The following is a special from Huntingtonnews.net:

Chief Logan Shooting Range to be Dedicated

The Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) has completed construction of a shooting range at Chief Logan Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Logan County. “The development of a shooting range in this region of Southern West Virginia has been one of our agency’s top priorities for several years,” noted WVDNR Director Frank Jezioro. “I’m confident this public shooting range facility will receive a great deal of use by the citizens of Logan and the surrounding counties.”

A special dedication of the Chief Logan Shooting Range is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010, at 10 a.m. The ceremony will be held at the Chief Logan Recreation Center located .5 miles off U.S. Route 119.

The completed range has eight shooting benches with a covered shelter. Target frames are located at 25, 50 and 100 yards. Approximately one mile of access road was upgraded, and a parking area for 10 vehicles was constructed adjacent to the range. “This range will provide a safe and convenient location for hunters to ‘zero in’ their rifles,” Jezioro said. “Other shooting enthusiasts will enjoy these public facilities as well.”

The range complex has a parking space and bench accessible for physically challenged shooters. The total cost for the construction of the shooting range complex was approximately $70,000, and the range was constructed with assistance from the following businesses and organizations:

• The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) provided the WVDNR with a $25,000 grant to support construction of the shooting range.
• The Logan Area Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) provided a $1,000 grant to support construction of the range.
• Mine Lifeline, LLC donated equipment and an operator to assist in the grading of the access road and the shooting range site.
• Jaunt, Inc. donated equipment and stone for construction purposes.
• Logan County Mine Service, a subsidiary of Massey Energy, donated hydro-seeding services to re-vegetate sites disturbed during construction.
• West Virginia Paving donated pavement millings that were used to help stabilize the access road leading to the range.

Read the rest of the article.

This event raised funds for the NRA Foundation, supporting educational programs including the Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program.

From TriValleyCentral.com:

Nice turnout for Friends of NRA Tuneup

The Pinal County Friends of NRA annual Tuneup Shoot held at the Casa Grande Trap Club Sunday was well attended. The event gives shotgun hunters a chance to hone their skills on flying clay targets before dove and quail seasons roll around. It also serves as a fundraiser for the NRA Foundation.

“We had 60 participants at this year’s fun and tuneup event, and that’s double what we had at the same time last year,” said Dale Cassity, Friends of NRA committee member. “We had more than a dozen kids participate and several more women attended over what we had last year. This is truly a great family event, and everyone had fun.

“We had a variety of people attend. Many were seasoned shooters that wanted to sharpen their skills for the coming hunting season, and we had a few who had never fired a shotgun before, and they were able to learn some trap and skeet shooting skills from the coaches we had out here. We had some others that just wanted to watch, to see what this sport is all about.

“We’re thankful to the Casa Grande Trap Club for allowing us to host this event here. As a reminder, the club hosts practice sessions out here every Monday night, and they’ll even open up the facility for parties of four or more that want to come out and try their hand at trap and skeet.”

According to Cassity, the event that was held Sunday was to raise funds for the NRA Foundation so that it can continue its educational and safety programs, such as Eddie Eagle and Refuse To Be a Victim. 

From Illinois' TribLocal.com, we learn about two youth groups who recently received generous NRA Foundation grants.

The area's Shooting Sports Committee Chair Tom Petrik says the $5000 grant is making a big difference for the youth: "Every grant we get is a step in the right direction for being able to provide all the program materials for all the age groups,” Petrik said.

Local Youth Receive Grants to Help Them Teach Shooting Sports

Two Venturing Crews of the Northwest Suburban Council in Mt. Prospect, IL, have each received a grant from the Friends of NRA state grant fund for Illinois. Both Crews of youth and their adult leaders will use the equipment to increase their ability to teach shooting sports at the Boy Scout camps they serve.

Venturing is the newest program of the Boy Scouts of America, and provides programs of citizenship, leadership, service, community & family, outdoors, and fitness. Each Crew decides whether they want to be all female, all male, or co-ed. The youth who make up these Venturing Crews are 14 to 21 years old, adult leaders over 21. Venturing participants learn the skills for their specialty through leadership, group activities, adult association, recognition, high adventure and by teaching others.

Crew 477, composed of the staff at Camp Napowan in Wild Rose, WI, received a $5000 grant that will allow them to purchase some new firearms and archery equipment for their rifle, archery, and shotgun ranges at the camp. Crew 478, comprised of the staff for Camp Lakota, Woodstock, IL, also received a $5000 grant that will allow them to purchase some pellet guns for older Scouts to use, gun vaults for equipment storage and a lockable ammunition cabinet. In addition, they will receive both youth and adult bows and assorted archery equipment to use at their camp, equipment that is also loaned out to local scout districts to hold Day Camp programs for Cub Scouts.

Read the entire story.

If you're in the northern Illinois area, check out the upcoming Friends of NRA banquet, set for September 30 at Atlantis Banquets in Arlington Heights.

An NRA Day event in Wisconsin was recently featured in the Columbus Journal. Sponsored by the Dodge County Friends of NRA, the event allowed area families to try their hand and the shooting sports and enjoy a day of family fun.

Sportsman's association holds family day

NRA Family Day was held July 31 at the Columbus Sportsman's Association (CSA), sponsored by Dodge County Friends of the NRA.

After a safety briefing, families were given hands-on instruction for shooting shotguns, single action shooting (cowboy), pistol and rifle by volunteer instructors associated with the Dodge County Friends of the NRA and CSA members.

Camp Director Steve Steinbeck would like to thank the volunteers who made the event possible: Rick Tebeest, Art Nevinf, Jerry Quiesser, DuWayne Kuenzi, Irene Pawlisch, Paul Mayer and Mike Fredricks.

NRA Day is an annual summer event at CSA made possible by the volunteers, NRA and CSA support.

Jamie Henning of Beaver Dam shared how he had not hunted or shot since childhood and had learned about the event at a recent hunter safety course in Beaver Dam that he had taken with his son in hopes of returning to the woods. During the day he told everyone, "Next year, we are bringing my wife. She would love this." Henning's word of the day was, "Wow!"

This day provided an opportunity for people to experience all kinds of firearm disciplines unfamiliar to them in a safe educational range environment. There was a good deal of friendly competition for bragging rights between spouses and siblings at some stations, making it a fun relaxed day for everyone.

Because the Friends of the NRA supports the 4-H shooting sports projects, a special invitation went out to Columbia County 4-H families to use the day to explore shooting sports. Starting in January 2011, CSA will be offering 4-H courses in wildlife/ecology, air pistol and archery. Any 4-H youth may participate as long as they are registered in that specific shooting sports project. Go to www.csa12.com for the complete 4-H shooting sports schedule, including rifle and muzzle loader.

Continue reading here.

Interested in attending a NRA Day event? Find one in your area.

My name is "Coach" Jerry and I help teach youth about firearm safety, rifle marksmanship, and coach competitive precision smallbore/air rifle. I am also a Friends of NRA volunteer.

People always want to know what happens to the money raised by the efforts of Friends of NRA. They know half the money goes to local and state programs and the other half goes to national programs, but they don’t often hear from the clubs and organizations directly affected by the support of the Friends of NRA and The NRA Foundation.

I hope I can shed light on how valuable the money raised by this program is through my story of our grant to broaden and improve the Blue Water Sportsman's Association's Junior Smallbore Division (BWSA Jr SB Division) in Port Huron, Mich.

I've been with the BWSA Jr SB Division since 2001 when my son started shooting with the club. When we joined the program the equipment included precision smallbore rifles, military surplus web slings, mats, ammo and targets hung on a cable.

Early on we recognized we needed to round out our equipment if we wanted to truly offer our youth an opportunity to learn marksmanship and experience the educational benefits of competition. More...

NRA grant assists S&R with new equipment

WINNEMUCCA — A recent grant from the Humboldt River Friends of the NRA will allow the Humboldt County Search & Rescue team to expand on their ability to go mobile in the outlying areas of the county.

The total amount awarded was $10,596.25, which was used to purchase a Yamaha Rhino 450 and an ATV trailer, both of which were purchased locally.

Sheriff Ed Kilgore said the Yamaha has already been put to the test in a search for a reported missing person on Monday (June 14). The missing man was safely located.

Undersheriff Curtiss Kull noted that over the last couple of the months the Humboldt County S&R has been involved in several rescues of lost or stranded persons.

Highlighting the need for the new vehicle, he pointed out these rescues have been conducted in very isolated areas of the county as well as a neighboring county (Elko).

He commented, “To access some of these very out-of-the-way locations, it is necessary for the Search and Rescue Unit to utilize other methods than just four wheel drive trucks or SUV’s.”

The members of the Humboldt County S&R applied for the grant last October to assist in purchasing equipment. The actual title of the grant was “The National Rifle Association Foundation, Humboldt River Friends of the NRA.”

This is the second grant the HCSO S&R Unit has applied for from the NRA. Last year the Unit received a grant from the NRA Foundation for $16,125.

Continue reading.

The NRA Foundation is the country’s leading charitable organization in support of the shooting sports, awarding more than $140 million since its inception in 1990. Learn more about the NRA Foundation. 

If you've been following the NRAblog coverage of the 2010 Annual Meeting in Charlotte, you know this year was a BIG year for every division of the NRA. The NRA Foundation's events – a banquet Thursday night and brunch Friday – broke records on all fronts. Thanks to Sarah Young in NRA's Field Operations Division for sharing the following story with NRAblog:

Auctions Aim High

The commotion of the crowds playing games, bidding on silent auction items, and playing the raffle tables brought the newly christened ballroom to life. From the youngest child to the most senior attendee, the evening boasted something for everyone. Games kept attendees engaged with unique take-away items like the custom NRA toy truck, the Sack-Up gun sleeve, long-stem red roses, Friends of NRA shot glasses, silver bullets and shotshells...

Renowned auctioneer Bill Elrod captivated the crowd’s attention with his spectacular abilities and some outstanding merchandise. Many items were a fierce battle to the final bid, and the amounts raised exceeded expectations. An exclusive Kimber Centennial Edition 45 ACP customized with the NRA seal caught the eye of a telephone bidder in March who secured a closed bid of $10,100 before the doors opened making him the highest bidder on a firearm that night. The much-awaited "Second Amendment" 1950 Chevrolet Pick-up truck, pictured at right, was auctioned off to the highest bidder of the night at $35,000.

Sportsmen’s Auction – Sponsored by Leupold

For the sixth year, The NRA Foundation hosted the Sportsmen’s Auction, an event specifically catered to hunters, fishermen, and outdoorsmen. When the attendees walked in on May 14, they knew this brunch was the start to an action-filled day at NRA Annual Meetings, and the Foundation made sure to start the day off well.

With a record 21 hunts offered during the live and silent auction, there was no shortage of opportunities for the avid hunter or the novice fisherman to live their dream. In addition to the wide array of hunts, attendees had their pick of firearms and outdoor merchandise to compliment their next trip.

The highlight of the auction was a Buck Commander Bow signed by veteran Braves’ player and Buck Commander star, Chipper Jones...  Attendees left the brunch energized for the day and equipped with new gear for their next adventure. Each and every attendee helped make a difference in the future of the shooting sports in America, and The NRA Foundation is thankful and proud that the Sixth Annual Sportsmen’s Auction was another memorable event for all.

Read more here.

NRA grant helps York’s JROTC

Learning to shoot straight is kind of important for anyone interested in a military career, and with help from small grants from the National Rifle Association Senior Chief Scott Moss is finding it a little easier to teach that skill to his Navy Junior ROTC students.

In the past three years the YCHS NJROTC program got a total of $3,500 from the national gun rights organization through its NRA Teach Freedom Foundation grants program. Two years ago the group got a $2,000 grant, this year it secured another $1,500.

“With that (grant money) and some other money we raised we bought 10 $400 air rifles,” Moss said. v The rifles are used by the 8-12 member Marksmanship Team selected from the approximately 170 NJROTC students. The team has been competing in Civilain Marksmanship Program competitions for the last 17 years ever since Lt. Cmdr. John Hollifield started the program.

“When we started the program 17 years ago, the Navy provided funds for bottom of the line air rifles,” Moss said. “The NRA grant allowed us to buy some top of the line models.” v In additiuon to the rifles, the group also has purchased spotting scopes, shooting stands and competition pellets for the guns.

Continue reading here.

Weston Trap Club improves facility for its guests

Even though the weather was nice for the Weston Trap Club's Amateur Trap Association registered shoot May 15 and 16, just as many people watched the action from inside the club house as outside.

The club house recently was renovated with six large picture windows on the south side overlooking the shooting field.

"We received a lot of positive feedback from people that have been here before for other shoots. They love the view and being able to see the shooters on the lines," said Joe Kostyn, the secretary of the club.

The new view was paid for with grant money the club received in 2009 from the Friends of the National Rifle Association. The club also expanded the clubhouse and added a classroom, office, registration area and rest rooms with showers.

"With the new facilities, everything operated flawlessly," said ATA co-chairman Russ Slaby.

New York State Friends of NRA Communications Director Bradd Vickers (left) with Greene Rod & Gun Club President Nick Freije.

The Greene Rod and Gun Club is a small sportsman's club located in rural upstate New York on 94 acres of land.

The Club recently received one of the largest grants awarded this year in NYS by the NRA foundation. The local club regularly holds registered ATA shoots, trap, skeet and 5 stand leagues, as well as being the home base of the “Border Rangers,” a cowboy action shooter competition. They also offer free use of the club to the Greene Police Department, Boys Scouts, North American Versatile Hunting Dogs of America (NAVHDA), hunter safety courses and youth educational projects. They annually donate to the Greene Lions Club, Rotary Club, and award a scholarship to the Greene High School. They also open their facility to the public for a fishing derby at the well stocked on-site pond for youth five to ten years old.

A contractor recently purchased the land adjacent to the club with plans of residential development. This has forced the club to move five ranges so that they can comply with the "500 feet law."

This involves clearing and grading land, building berms, and constructing a new shelter, shooting benches and a storage building. The grounds will also have to be limed and seeded. The cost of this project is approximately $25,000 to $30,000.  

“We greatly appreciate the $5,000.00 grant from The NRA Foundation [which] will help offset some of the expense,” Greene Rod & Gun Club President Nick Freije said. “When Bradd explained how important it was for us to participate in the Friends of the NRA fundraising banquet, we really didn’t expect to see this much money come back to the community.”

More...

The Item out of Sumter, South Carolina just ran a story about NRA Grants and a South Carolina school's sporting clay team:

NRA grant to help REL clay shooters

BISHOPVILLE - The National Rifle Association Foundation has awarded Robert E. Lee Academy a grant of $2,500 to support the school's sporting clay team.

Headmaster Phillip Rizzo said the funding will be used to buy ammunition for the school's clay shooters.

"Clay shooting can get expensive," Rizzo said. "Just for shells, ammunition runs about $40 to $50 for one shooter during a competition."

Rizzo said all costs associated with clay shooting are the responsibility of the students.

"The grant won't pay for registration," Rizzo said. "That's something the students are responsible to pay for. We just don't have the money in our budget."

Rizzo said he hopes the grant will encourage other students to participate in the sport. About a dozen students recently competed in the South Carolina Youth Shooting Foundation state championship, he said.

Read the rest of the story here.

Greene, NY Sportsman's Club Gets NRA Foundation Grant 

A small sportsman's club in rural upstate New York, with 94 acres of land, recently received one of the largest grants awarded this year in NYS by the NRA foundation. The local club regularly holds registered ATA shoots, trap, skeet and 5 stand leagues, as well as being the home base of the “Border Rangers,” a cowboy action shooter competition. They also offer free use of the club to the Greene Police Department, Boys Scouts, North American Versatile Hunting Dogs of America (NAVHDA), hunter safety courses and youth educational projects. They annually donate to the Greene Lions Club, Rotary Club, and award a scholarship to the Greene High School. They also open their facility to the public for a fishing derby at the well stocked on-site pond for youth 5 to 10 years old.

A contractor recently purchased the land adjacent to the club with plans of residential development. This has forced the club to move 5 ranges so that they can comply with the "500 feet law". This involves clearing and grading land, building berms, and constructing a new shelter, shooting benches and a storage building. The grounds will also have to be limed and seeded. The cost of this project would be approximately $25,000 to $30,000. The Greene Rod & Gun Club President, Nick Freije said “We greatly appreciate the $5,000.00 grant from the NRA Foundation, this will help offset some of the expense.” “When Bradd Vickers, last year’s local Chenango County FNRA committee chair, explained how important it was for us to participate in the Friends of the National Rifle Association (FNRA) fundraising banquet, we really didn’t expect to see this much money come back to the community.”

Thanks to Nicole McMahon for forwarding this article to us. Originally published at TuscaloosaNews.com, it mentions the Tuscaloosa County Friends of NRA chapter banquet scheduled for May 6 and takes a good look at what the funds raised at Friends of NRA banquets accomplish:

Friends of the NRA banquet

With the help of the Friends of the NRA, Camp Horne has new shotgun and rifle ranges.

The Friends of the NRA generates proceeds for the NRA Foundation. It's not the National Rifle Association's political wing. It focuses on firearms education and safety by providing grants to organizations like the Boy Scouts and 4H.

'Because of these grants, the council was able to secure a grant to construct the new ranges,' said Chris Mehaffey, senior finance director and program specialist for the Black Warrior Council of Boy Scouts of America. 'Since these facilities and equipment have been donated, the number of youth participating in the shooting sports programs has increased and completion of rifle and shotgun merit badges has increased as well.'

The primary fund-raising vehicle for the foundation is Friends of the NRA Banquets held throughout the country. The Tuscaloosa County Friends of the NRA chapter will hold its banquet May 6 at the Belk Activity Center in Bowers Park beginning at 6 p.m.

Tickets are $25 until April 11. After that, tickets are $30.

The banquet will include door prizes, games and auctions for guns and merchandise and a meal is included with the price of admission. There will be a special drawing for a DPMS AR 15 rifle and a Kimber .45 Custom II pistol. The pistol drawing will be limited to 300 tickets.

Development of the ranges isn't the first time the Boy Scouts have benefitted from NRA Foundation grants.

The following is from the current issue of Traditions magazine, which is produced by our friends in NRA's Field Operations division:

Shelby County 4-H Rifle: A Cinderella Story

Throughout the years, the State Fund Committee (SFC) for Tennessee Friends of NRA has taken pride in their dedication to youth shooting sports. In fact, over 93 percent of Friends of NRA funds are allocated to youth training, safety, and teams.

It’s stories like the Shelby County 4-H Air Rifle Team that encourage Tennessee’s SFC to continuously fund such programs year after year.

At an organizational meeting in the fall of 2007, interested youth and their parents voted to pursue an Air Rifle program. Their decision led them to affiliate with the 4-H Target SMART program, a national shooting sports program that has been in existence since 1980 and provides 4-H youth an introduction to and participation in the shooting sports.

But finding funding for the Shelby County 4-H group was an issue, so they sought out aid from the Tennessee Friends of NRA SFC. In 2008, their wish to purchase six Daisy Avanti 887 Air Rifles and a supply of targets and pellets was granted. The grant offered a insurmountable jump-start to the Shelby County program and allowed six students to finish the nine-week program of shooting lessons.

The success of the program spread quickly and in the late fall of 2008, a second class was started to accom- modate the growing interest in the program. Four students finished classes in Spring of 2009, just in time to take advantage of the SFC’s 2009 grant, which the team used to purchase spot- ting scopes and offhand stands.

The grant helped propel the team to the Tennessee 4-H State Shoot on April 25, 2009 in Columbia, Tenn. It was a Cinderella story from there for the Shelby County team.

Team members enjoy what would turn out to be a successful morning for the rookie team. In the Senior Division, grades 9-12, Ethan Blackstone placed first in the state. Jamie Arnett placed third, and Kaitlin McDonald placed fourth. In the Junior Division, grades 5-8, Samantha Young placed first in the state. “What makes this such a Cinderella story is that this was either the first or second match in which each of the shooters had ever participated,” said David Waldrip, the Shelby County 4-H Team Coach and former Memphis Friends of NRA Chairman.

More...

Ultimate Conroe brings us the following on the Montgomery County 4-H Rifle Project:

NRA grant helps shooting sports program

Thanks to a grant from The NRA Foundation, The Montgomery County 4-H Rifle Project received funding for $4,993 to support the Shooting Sports Program.

“We are very excited about this funding,” said Project Coordinator Marcie Taylor, “and pleased that The NRA Foundation is making an investment in our community in a program that promotes firearm, safety, discipline, competition, and the joys of the shooting sports.”

The grant allowed the purchase of equipment to start the Montgomery County 4-H Shooting Sports Club. The rifle project began in January of 2009 with 4 members. In the fall of 2009, the 4-H Shooting Sports Club was formed and the club currently has 21 active members. Thirteen of those members attended the TSRA State BB Gun Championship on Saturday, March 13 in Fredericksburg. The club brought home 11 medals and won the Outstanding 1st Year Team Award. The success of the club would not have been possible without the generous grant by The NRA Foundation.

Read the rest of the article here.

Find out about the NRA Foundation’s grants, and what organizations are eligible to apply.