NRA Clubs & Associations has opened registration for the year's final NRA Club University September 25 at the Albuquerque Grand Airport Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Register online now to save $5 dollars off the $40 registration fee.

Take the afternoon and learn how to improve your club's operations, increase membership, and become a part of the public. It's a a unique one-day forum where NRA Club University covers everything from marketing, to grant application, and business planning. The event is open to anyone with an interest in the shooting sports.

“You have to be on top of your game in today's economy,” said Clubs & Associations Marketing Manager Son Nguyen. “Whether you’re a range, a club, or a store, we can give you tips on gathering information, making facility improvements, and communicating with the public. Come learn!”

Members of the New Mexico Shooting Sports Association and operation experts are joining NRA staff for the seminar. And as a special edition to the Albuquerque Club U, we're bringing in finance and promotions expert Tom Shay to share the promotional techniques and management schemes he developed while simultaneously running three family businesses. 

Sound like a good way to spend the day? Then sign up now at https://www.nrahq.org/clubs/club_university/registration.asp. Still not sold? Then contact NRA Clubs & Associations at (800) NRA-CLUB (672-2582) or clubs@nrahq.org. They'll have all the answers you need.

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.

One of the the best parts about NRA's Club University is the assorted group of individuals who attend. Club U Indianapolis was no different as we ran into interesting people such as Dave Schneider from Michigan State University. So what brought Schneider to Indianapolis?

“I'm here to find out as much about NRA grants as possible,” said Dave. “Plus, there are a number of other programs that we can benefit from.”

By “we,” he means the the Michigan State Marksmanship Team. Founded in 2001, the club held their first NRA sanctioned match in 2003. And more recently, they found a new home in the form of the John and Marnie Demmer Shooting Sports Education and Training Center.

“You should see this place,” said Dave. “Shooting lanes inside and out the facility that can be used for both archery and firearms … it’s beautiful.”

Having such a top-of-the-line facility is a new experience for Schneider. Finding his post a mere nine months ago, working for the Marksmanship Team Michigan State was probably the furthest thing on his mind during his time in Afghanistan.

“Three tours,” Dave explained. “Ultimately, the injuries I sustained made it impossible to continue. When I got back to the states, they asked me to help develop a program [the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service] to help other vets returning to civilian life find jobs. Michigan State was one of those jobs.”

But what drew our attention to Schneider was his shirt. Emblazoned on his chest was the can’t-miss logo of NRA’s 2010 National Rifle and Pistol Championships in Camp Perry, Ohio. Probably more than a coincidence, given that the matches started just a few days before Club U.

“I was over there, at Perry, shooting outside of my specialty,” explained Dave. “I’m used to shooting big bore and light machine guns, but I’ve been trying to broaden my shooting horizons. Plus, it’s easier. There’s so much gear when you lug around a rifle. With a pistol, all I need is a bag or a box to carry the necessities.”

Just like Club University – you get all the information you need to improve the operation of your club in a compact, handy, one-day package.

Club University has called it quits here in Indianapolis, Indiana. We'd like to thank Lockton Insurance for taking the time to explain the ins and outs of their programs as well as all the inquisitive attendees for sharing so much. In fact, they got so caught up in the idea of sharing that a group decided to stake out a corner of the hotel so they to trade tales of their experiences traversing the management of a shooting sports operation. After all, there's a good chance that what works in Wisconsin will work in Illinois too.

Next on the Clubs & Associations agenda is Albuquerque, New Mexico. Scheduled for the weekend following the National Police Shooting Championships, Club U Albuquerque will have plenty of information on range management, grant applications, legislative outlooks, and more.

If your outfit is looking for ways to improve their operation, take a second and sign up for your spot in the great south west now.

Award-winning marketing and customer service expert Ron Rosenberg was on hand to share his unique insights with our Indianapolis Club University students here in Indiana. Theories such as the "Schnauzer Effect," "Membership Values," and the "$50 Letter" had attendees scrawling copious notes and asking dozens of questions.

"His lessons are both entertaining and informative," said NRA Club & Association Marketing Manager Son Nguyen. "It's easier to learn these valuable lessons if you can do it with a smile."

The message behind Rosenberg's session is that everyone everywhere is in the same business. Whether you're a club in Kansas City, a merchant in Minneapolis, or an association in Annapolis, everyone needs to get the right message out to the right people. The challenge is how to convince your potential customer that you have what he needs. Want to learn how to approach this challenge? You'll have to sign up for our next NRA Club University!

Saturday morning means it's time for Club University here in Indianapolis, Indiana. For those of you unfamiliar with the program, Club University is a comprehensive, one-day "how-to" event for anyone involved in the shooting sports. So what do we mean by involved? We mean any member of a shooting range, hunting club, 4-H group, gun collectors, etc., should attend this seminar.

The day kicked off as Chairman of Clubs & Associations for the NRA Board Herb Lanford welcomed the crowd.

“As a native of South Carolina, I think Indianapolis might be too far from the ocean and the mountains for me,” joked Lanford. “But our steaks last night were fantastic and the trip in put some beautiful country on display.”

Marketing Coordinator Melissa Betts (pictured at left) made her speaking debut with the broad strokes of what it means to be a NRA Business Alliance member. Following Melissa’s inagural efforts included presentations on Range Services, club insurance, and more on working with the NRA.

We’ll get back to the Pistol Matches at Camp Perry soon, but don't forget to keep your eyes open for more on Club U Indianapolis – there’s more to follow.

Firing the Oklahoma Service Pistol State Championship at the
Oklahoma City Gun Club

Firing in the 2010 Oklahoma Service Pistol State Championship began shortly after 9:00 AM on June 19 at the Oklahoma City Gun Club and all matches were completed around mid afternoon thanks to the work of a good group of volunteers. Be sure and check out the pictures in the slideshow taken by Therese Booth.

I believe that a number of new Oklahoma state service pistol and revolver scores were fired. Check the scores in the Bullseye division at www.okcgunclub.org.

The matches began with the 900 point State Service Pistol Championship followed by the Civilian Marksmanship Program's 300 point Excellence in Competition, "Leg Match". Awards provided by the Oklahoma Rifle Association, the Oklahoma City Gun Club and the CMP were earned during these matches and one shooter earned additional "Leg" points toward his Distinguished Pistol Shot badge.

Read the rest of the story here.

Remember Champion Arms? The club that traveled all the way from Kent, Washington to attend a Club University in Nashville, Tennessee? That's a 2,400 mile trip -- and maybe it will serve as inspiration for someone contemplating the trip to the second NRA Club University of 2010.

NRA Clubs Marketing Manager Son Nguyen and his troops will be appearing live at the Radisson Indianapolis Airport Hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana on Saturday, July 17 to commence the day-long seminar. Open to all shooting clubs, ranges, and pretty much anyone who wants to become more involved in the shooting sports, this seminar is a great one-day answer to improving operations.

“Anyone interested in tweaking their membership capabilities, improving community relations, or adding women’s programs to their establishment should attend,” said Elizabeth Bush, NRA's National Manager of Clubs, Associations & Range Services. “This is a great resource for club growth and success.”

Much like past Club Universities, NRAblog will be there to share the stories -- and to blog live from the corners of the conference room.

But to get the most out of it, you need to be there in person. Reserve your spot now for the Indianapolis Club University by going to www.nrahq.org/clubs/club_university/registration.asp.

For additional information, contact NRA Clubs & Associations at (800) NRA-CLUB (672-2582) or e-mail clubs@nrahq.org.

Last year, NRAblog was on hand to cover New York State Rifle and Pistol Association's Annual Meeting. NRA News' Cam Edwards and NRA President Ron Schmeits addressed the 2009 meeting. This year, we offer our thanks to Eddie Falcon, a Benefactor member of the NRA and founder of homedefensesite.com, for the following report and photo:

NRA Instructor Program Coordinator Andrew Lander with a member of NYSRPA.

Wallkill Rod & Gun Club hosts NYSRPA Meeting

On June 12, 2010 the Wallkill Rod and Gun Club opened its doors to gun lovers from as far as Princeton, NJ. Ray Carney and his staff did a great job putting together an awesome experience and a fun-packed day. There were many displays of guns from the Colt Collectors booth to the .50 BMG. The Sullivan County Sheriff’s crew tapped off the afternoon with a demonstration of full-auto firearms, which three ladies from the audience had the opportunity to shoot.

The event had many opportunities for the public to shoot the guns on display. The NRA's Education and Training Division participated with a new event they called the 3-Gun Experience. If you provided the necessary handgun permit, you were able to shoot the following three stages: a carbine shoot, a handgun shoot, and a shotgun shoot.

Three gentlemen from NRA Headquarters in Virginia – Andy Lander, Sean Thornton, and Mark Richardson – and I coordinated the 3 Gun event. Alongside our event, Andy Massimilian operated a pay to shoot event. For a few dollars event goers were offered the opportunity to shoot a FN Scar, an UZI, a .50 BMG and the new Remington 1911.

Wayne LaPierre addressed the crowd of over 800 to much applause. Wayne repeatedly thanked NRA Board Members Tom King (also the President NYSRPA) and Joseph DeBergalis, Jr. (Vice President NYSRPA) for their hard work and dedication in fighting for the 2nd Amendment Rights in New York.

The afternoon was wrapped up with an unbelievable chicken bake, a tradition at the club, where more than 650 people pre-ordered tickets for the meal.

The Southern National Smallbore Rifle Silhouette Championship was in the news last week -- and for good reason. The Championship, held June 3 - 6, 2010 in Winnsboro, Louisiana, just celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Tune in here to listen to both David McLemore, President of the Winnsboro Gun Club, and competitor Carol Rosenqvist, pictured at left, who is also a Women On Target® clinic director.

“I can’t stop doing it,” Rosenqvist said of silhouette competition. “I encourage everyone, even women – especially women – to come out and try it. It’s a load of fun.”

"[The other participants] aren't competitors, they’re my family," Rosenqvist said. "I travel all over the country competing, and it’s just a very friendly, safe atmosphere."

"It’s a family-oriented sport."

Watch the entire myarklamiss.com video interview! 

The Ridge Rifle Association in Fincastle, VA held its annual Youth Shooting Sports Camp on May 22. NRAblog wasn't able to attend, but the club appointed member Dana Harris as the day's correspondent. Here, Harris' report:

For a week before the event we anxiously watched bleak weather forecasts for storms and heavy rain. We woke Saturday morning to blue skies which set a cheery mood for the rest of the day. When the rain did come, it didn’t dampen our spirits or the excitement of the youngsters that came to the event. Seventy-two shooters attended. It was a pleasure to see beaming faces when first time shooters punched the x-ring. One fourteen-year-old girl shot so well, some of the coaches perhaps considered getting more practice time to keep up.

We offered many activities. A Roanoke City SWAT team had an exhibition and information seminar that was well received by both youth and parents. A Virginia Conservation Officer discussed hunter technique and safety. The National Guard set up an information booth and fielded many questions. The Catawba Masonic Lodge performed fingerprinting and other identification for safety. And for many, the most important event was the hot dog lunch with absolutely incredible chili.

A .22 rifle was awarded as a doorprize. The youth enjoyed the day and many planned to come again. The club volunteers had so much fun; we’re already planning next year’s event.

Stay tuned for more reports from NRA clubs and associations across the nation -- and submit your report and any photos to GOblog@nrahq.org!

The Bellevue Gun Club's Lance Kilgore wrote the following for NRAblog:

The Bellevue Gun Club is Washington's latest indoor shooting facility. The state of the art indoor range situated in a 32,000 sq. ft. building officialy opened it's doors on December 18th 2009. Currently we have 3 separate shooting bays. The pistol bay offers twelve 36" Action Target stalls, electronic target carriers, and 20 yard distance. The rifle bay offers 10 - 48" Action Target stalls, electronic touch pad target carries and 25 yard distance. The training bay is a 40' wide and 30 yard long open movement bay. It offers the ability to bring a vehicle or cruiser into it for security and law enforcement training and it will have lights bars with pa system installed in the ceiling for "real life training." The air system was designed by Carey's Heating and Air Conditioning who Specialize in ventilation systems for military and police department indoor firing ranges nationally. The air system is EPA - OSHA - NIOSHA certified and is monitored by the University of Washington for air quality.

All of our range masters are NRA certified. We offer in-house training by the nationally recognized Insight Training Center. If a firearm is purchased from the West Coast Armory Pro Shop, we offer a $25 discount to the already affordable new gun owner class. We support responsible gun ownership through affordable training and professional, informative staff.

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The Ohio Gun Collectors Association was in for a treat on Saturday night when NRA National Firearms Museum Director Jim Supica served as the keynote at their meeting.

Supica describes the event as magnificent. "It's always a privilege to be in the presence of so many 'unrepentant accumulators,'" Supica joked, referring to the title he has bestowed upon himself and other select gun collectors and dealers. 

Special thanks to Museum Senior Curator Phil Schreier for providing the above photo. "Jim did a great job," Schreier said, pointing out the dinner featured some 500 attendees. "He started with a rundown of NRAmuseum.org, highlighting a few features of the website, and transitioned into the bit on being a gun accumulator."

What was his parting message to this group of passionate NRA members and firearm collectors? "Any gun collection is a good collection," Supica said.

Smack in the middle of Sharon Center, Ohio is an unconventional member of the NRA's Business Alliance. Led by owner Eric Arnold, Bats, Birds & More is a professional nuisance wildlife control company. Offering everything from bat colony prevention services to wildlife removal, Bats can handle anything from beavers to skunks to deer. So why did they join the NRA Business Alliance?

"The primary reason for joining was to show support to the NRA as well as gaining support from the NRA for my industry," said Arnold. "Even though usage of firearms for private wildlife damage management operators is minimal, the ability to own and operate firearms when necessary is essential to our success with solving conflicts."

Since joining the alliance in 2006, their membership in the alliance has been met with both favor and surprise. "A large number of individuals don't realize the alliance exists nor their ability to join and support it."

Much like the operation itself, Eric's path to Bats was an unusual one. After leaving Butler University to join the Marine Corps, he worked an few odd jobs before being called back into active duty for Desert Storm. After a second discharge, Eric found himself called upon by friends and family to solve a variety of wildlife conflicts. Soon after, Bats was born.

"It gave me the opportunity to work with wildlife and firearms again," Eric explained. "I started like most kids with BB guns, but didn't appreciate the skill necessary for the proper usage of firearms until the Corps. Since starting the company, I used what I learned there to continually modify equipment and our work with the community and wildlife damage industry has as well."

The Ohio Gun Collectors Association recently turned 73 years old. The Association has meetings at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio, which are open to members and inivted guests only.

This weekend's meeting features one very special guest -- NRA National Firearms Museum Director Jim Supica.

In his keynote address to the Association, Supica plans to offer up a confession to his fellow collectors: "My presentation will be titled “Confessions of an Unrepentant Accumulator,” he told NRAblog. (For an idea of what is to come, read this article.) "My main incentive to become a full time dealer in guns was my tearful realization that I could not possibly obtain and keep one of everything," Supica writes. "I figured this way, I'd get to at least have one of most for at least a little while."

In addition to speaking at the meeting, Supica, along with Phil Schreier, will have one of pop culture's most recognizable guns on display: Dirty Harry's .44 magnum, pictured at right. Stay tuned for a full report and photographs from NRAblog correspondent Schreier.