Been running crazy all day long... actually for the past few days, tidying up loose ends in preparation for tomorrow's big event at the local Dept. of Conservation shooting range. The NRA is funding a complete educational seminar that my wife and I are putting on, with help of several friends we've recruited. I bought 900 rounds of shotgun shells today in both 12 and 20 guage, picked up four Mathews Genesis bows I ordered a couple weeks ago along with four dozen Beman Junior shafts (have to glue all the inserts in tonight...). Picked up three big 3D targets at Cabela's last night when I got back in from Dallas and one more today. They're also providing food, two 150-qt. coolers, tables, banners.... tons of other stuff. We'll have six or seven shotguns set up shooting both trap and skeet, six bows for archery the archery range, and a tent set up to learn about animal identification. Very nice to see the NRA pouring back into the local grassroots level and funding all this, and I tip my hat to them.
Apple Creek Conservation Area just outside Jackson, MO... I mean, we all know the millions of dollars that the NRA pumps into its lobbying efforts, but it's really nice to see them effecting change at this level. I think I wrote out over $2,000 worth of checks in the last couple days.
You know... if you have something like this you can usally get the manufacturers to donate a.k.a loan you bows and things like that. They loan lots of bows... Like 40 or so for the Congressional Shoot in D.C.. I used to send the NRA ILA several hundred dollars a year. Then when they tried to send me some stupid home defense tapes that I told them NOT TO. And they did it anyway... and I refused to pay them for them.... they sicked a damn collection agency on me. I send them 3 letters reminding them that I didn't want the stuff. I reminded them of the money I had sent over the years and wanted an explanation. NO ANSWER or reply came. I reminded them I had bought my buddy a membership for Christmas that year as well as sent a few hundred dollars. NO ANSWER. 3 tries, no replies. I sent C.C. copies to Wayne, the ILA and anyone I could get an address for. I said .... just tell me it was a screw up or something and we'll be OK. I got nothing. I dropped my membership when it ran out. THere are other places to send my money. I told them... look me up.... you'll see I send you hundreds of dollars. It's not the damn $20 DVD... but I told you NOT to send it and then you sicked a collection agency on me. I deserved better. The NRA and I are no longer friends. I've been waiting for 4 years for a reply.
Didn't need anyone to loan me bows... the NRA outright purchased everything for the event: Bows, 3-D targets, four dozen arrows, field points, 900 shotgun shells, safety glasses, earplugs, 20 Subway sandwiches, ice, chips, water, sodas, two Morrell Yellowjacket targets, etc., etc. We put over 40 kids through our event this morning... for most, it was the first time they'd ever got to shoot a shotgun, or release an arrow. It was fun seeing them go through the "animal ID" tent and touch beaver pelts in awe at how soft they were, or be fascinated by a bear rug or mountain lion skull. It was a pleaure working with them at this level. I'll probably post up some pics later in this or another thread of the kids having so much fun today... later when I find time to download everything. Sorry about your experience with the tapes.
