NRA Club Connection - Winter 2023

By Charles L. Cotton President

Good Guy With A Gun”— A Fact, Not A Sound Bite!

Agood guy with a gun stopping a bad guy with a gun is not a rare event, regardless of what anti-Second Amendment types would have you believe. We rarely hear of these good guys because legacy-media-outlets-turned-propaganda-mills simply don’t report such events; it doesn’t fit their agenda. This is changing, albeit at glacial speed, with formal and informal journalists using social media like YouTube, email lists, etc., to report the truth. Even when legacymedia outlets feel forced to report on a good guy saving their own and perhaps others’ innocent lives, their reports rarely give much detail. If possible, they point to prior military or law enforcement experience, even if it is decades old, to minimize the impact of an “ordinary citizen” using a firearm to save lives.

That’s right, he was just like countless other American gun owners who have no military or law enforcement experience, but who carry self-defense firearms. (Perhaps this is why the legacy media works so hard not to report on this incident.) When asked about his skill with a handgun, Mr. Dicken said that his grandfather taught him to shoot. That’s right: grandpa taught his grandson to shoot and it saved countless lives on July 17, 2022. Remember that, all you moms, dads and grandparents.

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 Jason Ouimet Executive Director, NRA-ILA

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

A recent example of a good guy saving countless innocent lives occurred at the Greenwood Park Mall in Greenwood, Ind., on July 17, 2022. Twenty-two-year-old Elisjsha Dicken was a good guy with a gun, and he had a lot more than a gun. He had courage, a love for others and a willingness to put his life on the line for perfect strangers. When a 20-year-old would-be mass murderer opened fire on dozens of innocent people in the mall food court, our hero stopped him in a mere 15 seconds! I’m hardly the only person to call Mr. Dicken a hero for his actions. In fact, Greenwood Police Chief Jim Ison said this about Mr. Dicken: “His actions were nothing short of heroic. He engaged the gunman from quite a distance with a handgun, was very proficient in that, very tactically sound, and as he moved to close in on the suspect, he was also motioning for people to exit behind him.”

So, how did the anti-Second Amendment community respond to Mr. Dicken’s heroic acts? The predominant response was no response— and I mean church-mouse quiet. Fortunately, some did respond, and in so doing, unintentionally revealed the level of violence they are willing to accept to promote gun control. It is as shocking as it is enlightening, folks, so you better pay attention.

Some anti-Second Amendment types have criticized Mr. Dicken for having his life-saving handgun with him in the mall. They would have preferred that he had not been armed. This necessarily means they would rather have dozens of innocent people murdered than have a “good guy with a gun” save the day! Sure, they might claim otherwise, but there were only two ways that incident was going to end. Either the murderer was killed early on, or dozens of innocent people were going to die. People who prefer the latter scenario exist, folks, and they desperately want to control not only the narrative, but Congress, state legislatures, judicial offices and the media.

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

Mr. Dicken was at the mall with his girlfriend when he heard shots being fired quite some distance away. He directed his girlfriend to safety and then started closing the distance between himself and the murderer. As Chief Ison described, Mr. Dicken directed others to exit behind him as he closed on the threat. As he neared the assailant who was armed with a rifle, Dicken was trying to get others to safety. He could have left with his girlfriend, but he chose to put his life in danger to save others. Apparently, he did so instinctively, because only 15 seconds after the murderer started shooting, he was dead. Mr. Dicken fired 10 rounds, striking the murderer eight times from 40 yards away, under unimaginable stress.

Now let’s talk about Mr. Dicken’s specialized training and combat experience. It won’t take long because he didn’t have any!

What can we learn? First, carry a selfdefense handgun everywhere you can legally do so. I know a Baptist minister who has a great tag line on an internet forum. It reads, “24/7 or guess right.” That really sums it up. Secondly, obtain all the firearm self-defense training you can afford. There are more than 100,000 NRA certified instructors, so you can find one in your area. Third, train your kids and grandkids in the safe and responsible use of firearms. On July 17, 2022, dozens of innocent people walked out of the Greenwood Mall and went home to their families because Elisjsha Dicken’s grandfather did exactly that. We must all be ready for that day we pray never comes.

“A

Online Regional Report

Visit the links below to find gun shows, programs, clubs, events and training in your area.

MEMBER SERVICE (877) 672-2000

NRASTORE.COM (888) 607-6007

5-STAR MEMBER BENEFITS

NRA Wine Club (800) 331-9754

ManageYOURiD (888) 759-7866

LAW ENFORCEMENT

le.nra.org

Public and private officers interested in becoming law enforcement firearm instructors should attend one of NRA’s Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor Development Schools. NRA Police Pistol Combat competition is intended to be used as an extension of an officer’s training.

FRIENDS OF NRA

friendsofnra.org

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.

Medical Concierge Network (800) 352-6094

Global Rescue (800) 381-9754

NRA Travel Center NRA.HotelPlanner.com

INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION

Grassroots/Legislative Hotline (800) 392-8683

OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT/ GIFT PLANNING (877) NRA-GIVE

THE NRA FOUNDATION (800) 423-6894

NRA INSTRUCTOR/ COACH FIREARM TRAINING (703) 267-1500

EDDIE EAGLE GUNSAFE PROGRAM (800) 231-0752

REFUSE TO BE A VICTIM (800) 861-1166

RECREATIONAL SHOOTING (800) 672-7435

NRA AFFILIATED CLUBS (800) 672-2582

RANGE SERVICES (877) 672-7264

COMPETITIVE SHOOTING (877) 672-6282

LAW ENFORCEMENT (703) 267-1640

FRIENDS OF NRA (703) 267-1342

GUN SHOWS gunshows.nra.org

Dates and locations of gun shows are subject to change. Please contact the show before traveling. Discounted NRA memberships are sold through NRA recruiters. Some shows may offer free admission to people who sign up for new memberships or renewals. To become an NRA Recruiter contact NRA Recruiting Programs at recruiter@nrahq.org

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.

NRA MUSEUMS/ GUN COLLECTOR PROGRAMS (703) 267-1600 SHOWS & EXHIBITS (877) 672-7632

MEDIA RELATIONS (703) 267-1595

HUNTER SERVICES (844) 672-6883

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.

APRIL 14-16, 2023

For hotel accommodations at the NRA Annual Meetings, visit nraam.org.

AREA SHOOTS

ssusa.org/coming-events

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

STATE ASSOCIATIONS

stateassociations.nra.org

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

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

Support Your NRA State Association

Join your local State Association

This month, I’m encouraging all NRA members to get involved with their local State Associations, which are independent organizations affiliated with and recognized by the National Rifle Association. Most State Associations need your help and support. From the mountains to the coasts, NRA and State Associations work hand-in-hand to provide vital services to shooters, hunters, gun owners and Second Amendment activists across all 50 states and Puerto Rico. With our precious liberties currently under assault by extremists, the National Rifle Association of America considers its partnerships with individual State Associations a solid foundation for the defense of our Second Amendment rights.

involved? It can be a simple as working as a range officer at a State Association match or volunteering with a Hunter Safety program. Perhaps you have experience dealing with range issues at your local club and your expertise could help other clubs in your state that are encountering problems. Or, you want to share your marksmanship skills by joining a State Team at the NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury. Many State Associations will have at least one committee or program that could benefit from your assistance.

Joining NRA-affiliated state associations supports NRA’s mission in your state. GET INVOLVED TODAY! GO VISIT stateassociations.nra.org

Although affiliated with the NRA, State Associations are independent and self-sufficient—each representing the collective voice of the community it serves. Every State Association also serves as a valuable resource of information regarding NRA activities carried on at the state level. NRA provides assistance and support, but outside of a few guidelines, State Associations forge their own paths according to the needs of their members. Additionally, State Associations are encouraged to tap into NRA’s vast resources to achieve success.

One of the best ways to get involved is to become a member of your State Association—it’s never too early to join. How else can you get

Support your State Association and make a difference in your local community. Interested in shaping firearm policy? It all starts at the grassroots level with support from NRA-ILA. Consider becoming an officer or joining a committee. You never know where such a path may lead you—State Associations often serve as a training ground for individuals seeking future national leadership responsibilities.

In fact, we are privileged to count a number of State Association leaders among the esteemed members of the NRA Board of Directors: Ted Carter of Florida, Charles Hiltunen of Indiana, Jim Wallace of Massachusetts, Scott Bach of New Jersey, Tom King of New York and Mark Vaughan of Oklahoma.

If you’re not a member already, join your State Association today. To find out more about NRA State Associations, go to stateassociations.nra.org

Photo by John Parker

and help it grow and prosper

Indiana State Association Pistol Team at Camp Atterbury.

2022 YOUTH WILDLIFE ART CONTEST

NRA Announces George Montgomery Youth Wildlife Art Contest Awards Winners for 2022

Every year around the holiday season, the NRA Community Engagement Division is proud to host the George Montgomery/Youth Wildlife Art Contest. Hundreds of art submissions are accepted and nearly 250 artists digitally submitted paintings, drawings, sketches, and engravings. The submissions ranged from small varmints to large game animals that can be legally hunted or trapped in the United States.

The George Montgomery/NRA Youth Wildlife Art Contest offers young artists interested in hunting and wildlife an outlet to display their creative talent, practice artistic techniques, and refine wildlife identification skills through the creation of original works. This contest encourages youth to nurture their interest for the visual arts, hunting, and wildlife conservation. It also reinforces the positive effects of hunting and wildlife conservation with the public at large.

Students grades 1 through 12 (including home-schooled children) are eligible to enter and all entries must portray North American game birds or animals that may be legally hunted or trapped. Artists have the chance to win thousands of dollars in prizes! The three National Finalists for each category, who do not become the Best in Show, and all Honorable Mentions will have their artwork featured in the NRA Club Connection and the NRA Youth Wildlife Art Contest website.

Additional prizes for each category will be as follows: First Place: $750 cash prize, Second Place: $500 cash prize, Third Place: $250 cash prize, Best in Show will receive a $1000 cash prize!

Next year’s contest starts September 1 and entries must be submitted by October 31, 2023 to be eligible. Visit https://artcontest.nra.org/ for more details.

All winning artwork is available to view online at https://artcontest.nra.org/award-winners/2022-award-winners/

Best In Show:

Merek Hu

Grade 3

New Orleans, LA

First

Place (Category 1): Austin Fan Chandler, AZ

First Place (Category 2): Rayna Zhang Pearland, TX

First Place (Category 3): Jessica Li Sugar Land, TX

First Place (Category 4): Mauricio Gonzalez Brownsville, TX

Honorable Mention Andrew Guan Rockville, MD

Honorable Mention Jason Li Chandler, AZ

Honorable Mention Morgan Feng Sugar Land, TX

Honorable Mention Rheannan McGee Riverside, CA

Honorable Mention Joanna Hu Chandler, AZ

Honorable Mention Cynthia Liu Chandler, AZ

Honorable Mention David White Medora, IN

Honorable Mention Keira Armsrong Layton, UT

Honorable Mention Allison Bu Boyds, MD

FRANKLIN REVOLVER & RIFLE ASSOCIATION, INC. RECEIVES RANGE IMPROVEMENT GRANT

Submitted by Helen M. Swingle Franklin R&R Executive Committee

In September 2022 the Franklin Revolver & Rifle Association, Inc. of Franklin, NJ received a range improvement grant from the NRA in the amount of $5,000! This grant enabled the club to move forward with a long-awaited project.

After many years of potholes, ruts and large puddles we finally had enough resources, thanks to the NRA, to have our parking area graded, a drain installed and paved.

Although Covid had caused us to cancel several of our community service events we are now back in full swing and the newly-paved parking area will make it safer for all who attend our events.

Each year we hold several pistol competition matches attended by shooters from near and far. Last year the proceeds from our “Shoot For A Cause” match enabled us to present a check for

$860 to the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice.

Twice a year we hold a “Girls, Guys & Guns” event which is a hands-on introduction to firearms safety and basic pistol shooting for men and women 21 years of age and over.

Our Junior Rifle Program runs one evening a week for 8 weeks in the summer months and is provided for youths 12 years of age and over to learn firearm safety and sportsmanship with the .22 rifle.

The NRA and Friends of NRA supply the necessary equipment for these community service events and we supply the facilities and coaches. This enables us to offer these programs to the public free of charge.

Our NRA Certified Instructor offers the NRA Basic Pistol Class on a regular basis and has been getting a great response.

Franklin Revolver & Rifle Association, Inc., a proud NRA Gold Medal Club, had its humble beginnings in the early 1900s, incorporated in 1938 and is still going strong. Our 25 yard range is a covered outdoor range with panels that drop down in the cold weather so we can heat the shooting area. Monthly meetings are held in our comfortable clubhouse where we also get together several times a year for a potluck meal to enjoy each other’s company and cooking skills!

Check us out at our website: franklinrr.org

THE ROSS COUNTY CONSERVATION LEAGUE OF OHIO - VETERANS AND YOUTH PHEASANT HUNTS

Since 2016 The Ross County Conservation League of Ohio has provided pheasant hunting opportunities to 348 veterans. Since 2020 we have provided pheasant hunting opportunities to 145 youth between the ages of 10-17. The hunts are at no cost to the veterans or young people.

The pheasant hunts are sponsored with Ohio Department of Natural Resource competitive Wildlife Grant funds and matching RCCL club dollars. It is our desire to provide a quality outdoor experience in recognition of and with gratitude for the veteran's service. We also hope that the young people will enjoy themselves and adopt outdoor activities and conservation as a part of their future lifestyles and or careers.

Each event for the veterans includes an overnight stay, meals and practice shooting prior to the hunts. The youth hunts, which includes meals and practice shooting, are a one day event. The youth must be accompanied by an adult family member or guardian.

The hunts take place at the Holly Hills Upland Game Reserve, which has 220 acres of scenic hunting in beautiful southwest Ohio. The lodge comfortably accommodates 12

people with 6 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 2 dining rooms, full kitchen and an entertainment room with premium satellite TV.

The hunts are on weekends, start in late October and run through the end of March. Though most of our hunters are from Ohio, veterans have come from Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia and this year 2 have flown in from California!!!

For more information about the Ross County Conservation League and our Veterans / Youth Pheasant Hunts, please contact us at: rcclmembership@gmail.com

Youth & Ladies Hunting Camps

Submitted by Candy Yow Co-Host Extreme Desire TV Cabela's Pro-Staff Ladies Hunting Camp Oregon Access & Habitat Board

We are going on 10 years of putting on Hunting Camps for Ladies and Youth, and it is only getting bigger and better. Ladies from all across our Nation come to attend and learn the basics of Hunting Camps, as far as skills, safety, and encouragement to get out into the field. We started 10 years ago with 1 camp of 20 ladies at Luckiamute Valley Pheasants in Western Oregon, we have now grown to 5-6 camps a year with our largest camp at over 100.

Women have been a part of providing for their families since the beginning of time, but over time less women went hunting and it became known as a Man’s sport. This is changing now, and women are the fastest growing segment of the Outdoor industry. It feels so good to get out in God’s Country and hear and see the magic of the Outdoors and see and hear the wildlife. Nothing is more rewarding knowing that you can provide healthy meat to your family, that you are out doing what you love with the opportunity to fill the freezer. Raising our children and grandchildren to do the same is even more rewarding. With the world the way it is going I think everyone should know

how to harvest an animal to provide meat to their family. As well as raise a garden, know what is edible while out hunting, what is safe and what is not.

I believe that women make incredible hunters & shooters, but it is often difficult to learn from a husband, or family member. So, we created a group of instructors and volunteers to offer the training and skills in a non-judgmental environment. Our motto is “Inspire-Motivate-

Empower” and our statement is “Building confidence and defining strong women in the Hunting & Outdoors” and it is very important that our instructors stay on track with that during our Camps for both ladies and youth. Our Classes include Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun & Archery with Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced Classes. Along with Orienteering, Scouting & Tracking, Elk Calling, Skinning & Quartering large game, Tree Stands & Ground Blinds, Black Tail Hunting, Turkey Hunting, Back Country 1st Aid, what to put in your Pack,

Camp Set up, Firearm Familiarization, putting in for Tags, Using your OnXMap, and many more.

We keep the ladies moving along through their classes during the day, but always allow for some fun. We have Traeger Demo’s, Outdoor apparel & Conceal Carry Fashion Show, BBQ’s, Camp Fire’s, and lots more.

If you have ever wanted to hunt or shoot and haven’t taken that step, we can help, you will be super happy you did, few leave without wanting to come back every year. Many of the ladies are on at least their 5th year back or coming back as an instructor.

A huge part of our camps success is our sponsors both monetary as well as product, we are extremely loyal to our sponsors and their products as are the attendees of the camps. Sponsors include Weatherby, Leupold, Benchmade knives, Bravo Wall Tents, Oregon Hunters Association Bend Chapter, OHA Ochoco Chapter, RMEF, OnXmaps, Traeger Grills, Mtn Ops, Kryptek Outdoors, Kifaru International, Nosler, Phelps, Work Sharp, MDF, Glock, Bow Tech, Coast Products. We are not able to do this without them without raising the price of our camps, we don’t want to do that, we want to keep the price where everyone can afford it. If you would like to support our camp please reach out to me as we are hoping to grow even bigger!

You can find us on Facebook & Instagram under Ladieshuntingcamp, and Youthhuntingcamp. Our Web-site is currently www.ladieshunting.com but will change as we finalize to incorporate our new camps we are providing. Or just reach out to me yowhunter2@gmail.com if you have any questions. Candy Yow is from Central Oregon. She and her husband, Randy, are avid hunters and teach skills from basic outdoor practices to advanced rifle techniques to youths and women of all ages in their camps in Arizona, Wyoming, Oregon and beyond.

List of sponsors: Leupold Optics, Weatherby, Glock, Bow Tech, Nosler, OnxHunt, Mtn Ops, Benchmade Knives, Bravo Wall Tents, Kifaru Int., Kryptek, RMEF, MDF, OHA, Phelps Game Calls, Work Sharp

C ENTRAL FLORIDA NON-PROFIT GROUP TAKES UNPRECEDENTED STEP TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL CHILD SHOOTINGS

In-Gauge of Polk County, an NRA affiliated, non-profit organization, gave away, free of charge, 150 child gun safety locks at the 46th Annual Pioneer Days Heritage Festival, conduct the weekend of October 29th and 30 th , in Lake Wales, Florida.

In-Gauge of Polk County, located in Winter Haven, Florida participated in the Lake Wales 46 th Annual Pioneer Days Heritage Festival providing a booth that promoted firearm safety, emphasizing child gun safety, October 29-30, 2022.

As part of its involvement in the Festival, In-Gauge played a continuous loop of the NRA’s child gun safety Eddie Eagle GunSafe© video on a large screen TV. The Eddie Eagle GunSafe© program message is: See a gun: Stop! Don’t touch. Run away. Tell a grown -up.

Through a grant from the NRA, In-Gauge distributed free Eddie Eagle printed materials that included the Parent’s Guide to Gun Safety and kids activity books to adults and children who visited their booth.

In addition, In-Gauge provided free gun safety locks to all adults who wanted one. In the two-day period, 150 gun safety locks, donated by Wild Wild West Arms of Lake Hamilton, Florida, were given away.

It is estimated that over 1,000 persons visited the In-Gauge booth and were provided Eddie Eagle GunSafe© Program materials.

For further information, contact: In-Gauge of Polk County 6039 Cypress Gardens Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33884 863-206- 1996

NRA’s Refuse To Be A Victim® Program Across America

Across the nation the NRA is spreading information to help people be safer in their daily lives. Refuse To Be A Victim® is taught by NRA Certified Instructors who have a passion to help their communities avoid being a victim of crime. Criminals typically target those who are an easy mark. Tips and techniques are shared in the seminars covering self-awareness in our daily activities to making our homes safer. This program has been recognized by many states and national government agencies for its positive impact on our communities.

In the last few months the NRA has sponsored two larger Instructor Development Workshops in Colorado Springs, Colorado and in Tempe, Arizona. These were presented by Executive Counselor Ed O’Carroll and supported by the local law enforcement agencies in those areas. The attendees left excited to help their communities become less vulnerable by teaching them what they had learned. We are glad to add them to our nationwide team of Certified Instructors.

Refuse To Be A Victim® is valuable to all ages and walks of life. There isn’t anyone who couldn’t benefit from the information that is shared. In-person seminars and Instructor Development Workshops are scheduled throughout the year all across America. These can be found at https:// www.nrainstructors. org. There are also online Instructor Development Workshops available at https://onlinetraining.nra. org/. We look forward to continuing to improve and grow this message in the future.

To find out more about how you can Refuse To Be A Victim, visit our website at https://rtbav.nra.org/.

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:

The Lockton Affinity Outdoor Insurance program is administered by Lockton

LLC

#0795478. Coverage is subject to actual policy terms and conditions. Policy benefits are the sole responsibility

Coverage is provided by an excess/surplus lines insurer which is not licensed by or subject to the supervision of the insurance department of your state of residence. Policy coverage forms and rates are not subject to regulation by the insurance department of your state of residence. Excess/Surplus lines insurers do not generally participate in state guaranty funds and therefore insureds are not protected by such funds in the event of the insurer’s insolvency. The National Rifle Association will receive a royalty fee for the licensing of its name and trademarks as part of the insurance program offered to the extent permitted by applicable law. Not available in all states.

Affinity,

d/b/a Lockton Affinity Insurance Brokers, LLC in California

of the issuing insurance company.

Oklahoma City Gun Club hosts Women On Target ®

Submitted by Suzi Rouse, President Oklahoma City Gun Club

In December 1999, I was asked to appear before the Board of Directors of Oklahoma City Gun Club (“OKCGC”) to discuss how to get more women involved in shooting sports. At that time, my husband and I had been members for a couple years and were active in cowboy action shooting and bench rest shooting divisions. The presence of women on a shooting range was sparse in 1999 and my objective was to figure out a way to generate an interest while providing a welcoming and safe environment. Walking into that board meeting not knowing how I was going to be received was unnerving and overwhelming. Of course all my worrying was for naught, as the Board voted unanimously to create the first ever Women’s Division.

With the full support of the OKCGC, the first thing I did was contact the NRA’s Training Division. I wanted to have women instructors training women shooters. It just so happened the NRA had recently created the Women on Target program. The timing was perfect and the information and training materials were invaluable in getting our inaugural women’s instructional shooting program off the ground. In addition, I contacted our local FNRA chapter, applied, and received a grant to train 10 women instructors in pistol, rifle and shotgun and a separate grant to cover the costs of the shooting clinic.

Fifty-seven women attended the launch of our first Women on Target instructional shooting clinic in September 2000. Word quickly spread of the opportunity to learn about shooting sports and firearms safety taught by women for women. The format for the shooting clinic has changed very little over the years. The women receive one-on-one instruction on four different ranges consisting of 22 rifles, shotguns handguns and AR-15s. All targets are interactive and require no movement downrange to reset targets. Although I hope each participant continues with shooting after they attend the clinic, my primary goal is for them to have a positive experience in trying multiple shooting disciplines, while gaining basic firearms safety knowledge. Thousands of women from Oklahoma, other states and foreign countries have attended, including the first female Governor of Oklahoma, Mary Fallin.

The first Saturday after Labor Day became the standing date for our Women on Target shooting clinic and registration more than doubled in 2001. With attendance reaching 400-500 women year after year, the success of the event was evident. Early pre-registration and waiting lists became a constant.

Fast forward to today and we are preparing for our 24th Annual NRA Women on Target instructional shooting clinic September 9, 2023. We have been incredibly fortunate to have local county, city and state law enforcement agencies assist on the firing line; however, it is the members of the OKCGC that have continued to believe in this program and see the need to ensure firearms safety, education and shooting sports be shared in a format designed by women for women!

Get more information on Women On Target in your area by visiting our website at https://wot.nra.org/

Granbury Marine

Corps

squads captured first place at the Comanche Peak Cup match on October 6-8, at Granbury

JROTC rifle team

High School.

The first-place team made up of Caroline Martin, Julia CZernik, Ashton Arlington, And Sunnee Schumann shot a 2361 168x, only 6 points off their previously set national record. In addition to the 1st place win in the team category, Granbury MCJROTC Purple and White placed 6th, and 7th respectively.

On the podium individually, Granbury had Caroline Martin leading the pack in qualification with a 597 51x, which is also a new MCJROTC 3-Position Individual National Record, right behind her placing third was Kameron Wells with a 591 33x, and in fourth was Julia Czernik with a 589 40x. Ashton Arlington and Sunnee Schumann were also in the top ten shooting scores of 588 35x and 587 42x respectively. Martin, Wells, and Czernik all moved onto the precision finals where Czernik took home the gold medal, Martin took home the silver medal, and Wells finished in 7th place.

This match is only the beginning of the long road to the 6th straight National Championship title Granbury MCJROTC is hoping to earn this March at JROTC Nationals. Next the Lady Pirates will battle Camden County NJROTC virtually in the second Orion National Air Rifle League Match of the season this Thursday afternoon.

Members of the GHS rifle team are - Ashton Arlington, Caroline Martin, Sunnee Schumann, Julia Czernik, Cadince McGrath, Kameron Wells, Mackenzie Melvin, Caylynn Price, Kennedy Wells, Viola Allen, Kaylenn Jackson, Ainsley Milligan and Mataya Turner.

2022 Recap:

Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Texas State Rifle Association has had a busy year. We have held 10 state championship matches, awarded 5 scholarships, hosted two major events and 2 hunts, and we have implemented many changes in our office. We are extremely proud of the year we have had and look forward to 2023 where we will continue to build on the improvements that have been made to our organization.

In January 2022, we began holding our state championship matches. During this past year, we have had over 300 adult participants and 140 junior participants. Starting with the Air and Smallbore Rifle discipline, Hannah Muegge and Guy Taylor led our junior participants in 3 different state matches. Then the TSRA Service Rifle Team was awarded the Soldier of Marathon Trophy and several members of our team were named to the honorary Elihu Root team at their championship match. The team picked up several individual awards including the Police Trophy award and the Pietroforte Trophy won by Justin Utley. Our other teams competing in matches this year included Outdoor Pistol, Cowboy Action, Cowboy Lever Action, High Power – long range, and Garand, Police Pistol, and our BB Gun Team represented by the Gillespie, Montgomery, and Blanco County 4-H teams for a total of 11 matches. We are so proud of our competitors and their accomplishments this year.

Every year TSRA and the TSRA Foundation awards deserving students a total of 10 scholarships. We awarded 4 outstanding students the George E. Tubb Scholarship, and the TSRA Endowed Scholarship fund awarded 6 scholarships. The George E. Tubb Scholarship is limited to those attending Texas A&M, but the other scholarships are open to students attending any accredited Texas University or College. Those awards included the Paul Bartlett Memorial Scholarship, Kitty Benson Memorial Scholarship, and the Sportsman Scholarship. Congratulations to all the winners and we are incredibly proud of their achievements.

This year TSRA held two major events. In January, we sponsored a Bastrop Chamber Alive After Five mixer for the community and had over 60 people come to our new headquarters location. We appreciate the local chamber for hosting the event especially after we had just put up our new signs! Additionally, we hosted our annual general meeting which included committee meetings on Friday with the day culminating in our 2A Ricochet Gala fundraiser for the TSRAPAC. It was a resounding success with over $22,000 raised to support our legislative efforts. The next day we had our member’s meeting/luncheon with Bastrop County Sheriff Maurice Cook as our keynote speaker, and then ended the weekend with our annual board meeting where new officers and directors were elected. In addition to these events, our Executive Director attended many more events including but not limited to the Dallas Safari Club show, the NRA Convention, rotary meetings, and club luncheons. We are excited to be getting back out into the community and sharing TSRA’s initiatives.

In addition to our events, we held two hunts for the winners of our drawings. The first was the Women’s Hunt which was held on two different dates due to scheduling conflicts.

Both weekends were a great success, and our Executive Director was able to attend a lunch with the ladies on the second hunt. The next hunt we held was just this past October for our youth hunt drawing winners. That hunt encompassed one weekend of fun for the kids. We are grateful for our Hunting Director Bob Boswell who generously donates his ranch every year for the drawings.

Finally, we are making a lot of internal upgrades to our organization. This year we hired a new Sportsman Editor/Membership Coordinator and shifted job duties to better accommodate our employees’ talents. With the new leadership at the Sportsman, we are improving the magazine and focusing on different themes to keep our readers engaged. We are looking at bringing back our recruiter incentive program next year but most importantly, we are upgrading our website/ membership management system for 2023 so that members will have easier access to their

information and potential new members will have an easier time joining our organization. Along the way, we hope that this will help our field recruiters and volunteers at various shows around the state sign up new members. In the meantime, please continue to visit our website, and the TSRA booths at special events and visit us in the office if you are ever in Bastrop. We appreciate all your comments so please continue to send those to us as well so that we can continue to improve and grow the organization.

To find out more about the Texas State Rifle Association, visit their website at https://tsra.com/

2022 Outstanding Achievement Youth Award Winners Announced

The NRA’s Outstanding Achievement Youth Awards were recently awarded to three well deserving members of our shooting sports community. This award is for youth 13 to 21 years of age who are actively involved in their community and shooting sports. These youth are accomplished in both academics and their sport. The OAYA encourages youth to participate in the many opportunities and events that are supported by the NRA.

The 1st Place National Award winner is Allison Klavuhn from Clearville, Pennsylvania. She has competed with the Everett Sportsman Junior Rifle Club and Everett Rifle Team. She began shooting in Kindergarten and has developed her skill throughout the years. Now she uses those skills to lead by example to the up and coming juniors in the club. She has helped lead her team to four consecutive Pennsylvania Smallbore Championships, as well as two consecutive Pennsylvania Air Rifle Championships and two consecutive Pennsylvania Prone Championships. She is in the top 10 in the state of Pennsylvania for individual small bore. She has won a gold medal as an individual in air rifle.

The 2nd Place National Award winner is Allison Buesseler from Stacy, Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Centershots. She has been competing in the shooting sports for at least 10 years. She has achieved being the Minnesota 3P State Champion, Minnesota 4P Junior State Champion, Minnesota 60 Shot Air State Champion and NRA National Sporter Sub-Jr Champion in addition to other awards and records.

The 3rd Place National Award winner is Jeffrey Phillips from Wilburn, Arkansas. He is a member of the Cleburne County Shooting Sports Inc team. He is involved with the Cleburne County 4-H Shooting Sports as well. He has competed and excelled in the NRA’s Youth Hunter Education Challenge competitions. In the 2019 Senior 4-H Shooting Sports Range Events Championships he won the Sportsmanship Award, Overall Senior Individual, First Place in Archery, Second Place in Pellet Pistol and 2nd Place in Hunting Skills. He then placed Fifth Nationally individually at the 2019 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships.

We hope that the leadership skills and abilities they have cultivated through shooting sports will take them far in their endeavors. We look forward to seeing their achievements in the future. If you have a candidate that would like to apply for the 2023 Outstanding Youth Achievement Award please visit the NRA Awards website at https://awards.nra.org or email us at OAYAProgram@nrahq.org.

NRA’s Free Online Hunter Education Course Recognized by the Tennessee Fish & Wildlife Commission

Fairfax, Va. - The National Rifle Association of America was pleased to present a donation of $173,911 to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency for their residents’ use of NRA’s awardwinning, free online hunter education course. Peter Churchbourne, Director of the NRA Hunters’ Leadership Forum, presented a ceremonial check during a meeting of the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission on September 16, 2022, in Spencer, TN.

“We are so grateful for the partnership with NRA to provide completely online and free hunter education for all Tennesseans,” said Jenifer Wisniewski, Director of Marketing and Special Projects for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. “This course is truly cutting-edge and the best course out there for someone looking to get their hunter education online. We are also grateful for the funding that the agency receives as a result of our residents taking this course.”

The funds received by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency can be used to apply for PittmanRobertson grants that would result in the state receiving over $521,000 in federal matching funds to support hunting, conservation, and shooting programs in Tennessee.

“We are pleased that the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency adopted our free alternative for hunter education and that they capitalized on the opportunity to use the match to receive Pittman-Robertson funds,” said Mr. Churchbourne. “It is good to see all the hard work come full circle to benefit their agency and their state’s residents."

Designed and provided by the organization that built the first-ever hunter education program in the United States in 1949, the NRA Hunter Education online course offers a fresh and fully comprehensive approach to hunter education. The 15-chapter, online sequence features attention-grabbing videos, eye-catching graphics and diagrams, interactive modules, audio recordings and dozens of action photos presented in appealing, and easy-to-access components that provide the best method for teaching future hunters lessons they will remember for the rest of their lives.

To take the NRA Hunter Education online course or learn more, visit NRAHE.org.

Opportunistic Biden Continues to Promote Failed Gun Control

Whatever else can be said of Joe Biden as a politician, he has been consistent and unwavering on at least one point: he wants to take your guns. Make no mistake: Left to his own devices, that is exactly what he will do.

Joe Biden’s political party just lost control of the U.S. House of Representatives, and it still holds less than half of the governorships across the United States. But anyone who thinks Biden will moderate or revise his policies during the second half of his term doesn’t know the former Delaware senator. When confronted after the election with poll results showing 3/4 of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction and asked what he would do differently before his re-election campaign, Biden said: “Nothing. … I’m not going to change anything in any fundamental way.”

Biden also took the opportunity during those same remarks – which ironically emphasized his supposed commitment to civility and unity – to reiterate his determination to ban what he calls “assault weapons” and what America’s Second Amendment supporters simply call “guns.” “I am going to ban assault weapons,” Biden said, “or try like the devil.”

More specifically, Joe Biden wants to ban the AR-15, the most popular rifle platform in the country today. To suggest that this is somehow a unifying or civil thing to do, or even something that will appreciably lower violent crime, is simply false.

Joe Biden, of course, is not known for speaking the truth. But when one theme appears so often and so consistently in a politician’s messaging, there comes a point at which it cannot safely be ignored. When it comes to Biden and gun bans, things are well beyond that point. The NRA has been warning Americans of that throughout Biden’s term in the in the White House, including here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

The balance of power in both the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate is closely divided. When Democrats controlled the House during the first half of Biden’s term, they passed the most sweeping gun ban in the nation’s history. While that legislation did not make it to Biden’s desk, another expansive gun control bill did. But far from satisfying gun control advocates, that bill merely provoked their calls for even greater restrictions, with far-ranging bans on firearms and magazines at the top of the list.

If any lesson emerged for Second Amendment supporters from the 2022 midterm elections, it is that the fight must continue. Now is no time to get comfortable or complacent. To ensure you are getting the most up-todate information on federal gun-related legislation, sign-up for Grassroots alerts at https://www.nraila.org/ sign-up/.

Travel with Confidence

Emergency Assistance Plus ® (EA+ ®) is an emergency travel assistance program that provides critical services if you were to get sick or hurt while traveling in the U.S. or around the world. With one call, members can activate an essential package of support services, all vital in an emergency.

• Emergency Medical Evacuation by ground or air ambulance, if deemed medically necessary, to get you to a more appropriate hospital

• Transportation Home after hospitalization via a one-way airline ticket

• Nurse Escort provided, if deemed medically necessary, to help ensure members get ongoing medical care during their trip home

• Vehicle Return if your documented medical condition prohibits it

• Plus 20 More Travel Assistance Services including: Return of Traveling Companion, Repatriation, and Prescription Replacement Assistance!

“The doctor told me my injury required surgery ... that’s when we called EA +. They arranged and provided, at no cost to me, airline tickets home for me and my husband, and also a nurse to care for me on the trip back! EA + kept their promise and got us home safely.”

NRA Approved Emergency Assistance Plus Program Call 1-888-310-0909 or visit www.nraapprovedservices.com/emergency-assistance-plus

*This is only an outline of the plan’s features. Hospitalization (admitted as an inpatient) is a requirement to be eligible for some services. All services must be arranged and provided by EA +. Please read your Member Guide carefully to understand all the services available to you, as well as any rules and regulations

NRA Member dues or contributions are not used for this promotion, program or any other related expenses.

Anita F., EA+ Member

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 P.O.Box 519 Elizabeth, CO 80107 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

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 702-353-5935 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

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

NRA Clubs & Associations • 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 • clubs.nra.org

NRA Affiliated State Associations

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

PA RIFLE & PISTOL ASS'N 10569 Allentown Blvd. Annville, PA 17003 info@myprpa.com www.myprpa.com

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 PO Box 956 Pierre, SD 570501 605-254-2486 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 802-535-7111 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 253-439-8622 www.wsrpa.net

WV STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOC. PO Box 553 Charles Town, WV 25414 304-539-2944 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

NRA Clubs & Associations • 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 • clubs.nra.org

Spring 2018 • NRA CLUB CONNECTION

Director of Field Staff

NRA Field Representative Directory

Bryan Hoover bhoover@nrahq.org

EASTERN REGION

Eastern Regional Director David Wells dwells@nrahq.org

Area 2 (NY, CT, MA, ME, NH, VT, RI) Bruce McGowan bmcgowan@nrahq.org

Area 4 (DE, NJ, Eastern PA) Greg Nyce gnyce@nrahq.org

Area 5 (Western PA) Bob Tekavec rtekavec@nrahq.org

Area 7 (WV, Western VA, Western MD, KY) Michael Swackhamer mswackhamer@nrahq.org

Area 14 (IN) Josh Toennessen jtoennessen@nrahq.org

Area 45 (DC, Eastern MD, Eastern VA) Tom Eshelman teshelman@nrahq.org

Area 49 (OH) Marc Peugeot mpeugeot@nrahq.org

Area 51 (MI) Allan Herman aherman@nrahq.org

CENTRAL REGION

Central Regional Director Donald Higgs dhiggs@nrahq.org

Area 17 (WI) Tylor Flynn tflynn@nrahq.org

Area 18 (IL) Jason Wolfe jwolfe@nrahq.org

Area 19 (MO) Tim Besancenez tbesancenez@nrahq.org

Area 20 (OK, KS) Vacant

Area 21 (MN, ND) Eric Linder elinder@nrahq.org

Area 23 (IA, NE) Dennis Conger dconger@nrahq.org

Area 29 (WY, SD) Logan Duff lduff@nrahq.org

(CO,

SOUTHERN REGION

Area 9 (SC, Eastern NC) Steve Slavik sslavik@nrahq.org

Area 10 (GA, AL, MS) Greg Brown gbrown@nrahq.org

Area 26 (Southern & Western TX)

Area 39 (AR, LA) Alex Campbell acampbell@nrahq.org

Area 42 (NCW) Phil Martin pmartin@nrahq.org

Area 43 (TN) Tom Knight tknight@nrahq.org

Area 44 (Eastern & Northern TX) Liz Foley efoley@nrahq.org

Area

(FL)

11250 Waples Mill Road

Fairfax, VA 22030

Did you know NRA Offers Free Memberships for Active Duty Members of the United States Armed Forces?

The NRA proudly supports the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who defend freedom both at home and abroad. As a small token of our appreciation of their sacrifice, NRA is now providing free-of-charge NRA memberships to our nation’s active-duty service personnel. If you have a loved one or friend now serving on active duty who might like to receive a free membership, please invite them to visit our special website at www.NRA.org/ActiveDuty and sign up today. These free memberships are available due to the generosity of patriotic members of the NRA family. Thank you for helping recognize and honor our Nation’s heroes.

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!

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experience visit EDDIEEAGLE.COM and watch Eddie’s video and take his challenge!