Britani Burns target practices with a new compound bow and Kevin Martin tries his luck with a new recurve bow. Paul Manders looks on while archery project leader Dan Kennedy instructs and calls out range commands for this group.
The Dan Kennedy residence was buzzing with activity on Saturday, June 14, with eager Ruff Riders 4-H Club Shooting Sports Project members. This was the day to unpack, assemble and test archery equipment that was purchased for the 4-H Club's Shooting Sports Program with a very generous grant from The NRA Foundation.
The Shooting Sports Program includes Archery and Rifle. The club is still waiting on the rifle order to arrive.
Shooting Sports members this year for archery are Caleb Laszloffy, Josiah Laszloffy, Jacob Spenner, Nathan Stenson, Tyler Stenson, Britani Burns and Paul Manders. Rifle members are Bryant Beck, Kevin Martin, Nicole Haack, Kaari Hultgren, Stene Hultgren, Tyler Stenson and Nathan Stenson.
Project leaders are certified after completing the state-required 4-H Shooting Sports Leader Training for their respective disciplines. Dan Kennedy is the project leader for Archery and Tim Stenson and Leroy Haack are the project leaders for Rifle. The project leaders and members hope that this start-up purchase with grant money and their enthusiasm gets other club members excited about enrolling in shooting sports project next year - April was the deadline for enrolling in new project areas for this 4-H year.
To get the Shooting Program up and running for the Ruff Riders 4-H Club, a grant from the National Rifle Association seemed like a logical place to start. The project leaders researched equipment and supply needs. With help from Denise Kennedy, the club wrote a grant proposal and submitted it to the NRA Foundation in October 2007.
In the meantime several Shooting Sports members participated in local postal shoots and in the State 4-H Postal Shoot in Bozeman this past January.
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The Ruff Riders 4-H Club received a check for $8,791.00 in April from The NRA Foundation for the club's shooting sports start-up project. Project leaders purchased archery equipment from Precision Shooting Equipment, Inc. (PSE) and Hips Targets; rifle equipment was purchased from Crosman.
Archery equipment purchased with this grant money included six Discovery compound bows and three Buckeye Junior recurve bows. PSE donated two more of the recurve bows. More than 12 dozen fiberglass arrows, six fletch jigs, 36-inch paper targets, arm guards, releases and quivers; six 48-inch heavy-duty targets with stands were also among the extensive list of equipment and supplies purchased for archery.
Rifle equipment purchased includes Crosman air rifles, co2 cartridges, pellets, targets and safety glasses.
According to their website, The NRA Foundation, Inc. has funded more than 15,000 grants totaling over $100 million since its inception in 1990, becoming America's leading charitable organization in support of the shooting sports. Through its grant support of eligible education programs, The NRA Foundation carries out its important educational mission across the country.
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Foundation grants allow shooting sports-related programs to develop, expand, and enhance their educational curricula to deliver valuable services to millions of Americans, ensuring the continuation of our country's proud shooting and hunting heritage.
Shooting Sports project leaders, members and parents spent a good portion of Saturday morning assembling and outfitting bows and arrows. Club member Britani Burns sat the members down and read them a handout entitled, “What is Shooting Sports?” Members were able to test out the bows while learning the proper stance, how to hold the bow, nocking the arrow, drawing the bow and releasing.
Members were also instructed on the proper way to remove an arrow from the target to avoid injury to themselves and others around them. Even parents had the opportunity to try shooting with the different types of bows. This incorporated one of the objectives of the 4-H shooting sports program - to strengthen families through participation in life-long recreational activities.
Shooting Sports members taking part in Saturday's activities were Britani Burns, Kevin Martin, Caleb Laszloffy, Josiah Laszloffy, Tyler Stenson, Paul Manders.
Other club members participating were Kasey Haack and Logan Kennedy. Project leaders Kennedy, Stenson, Haack and parent Mark Spenner outfitted the bows and worked with project members.
The focus of all 4-H programs is the development of youth as individuals and as responsible and productive citizens. Members of the 4-H Shooting Sports Program will learn marksmanship, the safe and responsible use of firearms, the principles of hunting and archery, in addition to much more.
Original Source : http://www.laureloutlook.com/articles/2008/06/25/sports/01nra.txt
