through safety training, and spur an interest in membership. Women who attend clinics are often looking for a place they can continue to train and learn, and when women join a club, they often bring friends and family members Volume 13, Number 1 l club connection l

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with them. Get them in the door, and you’ve opened the door to a whole world of possibilities to them – recreational shooting, hunting, personal protection, home safety, postal matches, and marksmanship qualifications programs. The possibilities are endless.

Instructional Shooting Clinics can be a great way to bring many of your volunteers together for a pleasant, productive day at the range. As clinic director Harry Williams (Sawyer, Kansas) said, “The community is in a big buzz, including the instructors…. They had as much fun as the participants.”

Often, clinic directors tell me that their club’s membership is the driving force behind offering this program, because they enjoy it so much. Teaching women is very different from teaching men, because women tend to be outwardly enthusiastic and verbally supportive of one another. It isn’t unusual for women to high-five each other over a good shot – or a good try – and to jump up and down and hoot and holler with joy. Their eagerness to learn is contagious, and it is a real pleasure to see.

The demand for firearm instruction doesn’t stop when the cold weather sets in. In northern climates, hardy souls venture out for Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics regardless of the weather.

Clubs that have indoor ranges are fortunate to be able to offer programs year round, regardless of the weather. Others may concentrate on using winter months to plan the teaching schedule for the coming year. Winter is the time to plan for the future; to set the calendar; to designate or recruit leaders for each program; and to contact NRA Headquarters about your plans. NRA staff will ensure that you have the latest information on the programs you are interested in hosting.

Multi-Lakes Conservation Association Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinic (Cal Kittinger, Clinic Director, Commerce Township, Michigan)

If it is too cold to shoot consider hosting a Refuse To Be A Victim® safety seminar. Refuse To Be A Victim® offers basic safety tips on reducing one’s chance of becoming a crime victim. NRA staff can help you find an instructor near you, but if you are an NRA Certified Instructor, you can become a Certified RTBAV instructor through a home validation course. Let us tell you how!

Clubs without indoor firearms ranges might devote the winter months to conducting classes such as NRA Range Safety Officer, NRA Instructor Training, and NRA Home Firearm Safety or create an indoor air gun range. Live fire exercises, range officer training, and safety drills can easily be conducted on an air gun range. If you can conduct live fire, your air gun programs may qualify as Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics or NRA Shooting Sports Camps.

Bull Run Muzzleloaders, Arlington-Fairfax IWLA Women On Target ® Instructional Shooting Clinic Classroom Portion (Centreville, VA)

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Has your club scheduled a Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinic this year? If not, we can show you how easy and how rewarding it can be. Contact me at 800.861.1166 or womenontarget@nrahq.org for a free planning guide and for more information.

NRA Announces 2008 Women On Target® Hunting Excursions Eight action-packed adventures await female hunters in the new year, as the National Rifle Association’s Women On Target® program has just released its 2008 roster of hunting excursions.

Highlighting this year’s schedule is an archery hunt for whitetail deer and turkey in Missouri – the first-ever bow hunt offered in the history of the Women On Target program, which began in 1999.

Also new in 2008 is a game bird/fly-fishing combination hunt in Maine during the peak of the fall season in New England, as well as Sportsmen All-weather, All-terrain Marksmanship (SAAM) training held in conjunction with a hog and bobcat hunt in Texas. The SAAM training provides world-class instruction in hunting marksmanship, focusing on how to shoot from a variety of positions and how to handle the different terrain and weather conditions that can impact shot placement in the field.

Hunts for pheasants and chukar in the Midwest, elk in the ruggedly beautiful Rocky Mountains, and wild turkey in Kansas can also be found on the 2008 schedule.

“The Women On Target program brings together women from all walks of life and allows them to share their love for hunting and the outdoors,” said Rosemary Herr, Manager of the NRA Women’s Programs Department. “The hunts that we’ve assembled this year allow women to break the routine of their daily lives and find their dream adventure.”

Women On Target is the foremost hunting program in the country created specifically for women. The program provides a safe, stress-free hunting environment for both novice and experienced hunters.

Pre-registration is required for all Women On Target hunts. Low hunter-to-guide ratios, tremendous locations, and economical prices ensure that each hunt sells out quickly. To register for a hunt, or to obtain a brochure detailing this year’s hunting excursions, call (800) 861-1166, send an email to womenontarget@nrahq.org, or visit www.nrahq. org/women/ hunting/ index.asp.

2008 Women On Target® Hunt Schedule: Date April 25-30, 2008 May 1-5, 2008 Sept. 29-Oct. 4, 2008 October 2-6, 2008 October 16-23, 2008 October 24-26, 2008 December 5-10, 2008 January 2-4, 2009

Species Hog & Bobcat; SAAM Training Eastern Wild Turkey Ruffed Grouse, Puddle Ducks, Canada Geese, Salmon and Trout Pheasants Rocky Mountain Elk

Outfitter FTW Outfitters Bell Wildlife Specialties Smoldering Lake Outfitters

Location Barksdale, TX Harveyville, KS Bridgewater, ME

Pheasants & Chukar

Oak Creek Sporting Club

Brainard, NE

Archery Whitetail Deer and Turkey Whitetail Doe, Bobcat, Coyote and Wild Hog

Middle of Nowhere

Harris, MO

Addison Ranch

Marietta, OK

Granite Springs Outfitters Alexandria, SD Adventure Experiences, Inc. Gunnison, CO

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NRA Programs

Planning Your 2008 Shooting Sports Camp By: Amanda H. Millward

Fill out 2008 Shooting Sports Camp Application Properly After the date is set, the facility is booked, and camp type has been selected, now it’s time to fill out the 2008 Shooting Sports Camp Application. The application must have the following criteria filled out to be accepted: • Camp Name (the words NRA and Camp MUST be in the camp name) • Camp(s) Date(s) • Location (Including the range name, city and state) • Camp Director with contact information • Contact Person with contact information (It may be camp director) • Select only ONE camp theme

In addition to the application, it is required that a rough draft of the camp flyer, the materials order form sheet (included with application), and a check or money order of $20, made payable to NRA Shooting Sports Camps, is sent to the Shooting Sports Camp Coordinator. Be aware that ONLY check or money order will be accepted. It is very important to fill out the form correctly; any mistakes may delay processing your application.

If you have any questions or need help with the planning process or the camp application, you may contact your local Volunteer State Coordinator or the NRA Shooting Sports Camp Coordinator at (703) 267-1591 or amillward@ nrahq.org.

continued from page 3

1. Enlist every hunter, every gun owner and every woman you know into NRA’s membership army. Politicians respect and respond to numbers more than anything else, so if we’re to keep our freedoms, we must build NRA to be larger than ever before.

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t’s that time of year again! It is time for your club to start making preparations for the 2008 shooting sports camp season. Don’t wait until the last minute to get started.

Remember, the earlier your club plans a camp, the more options of facilities, equipment, and dates your have to choose from. If your club doesn’t know where to begin, below are some suggestions to help start your shooting sports camp year in the correct direction: Request 2008 information. Do not rely on the 2007 camp information.

There have been several changes to the camp information packet and your club needs to know about the alterations before submitting your application.

Contact the Shooting Sport Camp Coordinator at (703) 267-1591 or amillward@nrahq.org and request the 2008 Shooting Sports Camps information packet.

After having a debriefing meeting on the 2007 camp, and having l club connection l Volume 13, Number 1

reviewed the new 2008 information, it is time to brainstorm for the upcoming shooting sports camp season. Planning a camp can be easy if you start early and have help. Form a committee dedicated to organizing the shooting sport camp event. With a team, tasks can be divided and given to the members of the committee. Each person could be assigned chair positions of subcommittees (for example, the Camp Director can be the head of the Planning Committee and the smaller subcommittees can include volunteer committee, safety committee, equipment and facilities committee, advertising committee, etc). This way, members are responsible for one task and can focus their time and energy on achieving the goals of the subcommittee and planning committee.

Please know that Women on Target® Instructional Shooting Camp will no longer be available with the Shooting Sports Camps pro-

gram. However, the Youth Programs Department has created the NRA Day Informational Camp option.

For more information on this type of camp, please contact the Shooting Sport Camp Coordinator to order your information packet. If you are interested in holding a Women on Target® Instructional Shooting Clinic, please contact the program coordinator at (703) 267-1398 or toll-free at 800-8611166 or by email at womenontarget@ nrahq.org.

Set Camp Date After knowing the camp type and possible volunteers, plan for several possible camp dates and schedule your event with a facility as soon as possible.

The desired range or center may hold several events per year. Plan early to get the best possible date to make your camp a success.

2. Join other activists in our state associations and grassroots organizations to spread the word, rally our allies, volunteer to support pro-gun candidates and ballot issues, and get out the vote on Election Day. 3. Get involved in your local political party. As a member of the local party of your choice, you can play an active role in nominating candidates for office, drafting party platforms, and cultivating networks with other political activists.

4. Sign up for NRA-ILA’s “Grassroots Alerts” (http://www.nraila.org/ActionCenter/GetInvolvedLocally/), and use that information to educate other gun owners, hunters and citizens who care about their freedoms.

5.

Support NRA-ILA—financially if you can, but certainly in any other way possible.

NRA has proven by example that America is ready for its first woman president. But will America’s first female president be a woman of the people, by the people and for the people in the mold of Marion Hammer and Sandy Froman—or will she be a woman in the mold of Hillary Clinton? Only time and the American electorate will tell. But whoever it may be, we must be prepared to defend firearm freedom throughout America, and we will.

Freedom is not free. Freedom must be earned, cherished and defended every hour of every day.

Because the cause of individual freedom depends upon each individual’s commitment, I’m calling on you to redouble your commitment to the cause of freedom now.

United we can do anything!

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NRA Programs young children,” said Sheriff Kevin Beary of the Orange County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office. “It is one of our most important prevention programs that we have proudly used in Orange County for over 20 years. Now is the time for more agencies to team up with Eddie Eagle and make their communities a safer place.”

Training Counselors!

Become a Refuse To Be A Victim® Regional Counselor with a Home Validation Course

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RA Training Counselors who are interested in adding the Refuse To Be A Victim® (RTBAV) Regional Counselor rating to their credentials are now eligible to home validate the training course.

A certified RTBAV Regional Counselor is the equivalent to an NRA certified Training Counselor. He/she holds the necessary credentials to train Refuse To Be A Victim® Instructors. RTBAV instructors are qualified by Regional Counselors to teach Refuse To Be A Victim® Seminars to the general public.

To add the Regional Counselor rating to your credentials: 1. Order the RTBAV Regional Counselor Manual, item 14944 - $28.95 from the NRA Program Materials Center (800) 336-7402. If you are not a current RTBAV instructor, you must also order a RTBAV Instructor Development Workshop Kit, item 14958 - $35.00, and a RTBAV Student Packet, item 14948 - $4.

2. Read the complete RTBAV Regional Counselor Manual.

While reading, please keep in mind that information and requirements defined in the training manual are for a standard Regional Counselor Training Course. You are not participating in the standard training course. Because of your status as a trained NRA certified Training Counselor, your requirements have been modified (simplified). Just follow the instructions (1-5) as defined.

3. Complete the Regional Counselor Application (references are waived), Regional Counselor Agreement, and Regional Counselor Candidate Quiz.

4. Since a Refuse To Be A Victim® Seminar is part of the Instructor Development Workshop that you will be teaching, home validating Regional Counselor candidates must successfully register, teach, and close one Seminar (with a minimum of 6 attendees) to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the program and the administrative procedures they will be teaching RTBAV instructors. This Seminar requirement will be waived for any Regional Counselor candidate who has successfully registered and taught one or more RTBAV Seminars within the last year.

5. Prepare a check payable to NRA for your Regional Counselor certification fee. The Regional Counselor fee for NRA members is $20; non-members $30. If you have paid for multiple-year certifications as a TC, you will be contacted for the balance to bring your RTBAV Regional Counselor rating in line with your other TC ratings.

Mail the following as a complete package: • Regional Counselor Application • Regional Counselor Agreement • Regional Counselor Candidate Quiz • Note with the date/location of your most recent RTBAV Seminar • Regional Counselor fee To: NRA/RTBAV Regional Counselor Credentials 11250 Waples Mill Road Fairfax, VA 22030

An updated trainer’s certificate and wallet ID card with your new Refuse To Be A Victim® Regional Counselor rating will be sent to you as soon as the application is processed. Please allow approximately 5-6 weeks for processing. If you have any question, please call 800-861-1166.

NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program Reaches 21 Millionth Child The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program, NRA’s groundbreaking gun accident prevention program for children, has surpassed yet another milestone, reaching its 21 millionth child since 1988.

Operations. “The history of this program is filled with stories of children who have avoided firearm accidents because they were exposed to Eddie Eagle’s live-saving message.”

Created by past NRA President Marion P. Hammer, in consultation with child psychologists, elementary schoolteachers, and law enforcement officers, the program gives children in pre-K through the third grade a simple, effective action to take should they encounter a firearm in an unsupervised setting: “If you see a gun: STOP! Don’t Touch. Leave the Area. Tell an Adult.”

Volunteers for the Eddie Eagle program come from diverse backgrounds but share a common commitment to protecting children from gun accidents.

They include NRA members, schoolteachers, law enforcement officers, and community activists who teach the program, plus private donors and Friends of NRA participants who raise funds to pay for the program’s educational materials.

“The steady decline in the number of firearm-related accidents among young children since the launch of the Eddie Eagle program is a testament to the program’s effectiveness, and to the 21 million children we’ve been able to reach,” said Kayne Robinson, Executive Director of NRA General

More than 26,000 educators, law enforcement agencies, and civic organizations have taught the program since 1988.

“Our community partnership with the Eddie Eagle program has been very successful in teaching gun safety to our

Indeed, the partnership between law enforcement and Eddie Eagle has proven to be very effective. In fact, just last year, NRA offered free Eddie Eagle materials to more than 1,000 law enforcement agencies, resulting in enough materials being requested to reach more than 670,000 children.

Through the years the program has been praised by numerous groups and elected officials, including the Association of American Educators, the Youth Activities Division of the National Safety Council, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the U.S. Department of Justice (through its Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency), and 26 state governors.

Funds raised through Friends of NRA and distributed through The NRA Foundation (www.nrafoundation. org) enable budget-strapped schools and police departments to teach the program at minimal or no cost. The NRA encourages citizens nationwide to participate in heightening gun accident prevention awareness within their local communities. Schools, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, and others interested in more information about The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program, or persons who wish to see if free materials are available in their communities, should call the Eddie Eagle® Department at (800) 231-0752 or visit www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie.

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NRA Launched Web Site Devoted To Hunters’ Rights On November 1, NRA launched a new Web site devoted to hunters’ rights. All factors that affect your freedom to hunt, and the future of the sport itself, will be addressed at www.nra.huntersrights.org.

The site will not tell you how to hunt, where to put your tree stand or what the best guns and loads are for your favorite species. Many Web sites and magazines can already tell you all that.

The site will alert you about threats to hunting and NRA’s efforts to combat them -- our direct lobbying efforts at every level, our hunter recruitment and instruction programs and our funding of conservation and range improvement projects.

Get a No-Cost, No-Obligation coverage comparison of your current policy Call or go online

877.487.5407

Commenting on the need for this site, Kayne Robinson, former NRA President and now Executive Director of General Operations, said, “Hunting is under attack in ways it has never been attacked before. Stifling regulations are overly complex and too often have nothing to do with game management. Anti-hunting groups with well-financed coffers and celebrity spokespersons grab every headline they can get.

Nit-picking laws that turn inadvertent mistakes into criminal offenses are becoming common horror stories. Shrinking lands, dwindling numbers of hunters and other factors are combining to threaten the sport more and more.”

But whether it’s a proposed ban on hunting ammunition, the closure of public hunting lands, or ridiculous regulations that are actually driving people out of the sport, NRA is at work

on every front to ensure your continued right to hunt. The combination of NRA’s political strength, hunting programs, grant funding and the sheer size of our hunting membership make us the most formidable defender of hunting there is.

The new site will give credit where it’s due, too. If a new range opens in your state, if a season is extended or added, or if a youth mentored hunt is instituted, you’ll read about it at www.nrahuntersrights.org. With limited time and resources, hunters need to know about every new opportunity, place to hunt, or new season available.

NRAhuntersrights.org will also provide many opportunities for hunter input and recognition. We’ll be open to stories from you on a variety of topics, such as: Trophy Gallery—Share your hunting photos with others.

Hunt Reports—Had a particularly good or bad experi- ence with an outfitter? Let us know.

Gut Check—Your true stories of survival.

Unsung Heroes—Know someone in your state doing good work for hunters? Let’s give that person some recognition.

Regulatory Nonsense—Is there a hunting law in your state you feel just doesn’t make sense?

Guidelines for submitting all such material are available by sending an email to: huntersrights.org. Just put “Hunters Rights Guidelines” in the subject line. Your questions and comments on the site are welcome at the same address.

Watch for monthly gift giveaways, too.

www.NRAENDORSEDINSURANCE.com

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Never too cool for school

137th NRA Annual Meeting

Louisville, Kentucky

May 15-18, 2008

Clubs & Associations workshop Workshop will feature a panel of State Association & Club Leaders that will cover topics of concern related to clubs, ranges, and businesses. Topics to be covered will include: benefits of NRA Club affiliation, how to apply for NRA and NRA Foundation grants, how to effectively manage your club, range issues, NRA Endorsed Insurance, and much more.

Friday, May 16 2008 registration begins at 8am Marriott Ballroom Marriott Lousville Downtown 280 W. Jefferson St Louisville, KY 40202

To pre-register for this event, please contact Elizabeth Bush

at 800-672-3888 x 1348 or at ebush@nrahq.org

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ila news

NRA Files Amicus brief in u.S. Supreme Court, D.C. v. Heller

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he National Rifle Association (NRA) and the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund today submitted an amicus curiae brief to the United States Supreme Court in the case of District of Columbia (D.C.) and Mayor Adrian Fenty v. Dick Anthony Heller. This brief supports a lower federal appeals court decision holding that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms, and asserts that the D.C. bans on handguns, on carrying firearms within the home and on possession of loaded or operable firearms for self-defense violate that fundamental right.

“We want to return hope and we want to return freedom to our nation’s capital. After this ban was enacted, D.C.’s murder rate tripled, and the city was labeled ‘murder capital of the United States’,” said NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre. “The irony of this gun ban is that it has resulted in criminals having guns while denying law-abiding citizens their basic right to self defense in their own homes.”

In March, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit held that “[T]he phrase ‘the right of the people,’ when read intratextually and in light of Supreme Court precedent, leads us to conclude that the right in question is individual.”

The D.C. Circuit also rejected the claim that the Second Amendment does not apply to the District of Columbia because D.C. is not a state. This case marks the first time a Second Amendment challenge to a firearm law has reached the Supreme Court since 1939.

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“It is beyond unreasonable to prevent law-abiding residents from using a firearm to protect themselves and their loved ones in their own homes, and that is clearly not what our founding fathers intended in crafting the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” added Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist. “The American people - whether democrat or republican, urban or rural - know that the Second Amendment was not written to give a right to the government, but rather to guarantee the fundamental right of individual citizens.”

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), along with bi-partisan majorities of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives - in fact, the largest number of co-signers of a congressional amicus brief in American history - will also be filing a strong brief in support of the individual rights view. Several other pro-Second Amendment individuals and organizations, including an overwhelming majority of state attorneys general, will be filing briefs in favor of affirming the D.C. Circuit’s decision as well.

The NRA is widely recognized as America’s foremost defender of Americans’ civil rights as guaranteed by the Second Amendment, as well as being the nation’s leading provider of firearms safety and marksmanship training.

The NRA has a vital interest in this case, as the District of Columbia’s arguments, if accepted, would abrogate the fundamental right to keep and bear arms enjoyed by the NRA’s members and other Americans.

As stated in the NRA Brief: “In adopting the Second Amendment, the Framers guaranteed an individual right to keep and bear arms for private purposes, not a collective right to keep and bear arms only in connection with state militia service.” *** “By its terms, the Amendment protects the right ‘of the people’ to keep and bear arms. The holder of the right is unambiguous: it is not the States, it is ‘the people’ themselves.” ***

“Americans’ personal right to possess . . . firearms for hunting or self-defense was part of the essence of the Framers’ view of themselves as a free and democratic people. Had Americans in 1787 been told that the federal government could ban the frontiersman in his log cabin, or the city merchant living above his store, from keeping firearms to provide for and protect himself and his family, it is hard to imagine that the Constitution would have been ratified.”

The NRA’s counsel-of-record is Mr. Stephen D. Poss of Goodwin Procter LLP.

Legislation to Improve and Modernize BATFE is Introduced Two bills considered in the last session of Congress as H.R. 5005 and H.R. 5092 have been combined, improved, and re-introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives as H.R. 4900 — the “Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act.” H.R. 4900 is cosponsored by Congressmen Steve King (R-Iowa) and Zack Space (D-Ohio).

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he combining of these two bills into the improved H.R. 4900 represents the NRA’s latest efforts to pass legislation that will make it easier for lawful gun owners and dealers to comply with federal law and regulations, while ensuring that those who break the law are punished accordingly. This bipartisan bill also serves as a vital step toward modernizing and improving BATFE’s overall operations. The bill would roll back unnecessary restrictions, correct errors, and codify longstanding congressional policies in the firearms arena, and is a vital step to modernize and improve BATFE operations.

Of highest importance, H.R. 4900 totally rewrites the system of administrative penalties for licensed dealers,

manufacturers, and importers of firearms. Today, for most violations, BATFE can only give a federal firearms license (FFL) holder a warning, or totally revoke his license.

As a result of BATFE abuses and its raid on a Richmond Gun Show in August of 2005, the House Crime Subcommittee held oversight hearings and congressional investigations in the spring of 2006 which led to the introduction of BATFE Reform legislation in the 109th Congress by then subcommittee chairman Howard Coble (R-NC) and ranking member Bobby Scott (D-VA).

H.R. 5092, cosponsored by 152 congressmen, was passed on suspension in the U.S. House of Representatives by an overwhelming bipartisan majority of 277-131, but time ran out before it could be considered by the Senate.

Please be sure to contact your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121, and urge him or her to cosponsor and support H.R. 4900, the “Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act.” ARticles RePRinted WitH PeRMission fRoM nRA-ilA

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range report

Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.

I

remember typing this sentence in typing class back in 1966. I didn’t truly understand its full meaning at the time. After working at the NRA for the past few years it hits me in the face each and every day. I see clubs closing because of major problems with their neighbors. In today’s world it is all too evident that we (the NRA, State Associations and your club) truly need all good men to step forward and step forward now!

Today, clubs are dwindling. The average age of membership is over 55 and we set back at the club meetings and wonder what has happened. Ten percent or less of the club is active and 1% does all the work. I had a man 77 years young call me and ask, “What is the NRA going to do to keep my club open? There are eight members in our club and I am the youngest one.” Well, I am afraid that the members are the ones that have to keep the club alive. The NRA has programs for youth shooting, there are instructors that will come to your club and teach, but first your club must by willing to get these activities started.

In my earlier years, the gun club was a place for men to go and have a good time shooting, a place to tell war stories, trade guns, trade ammo, and a place to watch a few movies after the meeting, if so inclined. This, ladies and gentlemen, for the most part is a bye gone era. The clubs that are growing and prospering are the clubs that have made it “a family affair.” Women and children are as much a part of the club as men. The facilities are more organized, they are welcoming not only to the club members but to the neighbors as well. By doing this, they have become a major asset to the community.

Today, if we don’t step up to the plate and take the proverbial bull by the horns, we will not have a place left to shoot. We will only have memories of the past. I remember my dad taking me to a turkey shoot when I was eight. It took a few

By: John Joines Technical Team Leader Range Department

rounds for me to win a turkey. At that time, you could buy a turkey for about $5.00. I will never forget that my dad gave me a chance to shoot and more importantly the chance to win and by golly, I won a turkey. I was so proud, and I still look back on the occasion just like it was yesterday. Do you have memories like this? Do your kids? What are you doing with your kids today?

Let’s not forget our neighbors. When was the last time you invited your neighbors to come to a club meeting? Set aside a day to let them come and meet all the wonderful people at the club. Have you made them part of your community? Is your club active with the Boy Scouts, 4-H, Girl Scouts, or any other youth activity?

Just yesterday, I had three clubs call with various problems with their neighbors. In each case, the club had never reached out and offered the first olive branch. They have never taken the time to talk with their neighbors to see what issues or complaints they might have. The club’s attitude is: “We were here first!” Well, in today’s society that just doesn’t work.

Let’s face the facts, encroachment is the real issue. People move out to the country to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. They move to the country to hear the birds chirp and to set out on the back deck. Find out if houses in the neighborhood are for sale; leave flyers at the house for the people to come and join your club. When the neighbors move in, have a welcome wagon with members of the club giving them a basket and welcoming them to the neighborhood.

There are laws to help protect ranges from sound. However, they do not work well in all jurisdictions and when they do work, the neighbors then just go to plan B. They may enter your range after hours and dig projectiles out of the backstop. There was one case in with a complaining party shot his own house and the house of his neighbor to stir up

public opinion. When this approach doesn’t work, the angry neighbor will start complaining of environmental issues. Per environmental law, the club has to prove they are innocent.

The best way to try and end this quickly is to do a Best Management Practices Plan for your club. If you make a Best Management Practices Plan for your range, then the club is obligated to carry the plan out. Someone at the club has to be the caretaker of the documents and be responsible enough to make sure you do the paperwork and follow the plan. Discuss it at the meetings, and talk about what you are doing to be better environmental stewards. Post schedules on the club bulletin board and keep your members informed on what you are doing.

I started off looking for a few good men, but in reality, we need everyone. Your club will have a future if you invite the women and children to become an integral part of your club’s culture. This will ensure your club continues to grow and prosper. NRA wants your club to be there for many years to come. You are our future! Now is the time for all good people to come to the aid of their club!

I have been to clubs all over the world but let me share a story of one range. I attended a club meeting where I was invited to speak. I was introduced by the club president, I thanked him for inviting me to the meeting and then I said the following: “I noticed the very nice welcoming sign you had made for your range. It is a nice 4X8 sign with your name on it. It tells me you have been part of this neighborhood since 1951. It says you support the Boy Scouts and the summer baseball league. You also provided a contact number where I could speak to someone about joining your club or someone I could call for additional information. I’m really impressed.”

Well, you would have thought I had dropped a hand grenade in the meeting. One of the members stood up and said, “We don’t have any sign like that and we don’t want our neighbors knowing we are here. Further more, we don’t want any new members.” I asked a simple question. Don’t you think that every time you pull the trigger on your favorite firearm your neighbors know you are here? Regarding new members, who will keep this place up once you are gone?

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nra programs all ages and skill levels the opportunity to learn, experience, share, and grow in appreciation of the shooting sports.

Participants are able to discover all of the fun and excitement that the world of shooting sports has to offer while exploring new activities and possibilities in a controlled, safety-oriented setting. Begin a new tradition for your club and the community by holding an NRA Day event at your facility.

NRA Day: A Celebration of America’s Freedom

By Kerrin Brinkman Education & Training

A

s Americans, we are privileged to live in a free country, a country that is deeply rooted in tradition, history and the fundamentals of freedom.

On the Fourth of July, Americans gather to celebrate our nation’s freedom and the ideals of our society. Families, friends and neighbors all gather to celebrate not only America’s freedom, but the ties that bind us all togetherour sense of community and patriotism. As the leading defender of our nation’s freedom, the NRA has developed NRA Day as a way for all people to experience America’s shooting sports traditions in a safe, positive environment.

Holding an NRA Day event is an excellent opportunity to promote your club and show those in the community what your club has to offer in terms of programs, activities and membership. Your NRA Day can serve as a fund-raiser as well. The event can help raise money for range system repairs, clubhouse maintenance, program support or other specific needs. Clubs can sell meals and refreshments at a concession stand or have local sponsors purchase advertisements to raise funds.

Why not showcase your club and raise money while introducing people to the shooting sports?

By providing a range of different activities, your club can make NRA Day an event for the entire family.

Your NRA Day event can be tailored

to your needs and desires, and those of your community. Local NRA Certified Instructors can provide information on NRA Courses such as Refuse to Be A Victim®, Basic Pistol and Personal Protection Outside the Home. The children in your community can learn about firearms safety through the NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program, and women can build their shooting skills with Women on Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics. All NRA Day participants can learn about the benefits of NRA membership and how the NRA works to protect our rights as Americans.

NRA Day attendees can also benefit by experiencing the sense of community and togetherness of the event by interacting with their own families and those in the shooting sports community. Organizations such as the North-South Skirmish Association (NSSA), the Single-Action Shooting Society (SASS), and local re-enactment groups can give demonstrations to help participants discover the rich history of the shooting sports and America’s firearms traditions.

Celebrate the ideals of the Fourth of July any day of the year and help pre-

serve America’s firearms traditions and freedoms! The need to educate citizens about safe, responsible gun handling and ownership is ever increasing and NRA Day is the perfect venue to open your doors and show the community what the world of shooting sports has to offer. This is your opportunity to showcase your club, the NRA and one of America’s favorite pastimesthe shooting sports. Join the NRA in celebrating America’s firearms traditions and freedom while securing ties within the community. Hold an NRA Day at your facility and see what this event can do for the future of your club, your community, and the shooting sports.

We’re here to help you get started! You can obtain the NRA Day/Shooting Sports Camp packet and register your NRA Day to receive complimentary program materials such as t-shirts, hats, pins and various NRA Program brochures. Remember that the possibilities are endless for your NRA Day! For more information on NRA Day/Shooting Sports Camp Program, contact Amanda Millward, Shooting Sports Camp Coordinator, at (703) 267-1591 or by email at amillwarrd@ nrahq.org.

Created by National Rifle Association Board Member, Robert Viden, NRA Day is a way for clubs to open doors to the community in a celebration of the Second Amendment and the shooting sports. Local gun clubs can hold NRA Day events year round, giving people of 20 l club connection l Volume 13, Number 1

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club news

Winter Range Construction

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he Northwest Connecticut Sportsmen’s Association is located in the northwest corner of Connecticut approximately half way between the towns of Norfolk & Winsted on Route 44. The entrance to the club grounds is located across from Rock Hall Road.The club currently owns about 140 acres along the Norfolk/ Colebrook town line. They allow hunting of deer, turkey & small game as well as hunting of stocked pheasants.

They also have one of the longest rifle rages in Connecticut with 20 covered shooting positions shooting out to 250 yards, and are in the process of extending the range out to 400 yards!

Currently, they are shooting into the base of a large hill which is made up of primarily ledge. The range will be closed down for the winter months which are long in northwest CT. The plan is to blast and excavate into the hill creating a three sided enclosure to shoot into. The contractor that we are working with has agreed to trade all of the site work for the stone that will be removed off site. When completed, the Northwest Connecticut Sportsmen’s Association will have one of the longest ranges in New England with 20 covered shooting positions.

To see a list of shoots for the 2008 season, call for our weekly info updates on our club info line. (860-738CLUB) or visit www.nwcsa.ws for more information.

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Club news

Buckeye Trains Army Rangers in Return to Fort Benning

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hio State student and Varsity Rifle Team Captain, Sam Ohlinger, recently had the honor of serving his country over winter break. Sam shared his knowledge and expertise in marksmanship with members of the Army’s 3rd Ranger Battalion, Delta Company. Sam worked alongside the Army’s best shooters from the Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU), as well as other civilian instructors to help the members of Delta Company complete the Squad Designated Marksmanship course.

Sam was chosen to be a Military Rifle Instructor by the AMU through the Civilian Marksman Program (CMP) in June of 2005. Sam is now 21 years old and still the youngest civilian involved in the Squad Designated Marksmanship Program. This program was initiated by the AMU’s previous Commander, LTC David Liwanag, as a way to improve marksmanship skills throughout the Army.

In the open desert and mountainous battlefields of modern warfare, improved marksmanship skills are needed to be able to engage in targets that are out of shooting range for the average soldier. The goal of the program is to train soldiers and drill sergeants in advanced marksmanship principles, so that they may effectively engage targets at ranges of up to 600 meters. Ideally these soldiers receiving training directly from the AMU will then pass along these techniques l club connection l Volume 13, Number 1

to others and eventually, every squad in the Army will have a Squad Designated Marksman, who will not only be the squad expert, but who will improve the accuracy of the men and women around him as well.

With such a grand scale of operations, the AMU found itself to be shorthanded, and hence put out the call to the CMP for the best civilian marksman and instructors. That is how Sam and many other civilians like him were chosen to aid the cause.

The program consists of a weeklong course. The first day is spent entirely in the classroom, learning the fundamentals of marksmanship that often are overlooked. Then, the class takes to the range and receives superb instruction in the use of both iron sights and optic-equipped weapons, out to 600 meters.

Sam had a wonderful experience and high praise for the men of Delta Company, the AMU, and the other civilian instructors. He was honored to participate in the program and looks forward to helping again soon.

For now though, Sam is a senior at OSU majoring in Political Science, preparing to graduate in June, and attend law school thereafter. That should keep him busy for awhile, not to mention his last season on the Varsity Rifle Team.

A Volunteer’s Dream Job

Davis Farms Skeet Club and Quail Preserve: First Annual Pig Pickin’ and Club Champion Shoot

Just imagine sharing your shooting sports expertise while on 33,000 acres of western mountain terrain in the scenic high mesa country of New Mexico—where the elk and antelope roam and the skies are so wide you can almost see back in time. Truly—a volunteer’s dream job! And it’s all happening at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico—the most comprehensive shooting center in the nation.

The NRA Women On Target® Program is looking to fill volunteer slots for the Women’s Wilderness Escape slated for July 13-26, 2008. If you are an NRA certified instructor or a state-certified hunter education instructor, we are looking to fill positions for rifle, pistol, shotgun, muzzle loading, and hunter clinic events. Other positions we are looking to fill that do not require NRA instructor certification are: photographer, transportation, administration, medic/nurse, archery, orienteering, and survival. Contact Patty Zollman at 703.267.1378 or email pzollman@ nrahq.org for an application.

A great time was had by all. The weather was perfect.

Ten shooters entered the skeet competition. Herb “Pap” Chappell of Cape Carteret, N.C. won the Club Champion metal with his unique style of “shooting from the hip”. The non-club champion was Drew Kennedy of Greensboro, N.C. Pap also cooked the pig which was OUTSTANDING. Darrell Allred and his wife, Judy from Otway, N.C. manned the hushpuppy/french fry cookers. Side dishes (coleslaw, baked beans and potato salad) were provided by Roland’s BBQ. Sweet tea and brownies topped off the delicious meal.

A huge “Thank You” goes out to everyone who helped cook and/or provided items for the party.

Toe-tapping entertainment was provided by a 4-piece bluegrass band, The Bridgewater Band, led by Lester Butts of New Bern, N.C. Banjo, mandolin, stand-up bass and guitar were enjoyed by all.

Even with the Core Sound Waterfowl Festival going on in Harkers Island, over 60 people attended our first annual event. Those present included our “political liaison” Gabriele Onorato (manager of Open Grounds Farm) as well as former Town of Beaufort mayor, Hunter Chadwick.

Next year’s event will be even bigger and better. Date in November or December 2008 to be announced. Hope you can attend next year!

Congratulations to our 2008 gold Medal Clubs NRA Gold Medal Club Award Critieria To receive the NRA Gold Medal Club Award, your club must meet ALL of the following criteria:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Be a 100% NRA Club (Furnished copy of club bylaws) Have a club newsletter Belong to your NRA State Association Have administered or currently incorporate a NRA Youth Program into the club’s agenda Be an active participant in the NRA’s Membership Recruiting Program (703-267-3759)

Volume 13, Number 1 l club connection l

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2008 gold Medal winners Alaska Interior Marksmanship Committee Americana 1800 Adventure Club Anderson County Sportsmen’s Club Arnold Rifle & Pistol Club, Inc Arnold Rifle and Pistol Club Baltimore County Game & Fish Protective Association Barryton Conservation Club Bell City Rifle Club Beloit Rifle Club Bizmarck-Mandan Rifle & Pistol Association Boulder Valley Sportsmen Club Cairo Sportsman Club Capital City Gun Club, Inc Caribou Rifle & Pistol Club Central Florida Rifle & Pistol Club Cheboygan Hunter Safety Committee Cherokee Gun Club Citizen Rifle and Revolver Club Citizens Range and Recreation Club Cos Cob Revolver & Rifle Club Cumberland Riflemen Dallas Arms Collectors Delaware State Pistol Club Delran Junior Marksman Downers Grove Sportsman Club Duck Creek Gun Club East Windsor Sportsman’s Club Eastern Nebraska Gin Club Estacada Rod & Gun Club Forks Rifle Club, Inc Four Corners Rifle & Pistol Club Gallatin Gun Club Highland High School Navy JROTC Hollywood Rifle & Pistol Club Howell Shooting Club, Inc Humboldt Rifle & Pistol Club Hutton Hill R & R Club Lemon Grove Rod & Gun Club Lincoln Rifle Club & Junior Shooting Division Magic City Gun Club Major Waldrons Sportsmen’s Association l club connection l Volume 13, Number 1

McDonald Sportsmen’s Association Miamisburg Sportsmen’s Club Middletown Pistol & Rifle Club Monroe Chester Sportsman Club, Inc Monumental Rifle & Pistol, Inc Nescopeck Hunting and Rifle Club Inc Nessmuck Rod & Gun Club Newport Rifle Club Norfolk County Rifle Range Inc North Montour Sportsmen’s Club Northeastern Gun Collector Northern Dutchess Rod & Gun Club Northwestern Gun Club Paradise Rod & Gun Club Peconic River Sportsman’s Club Pioneer Gun Club Racine County Line Rifle Club, Inc Red Eagle Skeet & Trap Club, Inc Ridge Rifle Association Rifle Sportsman’s Club River City & Pistol Club Roanoke Rifle and Revolver Club Sagamore Rifle Club, Inc Sebastopol Rifle & Pistol Club Sheboygan Rifle & Pistol Club, Inc Shongum Sportsmen’s Association Silver State Shooting Sports Association Southwest Gun Club, Inc Sportsmen Gun & Reel Club Streetsboro Sportsmen Club Swartz Creek Sportsman & Conservation Club Syracuse Pistol Club, Inc Thomas Jefferson HS Army JROTC Rifle Team Tremont Sportsman Club Tri City Gun Club Tri-State Gun Club, Inc True Sportsman Club Tuscaloosa Gun Club Victoria Shooting Sports Waldwich Pistol & Rifle Club Zia Rifle and Pistol Club

Near Nature...Near Perfect...Near

The Davenport Hotel & Tower | 10 South Post St | Spokane, WA 99201

Club University Spokane, WA June 21st, 2008 Discover new information, increase your knowledge, and let NRA staff provide you the tools to make you club a leader in perserving our shooting sports traditions.

REGISTER NOW! Volume 13, Number 1 club connection Contact 1-800-NRA-CLUB, SNguyen@nrahq.org, or KSchlifke@nrahq.org with any questions. l

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NRA-affiliated state associations Alabama State Rifle & Pistol Association

• Mr. James Moses, President 2009 Rodgers Drive, NE Huntsville, AL 35811 256-534-7968 home J.moses1@comcast.net • Mr. Ramon J. Samaniego, Jr., Secretary/Treasurer 2505 Isabelle Circle, NE Huntsville, AL 35811 256-534-2644

Alaska Outdoor Council, Inc.

• Mr. Dick Bishop, President P.O. Box 73902 Fairbanks, AK 99707-3902 907-455-6151 office 907-455-6447 fax rmbishop@ptialaska.net • Mr. Rod Arno, Secretary/Treasurer P.O. Box 87-1069 Wasilla AK 99687 www.alaskaoutdoorcouncil.org

Arizona State Rifle & Pistol Association

• Mr. Landis Aden, President 602-524-4437 office 480-854-8823 fax president@asrpa.com • Ms. Margaret Conlin, Treasurer 1727 East Alameda Drive Tempe, AZ 85282 480-838-6064 home/fax www.asrpa.com

Arkansas Rifle & Pistol Association

• Mr. John Wallis, President P.O. Box 1225 Little Rock, AR 72203 501-455-9669 office johnwallis@aristotle.net • Mr. Rome Helton, Secretary/Treasurer P.O. Box 1225 Little Rock, AR 72203 501-407-2707 office www.arpa-online.org

California Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc.

• Mr. Thomas O. Thomas, President 271 Imperial Highway, Suite 620 Fullerton, CA 92835 714-992-2772 office • Mr. John C. Fields Executive Director 271 Imperial Highway, Suite 620 Fullerton, CA 92835 714-992-2772 office 714-992-2996 fax www.crpa.org

Colorado State Shooting Association

• Mr. Tony Fabian, President 510 Wilcox Street #C Castle Rock, CO 80104 303-663-9339 office 303-713-0785 fax president@cssa.org • Mr. Ken Gloss

28 l club connection l Volume 13, Number 1

609 West Littleton Boulevard #206 Littleton, CO 80120-2368 720-283-1376 office 720-282-1333 fax office@cssa.org www.cssa.org Connecticut State Rifle & Revolver Association

• Mr. Michael Dane, President 39 John Brook Rd Canterbury, CT 06331 860-546-2124 home mdane@yahoo.com • Ms. Catherine Smittner, Membership Director P.O. Box 754 North Haven, CT 06473 203-239-2528 203-239-2106 fax www.csrra.com Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association

• Mr. John J. Thompson, President 113 North Road Wilmington, DE 19809 302-658-3070 office 302-658-3031 fax lawman15@comcast.net • Mr. Foster W. Rennie, Recording Secretary P.O. Box 1786 Wilmington, DE 19899 302-998-4820 home 302-998-4861 fax www.delsports.net

Florida Sport Shooting Association, Inc.

• Mr. Thomas Brusherd, President 5921 Blackthorn Rd Jacksonville, FL 32244 president@flssa.org • Mr. Michael D. Langfield, Secretary 5921 Blackthorn Rd Jacksonville, FL 32244 407-701-1030 home 407-273-9356 fax secretary2007@flssa.org www.flssa.org

Georgia Sport Shooting Association

• Dr. Paul Broun, President #450 2300 Bethelview Road Suite 110 Cumming, GA 30040-9475 Home: 706-227-0510 • Mr. Scott Bosso, Secretary/Treasurer #450 2300 Bethelview Road Suite 110 Cumming, GA 30040-9475 gssa_sectres@bellsouth.net www.gssa.com Hawaii Rifle Association

• Mr. Harvey F. Gerwig, II, President 1039 Kupua Street Kailua, HI 96734 808-261-5287 harveygerwig@hawaii.rr.com • Tim Billings, Secretary

P.O. Box 543 Kailua, HI 96734 808-261-2754 Info Line www.hawaiirifleassn.org Idaho State Rifle & Pistol Association

• Mr. Neill Goodfellow, President 8156 North Penn Avenue Fruitland, ID 83619 208-452-4183 home njg308@fmtc.com • Mr. Jon Carter, Secretary 1065 River Heights Drive Meridian, ID 83642 208-888-2829 phone/fax jon@class3firearms.com www.idahosrpa.org

Illinois State Rifle Association, Inc.

• Mr. Don A. Moran, President P.O. Box 637 Chatsworth, IL 60921 815-635-3198 office 815-635-3723 fax president@isra.org • Mr. Richard Pearson, Executive Director P.O. Box 637 Chatsworth, IL 60921 815-635-3198 office 815-635-3723 fax executive@isra.org www.isra.org Indiana State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc.

• Mr. Jerry Wehner, President 7527 State Route 56 Rising Sun, IN 47040 812-534-3258 home president@isrpa.org • Mr. William B. Thomas, Treasurer 101 Sidney Ct. New Albany, IN 47150 812-948-8226 www.isrpa.org

Iowa State Rifle & Pistol Association

• Mr. John Klopfenstein, President 606 S. Harrison Pl Mt Pleasant, IA 52641 Johnklop@interl.net • Mr. Bill Besgrove, Secretary 240 Prospect Road North Liberty, IA 52317-9660 319-430-5120 home begrove@iowastateriflepistols.org www.iowastateriflepistol.org

Kansas State Rifle Association

• Mr. Ralph Goodwin, President PO Box 108 Andover, KS 67002 316-778-1104 ralphgoodwin@sbcglobal.net • Bruce Williams, Secretary 833 Santa Fe Rd Agra, KS 67621 785-543-2114 www.ksraweb.net

League of Kentucky Sportsmen, Inc.

• Mr. Rick Allen, President P.O. Box 8527 Lexington, KY 40533 859-276-3518 home • Mr. Rowland Beers, NRA Representative 774 Sherwood Drive Lexington, KY 40502 859-277-4608 home rbeersloks@aol.com www.kentuckysportsmen.com

Louisiana Shooting Association

• Mr. John Texada, President 911 Inverery Drive Lake Charles, LA 70605 337-477-5277 home jtexada@suddenlink.net • Mr. Lanny J. Russell, Secretary 4737 Hastings Street Metairie, LA 70006 504-455-3803 home xmeister@cox.net www.lsa1.org

(Maine) Pine Tree State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc.

• Mr. Leslie M. Ohmart, III, President 73 Sunset Strip Brewer, ME 04412 207-989-7304 ohmalee@aol.com • Mr. Stacey Modrusan, Secretary 11 Bangor Mall Boulevard, Suite D Bangor, ME 04401 207-433-5817 home stacey@modrusan.us www.mainerpa.org

Maryland State Rifle & Pistol Association

• Mr. Larry Moreland, President 2814 Needlewood Lane Bowie, MD 20716 301-249-4586 home LCM1385@aol.com • Mr. Richard Kussman, Chairman 832 Bear Cabin Drive Forest Hill, MD 21050-2734 410-838-1734 home rlkussma@yahoo.com www.msrpa.org

(Massachusetts) Gun Owners’ Action League – G.O.A.L.

• Mr. John Durkin, Jr., President P.O. Box 567, 37 Pierce Street Northboro, MA 01532 508-393-5333 office • Mr. James Wallace, Executive Director P.O. Box 567, 37 Pierce Street Northboro, MA 01532 508-393-5333 office 508-393-5222 fax staff@goal.org www.goal.org

Michigan Rifle & Pistol Association

• Mr. Leo Cebula, President P.O. Box 530637

Livonia, MI 48153-0637 888-655-6772 office lcebula@hotmail.com • Mr. Mike Wesner, Secretary/Treasurer P.O. Box 530637 Livonia, MI 48153-0637 888-655-6772 office 269-781-6966 fax mike308@twmi.rr.com www.michrpa.com Minnesota Rifle & Revolver Association,Inc.

• Mr. Morgen Dietrich, President 14500 45th St NE Foley, MN 56329 320-522-1934 Mdietrich@mchsi.com • Mr. George Minerich 14500 45th St NE Foley, MN 56329 320-968-6898 home minerich@ecenet.com www.mrra.org

Mississippi State Firearm Owners Association

• Mr. Douglas Bowser, President PO Box 7358 McComb, MS 39649 601-249-3315 saman1@telapak.net • Mr. Samuel Richardson, Secretary P.O. Box 6466 Jackson, MS 39282-6466 601-898-9832 w5bmd@yahoo.com www.msfoa.com

Missouri Sport Shooting Association

• Mr. Kevin Jamison, President 6140 N. Wagontrail Rd Columbia, MO 65202 816-455-2669 816-413-0696 fax kjamison@missourisportshooting.org www.missourisportshooting.org

Montana Rifle & Pistol Association

• Mr. Matt Egloff, President P.O. Box 4394 Butte, MT 59702 406-723-5704 president@mtrpa.org • Ms. Patsy E. Frimodig, Secretary P.O. Box 477 Park City, MT 59063 406-633-2486 home membership@mtrpa.org www.mtrpa.org

Nebraska Shooting Sports Association

• Mr. Ronald L. Grapes, President P.O. Box 1585, 3407-19th Ave. Kearney, NE 68848 308-237-7902 home rlgrapes@frontiernet.net • Mr. Terry Copple, Secretary 10285 North Aspen Avenue Hastings, NE 68901

402-744-2049 home tc68901@yahoo.com Nevada State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc.

• Mr. Robert E. Smith, President P.O. Box 7512 Reno, NV 89501-7512 775-762-1494 office 775-355-8088 fax president@nsrpa.us • Mr. Mark Geldmacher, Secretary/Treasurer P.O. Box 7512 Reno, NV 89501-7512 775-762-1494 office 775-355-8088 fax secretary@nsrpa.us www.nsrpa.us Gun Owners of New Hampshire, Inc.

• Mr. Mitch Kopacz, President P.O. Box 847 Concord, NH 03302-0487 603-225-4664 office president@gonh.org • Ms. Evelyn Logan, Secretary P.O. Box 847 Concord, NH 03302-0847 603-225-2664 office 877-841-1672 phone/fax gonh_el@yahoo.com www.gonh.org

Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs, Inc.

• Mr. Scott L. Bach, President P.O. Box 651 Newfoundland, NJ 07435 president@anjrpc.org • Ms. Judith Iorio, Recording Secretary P.O. Box 1397 Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889 recordingsecretary@anjrpc.org www.anjrpc.org

New Mexico Shooting Sports Association, Inc.

• Mr. Charlie Weisleder, President PO Box 9275 Albuquerque, NM 87119 505-877-6128 gunweis@aol.com • Mr. Ken Laintz, Secretary P.O. Box 753 Los Alamos, NM 87544 505-667-0034 nmssamembership@hotmail.com www.nmssa.org

New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc.

• Mr. Thomas H. King, President P.O. Box 1023 Troy, NY 12181 518-424-1349 office 518-449-1332 fax tking@nysrpa.org or tking@choiceonemil.com • Mr. Steve D. Kraynak, Secretary P.O. Box 1023 Troy, NY 12181 Volume 13, Number 1 l club connection l 29

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nRA-AffiliAted stAte AssociAtions 518-273-6969 518-272-2654 office stevekraynak@juno.com www.nysrpa.org NoRth CARoLiNA RifLe & PiStoL ASSoCiAtioN

• Mr. David McFarling, President P.O. Box 4116 Pinehurst, NC 28374 919-929-9585 home president@ncrpa.org • Mr. David Prest, Secretary P.O. Box 4116 Pinehurst, NC 28374 910-639-4742 office dprest@pinehurst.net www.ncrpa.org

NoRth dAKotA ShootiNg SPoRtS ASSoCiAtioN

• Mr. Walt Fairbanks, President 5515 6th Ave SW Bismarck, ND 58504 701-250-4242 x3605 work upnorth@bektel.com • Mr. Steve Faught, Secretary/Treasurer P.O. Box 205 Amenia, ND 58004 701-347-5903 home rushridge2@wildblue.net www.ndssa.org

ohio RifLe & PiStoL ASSoCiAtioN

• Mr. David Johnson, President PO Box 571 Dayton OH 45409 513-934-1468 dajohns@embarqmail.com • Mr. G. Martin Capitano, Secretary 1185 Swartz Rd Akron, OH 44306 330-773-2989 capitano@neo.rr.com www.orpa.net

oKLAhoMA RifLe ASSoCiAtioN

• Mr. G. Don Scott, President Rt. 2, Box 23 Maysville, OK 73057 405-867-5234 home dons@recok.coop • Mr. Charles Smith, Executive Director P.O. Box 850927 Yukon, OK 73085-0927 405-324-2450 office/fax okgun@cox.net www.oklarifle.org

oRegoN StAte ShootiNg ASSoCiAtioN

• Mr. Tim Pitzer, President 2815 South Shore Drive SE Albany, OR 97322 541-928-2460 home president@ossa.org • Mr. Jerod Broadfoot, Vice President (503) 930-4926 vicepresident@ossa.org www.ossa.org

0 l club connection l Volume 13, Number 1

PeNNSyLvANiA RifLe & PiStoL ASSoCiAtioN

• Mr. Jack Lee, President 100 Wycliff Way Butler, PA 16001 724-865-2597 phone/fax prpaleg@zoominternet.net • Mr. James G. Johnson, Secretary 405 Hilltop Road Paoli, PA 19301 610-647-2374 JJohnUVA@bellatlantic.net www.pennarifleandpistol.org

Rhode iSLANd StAte RifLe & RevoLveR ASSoCiAtioN

• Mr. Paul Boiani, President P.O. Box 41148 Providence, RI 02940 401-233-0771 office • Mr. Donn C. DiBiasio, Secretary P.O. Box 17452 Smithfield, RI 02917 401-233-0771 office

guN owNeRS of South CARoLiNA

• Mr. Gerald Stoudemire, President P.O. Box 211 Little Mountain, SC 29075 803-945-7677 lmgs@outdrs.net • Mr. Carl W. Yates, Secretary/Treasurer 6024 Reynolds Road Blackville, SC 29817 803-671-0493 sec@gosc.org www.gosc.org

South dAKotA ShootiNg SPoRtS ASSoCiAtioN

• Mr. BJ McGuire, President P.O. Box 3 Dell Rapids, SD 57022 bj@sdshootingsports.org • Mr. Greg Iversen, Secretary 21421 Richard Road Sturgis, SD 57885 605-347-5445 lazyhy@blackhill.com www.blackhills.com/sdssa

teNNeSSee ShootiNg SPoRtS ASSoCiAtioN, iNC.

• Mr. Ray W. Harvey, Jr., President C/o BVEOS, 1531 9th Ave N. Nashville, TN 37208 615-291-6762 tnssa@earthlink.net • Mr. Michael Desjardin, Treasurer 4041 Caney Creek Ln, Chapel Hill, TN 37034 Desjardin@united.net forums.delphiforums.com/tnssa/start

texAS StAte RifLe ASSoCiAtioN

• Richard V Muckelroy, President PO Box 1406 Lockhart, TX 78644 512-398-6897 rpatmuck@@Austin.rr.com • Mr. James Dark, Executive Director 620 N Coppell Rd #3402 Coppell, TX 75019 972-889-8772 office

972-889-1515 fax execdir@tsra.com www.tsra.com utAh StAte RifLe & PiStoL ASSoCiAtioN

• Mr. Elwood P. Powell, President 5926 South Fashionpoint Drive #200 Ogden, UT 84403 801-394-1900 office 801-622-2200 fax president@usrpa.org • Mr. Willis K. Smith, Secretary 1349 West 2600 North Clinton, UT 84015 801-589-5825 home 801-825-6631 secretary@usrpa.org www.usrpa.org

veRMoNt fedeRAtioN of SPoRtSMeN’S CLubS, iNC.

• Mr. Roy Marble, President 14 Stafford Avenue Morrisville, VT 05661 802-888-5100 mmarrealty@aol.com • Mrs. Rusty Hart, Secretary 126 Sandhill Road Essex Junction, VT 05452-3347 P.O. Box 8523, Essex Jct, VT 05451-8523 802-878-6616 home giffhart@surfglobal.net www.vtfsc.org

viRgiNiA ShootiNg SPoRtS ASSoCiAtioN

• Mr. David Adams, President P.O. Box 1258 Orange, VA 22960 540-672-5848 office David.Adams@myvssa.org • Ms. Andrea T. Smith, Secretary/Treasurer P.O. Box 1258 Orange, VA 22960 540-672-4570 home 540-672-5848 office/fax andrea.smith@myvssa.org www.myvssa.org

wAShiNgtoN StAte RifLe & PiStoL ASSoCiAtioN, iNC.

• Mr. Dave Sotelo, President PO Box 993 Ellensburg, WA 98926 509-925-4084 home president@wsrpa.org • Mr. Monte Milanuk, Secretary 4027 Stemilt Creek Rd Wenatchee, WA 98374 monte@milanuk.net

weSt viRgiNiA StAte RifLe & PiStoL ASSoCiAtioN

Franklin, WI 53132 414-529-3807 ejobermeyer@yahoo.com • Mr. Lee Walker, Treasurer/Membership Director W299 56316 Hwy. 83 Mukwonago, WI 53149 262-968-9350 lwalker@netwurx.net www.wrpa.com wyoMiNg StAte ShootiNg ASSoCiAtioN, iNC.

• Mr. Mark Spungin, President P.O. Box 94 Guernsey, WY 82214 307-836-2188 home marks@champmail.com • Mr. Roger Sebesta, Secretary/Treasurer 625 Sweetwater Street Lander, WY 82520 307-335-9323 wssa@wyoming.com www.wyssa.org

How you can reach us NRA Clubs & Associations Department national Rifle Association Attn: clubs & Associations department 11 0 Waples Mill Road fairfax,VA 0 0 (800) nRA – club ( - 8 ) ( 0 ) - fax elizabeth bush, national Manager ebush@nrahq.org ( 0 ) -1 8 son nguyen, Marketing coordinator snguyen@nrahq.org ( 0 ) -1 Kara schlifke, Marketing coordinator Kschlifke@nrahq.org ( 0 ) -1 1 NRA Range Services Department national Rifle Association Attn: Range services department 11 0 Waples Mill Road fairfax,VA 0 0 (800) - 888 x1 8, x1 , x1 ( 0 ) -1011 fax

• Mr. Barry Hogue, President 1220 Philippi Pike Clarksburg, WV 26301 304-624-5363 • Mr. Richard C. Whiting, Secretary Rt. 1, Box 272-2 Buckhannon, WV 26201 304-472-1449 www.wvasrpa.org

elizabeth bush, national Manager ebush@nrahq.org ( 0 ) -1 8

wiSCoNSiN RifLe & PiStoL ASSoCiAtioN

eric Whitescarver, Assistant Range coordinator ewhitescarver@nrahq.org ( 0 ) -1

• Mr. Eric Obermeyer, President P.O. Box 320173

John Joines, Range technical team Jjoines@nrahq.org ( 0 ) -1 8 Jason smith, Range Meetings coordinator Jsmith@nrahq.org, ( 0 ) -1

nRA field Representative directory eAsteRn ReGion •eastern Regional director Area 1 (Me, nH,Vt) Area (upstate nY) Area (ct, upper nJ, lower nY) Area (de, eastern PA) Area (Western PA) Area (Md, lower nJ) Area (dc, Western VA, WV) Area 8 (eastern nc) Area (Western nc) Area (MA, northern nY, Ri) Area (eastern VA)

brian Hyder Michael langton Jay Rusnock Richard P. d’Alauro Kory enck thomas baldrige brian swartz Jim Kilgore Kirk d. smith Robert doug Merrill James carswell bob Hipple

- - 8 8 0 - -8 0 8 - 8- 1- - 0 1 - 8 - 00 -8 1-0 - - 10 0 - - 1 1 - 8- 8 8- 8-0 10 18- -0 0- 10

centRAl ReGion •central Regional director Area 1 (southern oH) Area 1 (northern Mi) Area 1 (in) Area 1 (KY) Area 1 (Wi) Area 18 (northern il) Area 1 (Mo) Area (tn) Area (northern oH) Area 1 (southern Mi) Area (southern il)

dennis c. eggers Philip Gray don bassett John crone larry summarell, Jr. scott taetsch Michael f. Huber Gregg Pearre Mike Webb lloyd edwards Allan Herman Wayne steele

0- -0 0 0- - 11 1-8 -10 1 - - 0 0- 8 - 0 1 1 -8 - 0 81 - - 1 - 1- 01- 8 - 8 1 - - 8 - 8 - 01 1 - - 8

soutHeRn ReGion •southern Regional director Area (sc) Area 10 (GA) Area 11 (northern fl) Area 1 (lA, southern Ms) Area (Al) Area (northern tX) Area (southern tX) Area (AR, northern Ms) Area (Western tX) Area 8 (southern florida)

Al Hammond dale carwile Mike cockerham Vacant dick Kingsafer Vacant tommy easterling Gayle carter-cook Mike nevins Jack cannon larry Mills

8 - - 1 8 - - 00 8- - 0 Vacant 01- -00 8 Vacant 0 - 0- 01 1- - 1 01- -0 - 1 - 0 1- 8-

Mid WesteRn ReGion •north central Regional director Area 0 (oK) Area 1 (Mn) Area (iA, ne) Area (Ks) Area (nM) Area 8 (Mt) Area (WY) Area 0 (co) Area 1 (nd, sd)

tom ulik darren delong Vacant tim bacon steve sheldon Peter ide Joseph crismore david Manzer Marc steinke clay Pederson

0 -8 - 0 0 - -8 Vacant 1 - -1 8 8 - - 0 0 - 81- 1 0 - - 8 0 - - 0 1 - 0 - 080 01- -

WesteRn ReGion •Western Regional director Area 1 (AZ) Area (s. id, eastern nV, ut) Area (northern id, eastern WA) Area (Hi, oR) Area (northwest cA) Area (southern cA) Area (central cA) Area 8 (AK) Area 0 (Western WA) Area (ne cA, W. nV)

J.P. nelson donna cassity Rex thomas ben Prater Mike carey daniel Wilhelm lissa lee Jason Quick bradley J. Kruger brendon Hill steve Wilson

80- - 0 0- 1 -0 0 801-8 - 0 0 - - 010 1- 8 - 0 0 - - 8 818- 1-0 80 - - 0 - - 0 0- 8- 0 0 0 -8 - 8

Volume 13, Number 1 l club connection l 1

Americap速 USA donates 5% of all proceeds generated by NRA Clubs & Association affiliates back to the NRA to be used to ensure the future of the shooting sports. AmeriCap速 USA, a Made-In-USA apparel company, has been a proud supporter of the National Rifle Association since 1992

Club Connection National Rifle Assocaition 11250 Waples Mill Road Fairfax, VA 22030

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION