Sharing a Love of Volunteering

Friends of Freedom is a nationwide, multi-media, mission-based campaign highlighting the dynamic faces behind our mission—those who push forward with tireless energy to protect our Second Amendment freedoms and those who are impacted by that fearless drive to foster the future of the shooting sports on local, state, and national levels.

Meet Scott and Jackie Emslie from Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Together they have volunteered with the Mid-Hudson Friends of NRA committee since its inception in 1993, serving in numerous roles and positions throughout that time. Over the years, they have also attended and assisted at countless other Friends of NRA banquets all over the upper New York state area.

“Jackie and Scott Emslie are just the embodiment of the ultimate Friends of NRA volunteers,” shared former NRA Field Representative for New York Jay Rusnock. “They share their leadership, vast experience, endless dedication, and always-positive outlook with everyone they meet.”

Since 2004, Jackie has volunteered as the Upstate New York Friends of NRA State Fund Committee (SCF) Chair. She assists the field rep with the administrative duties associated with the SFC meeting, which is where the NRA Foundation grant applications for the area are reviewed and recommended each year. Jackie developed a database for managing those grant applications and organized the overall program and flow of the SFC meeting day to ensure that the committee can make informed decisions about grant recipients.

“It is so incredibly gratifying to see the entire process from start to finish, from fundraising to overseeing the grant process, and then seeing those dollars in action at clubs and ranges all over New York."“It is so incredibly gratifying to see the entire process from start to finish,” explains Jackie, “from fundraising to overseeing the grant process, and then seeing those dollars in action at clubs and ranges all over New York. I am grateful for the selfless dedication of Friends of NRA volunteers who make a huge difference in their communities.”

Scott and Jackie take their support to a national level by volunteering at the National NRA Foundation Banquet at NRA Annual Meeting and Exhibits each year, and they have supported the Friends of NRA events at the Great American Outdoor Show as well. During these events, they assist with bucket drawings and silent auctions and have helped to develop a method of effectively and efficiently distributing results of bucket drawings.

“I have met so many wonderful people through my 24-year involvement with Friends of NRA and The NRA Foundation,” says Scott. “My wife and I look forward to the Great American Outdoor Show and NRA Annual Meetings each year to see our NRA Foundation family! Volunteering at these and other events brings a sense of accomplishment and a way of giving back to our beloved NRA.”

Jackie Emslie volunteering at the 2017 National NRA Foundation Banquet at NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta

When Michael Reddy, Vice-Chairman of the Mid-Hudson committee was asked about the Emslies, he emphasized their dedication to the mission of the Friends of NRA program. “What I was most impressed with from the start was their selfless service to fostering the shooting sports and the protection of the freedoms we collectively hold so dear,” he explained. “When I first entered the banquet hall four years ago, I expected to support a program that I believed in.  What I did not realize at the time was that Scott and Jackie would become trusted friends whose integrity and commitment inspires us all to be better people and ambassadors of freedom.”

“What I was most impressed with from the start was their selfless service to fostering the shooting sports and the protection of the freedoms we collectively hold so dear.”In addition to their efforts with Friends of NRA, Scott and Jackie are both NRA Certified Instructors so that they can help anyone who wants to learn how to shoot do so properly and safely. Jackie has shared her passion for teaching shooting by bringing the NRA Women On Target^® program to New York state to help women feel more comfortable about learning the shooting sports. Jackie also enjoys volunteering as a “Concealed Carry Fashion Show” model. Scott volunteers as a New York Department of Environmental Conservation Sportsmen’s Education Instructor, where he spends his time teaching about the safety, responsibility and ethics of hunting and trapping—helping to keep these valued traditions alive today.

Jackie and Scott’s participation in the cause of freedom and the various missions of the NRA, Friends of NRA, and The NRA Foundation has become legendary. They are true models of what it means to forward the mission to Teach Freedom and support the future of the shooting sports.

“The New York Friends of NRA program owes much to Jackie and Scott,” adds Rusnock. “We could not have grown to be so successful over the years in such a challenging state without the creative and dedicated efforts of the Emslies—exceptional examples of excellence and eternal vigilance for our freedoms. Thank you!”

Join the grassroots efforts to support the shooting sports and preserve our Second Amendment traditions. Learn more about volunteering with Friends of NRA HERE. Attend an event near you to help fundraise for The NRA Foundation!