Friends of NRA reviews banquet season progress and prepares for second half of 2013

Fairfax, Virginia - The Friends of NRA program is a large family of individuals dedicated to preserving our country's shooting sports heritage. This past week we finished highlighting the Volunteers of the Year; the best of the best among the thousands who donate their time to the organization each year.

There's another group within the program that is integral to its success. NRA's Field Representatives works tirelessly year round to make sure all 1,100 events run smoothly and grants go to deserving organizations.

Field Reps are NRA employees and, unlike volunteers, are able to devote all 365 days of the year to Friends of NRA. It isn't a job just anybody can do. Field Reps are constantly on the move, driving around their territories from committee to committee, helping organize events.

All this week the Field Reps are getting a break - if you want to call it that - when they gather for the 2013 Field Operations Division Annual Planning Meeting. A biannual event, meetings bring both Field Reps and NRA Headquarters staff together to review the last half year and plan for the remainder. Days will be filled with training workshops on new and updated Event Services, Insurance, Clubs & Associations, Database Administration, Grants and more services and products. Reps will even begin selecting merchandise for next year's Friends of NRA banquets.

More on Friends of NRA's trip to Colorado...

Reno, Nevada's John Madden is Friends of NRA's Western Region Volunteer of the Year

Fairfax, Virginia - Our last Friends of NRA Volunteer of the Year comes to us from out west; Nevada to be specific. Sporting nearly two decades of work with Friends of NRA, John Madden of Reno, Nevada is the 2012 Western Region Volunteer of the Year.

Madden, who currently serves on both the Reno/Sparks and Modesto Friends of NRA committees, raised more than $190,000 over the course of last year's banquet season. But his involvement with the shooting sports goes well beyond underwriting, selling banquet tickets and soliciting sponsorships and donations. John spends as many weekends as possible promoting Friends of NRA at area gun shows. In 2012 he attended 18 throughout Nevada and California.

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Support the NRA and the shooting sports at Friends of NRA dinners in Texas, Maryland, California and more

Fairfax, Virginia - Courtesy of NRA's Event Marketing and Communications Manager Nicole McMahon, here are the next batch of Friends of NRA events.

There are only a handful of banquets in two weeks for a couple reasons. First, all the NRA Field Representatives are gathering next week for their mid-year meeting. There, they'll evaluate how the year has been going and plan out the second half. They do this twice a year, once in December at NRA Headquarters and once in the summer at a rotating location to improve their leadership skills and refine fundraising techniques.

Find out where Friends of NRA dinners are happening ...

Gary and Pat Graef of North Fort Myers, Florida are the Friends of NRA Southern Region Volunteers of the Year

Fairfax, Virginia - This year's Friends of NRA Southern Region Volunteer of the Year is actually a twofer. Husband and wife duo Gary and Pat Graef of North Fort Myers, Florida are an inseparable pair who have earned the award together thanks to their tireless work for Friends of NRA and the future of the shooting sports.

Continuing the theme of twos, the Graefs serve as acting chairman and treasurer on both the Charlotte Harbor Friends of NRA and Greater Fort Myers Area Friends of NRA committees. In 2012 the team raised more than $58,500 through banquet tickets sales, sponsorships, underwriting, and donations.

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Patty Cattoor of Colorado is the Friends of NRA Mid West Region Volunteer of the Year

Fairfax, Virginia - Mrs. Cattoor calls Delta, Colorado home, where she serves as treasurer of the Black Canyon Friends of NRA committee and chairwoman of the Colorado State Friends of NRA committee. Volunteering her time for 17 years, Patty recently raised more than $75,000 last year between her banquet tickets sold, sponsorships, underwriting, and donations.

Started in 1996, the Black Canyon Friends of NRA is one of our smaller, but still critical, committees. Over their 17 year history 2,450 attendees have passed through their doors, raising nearly a quarter of a million dollars for the shooting sports. The Colorado State Friends of NRA committee, started in 2012, is the baby of the family. With only one event to their name, they have brought in $17,000 between the 160 attendees at last year's banquet.

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Support the NRA and the shooting sports at Friends of NRA dinners in Texas, Florida and California and more

Fairfax, Virginia - Straight from the NRA's Event Marketing and Communications Manager, Nicole McMahon, here are your Friends of NRA banquets for the next week.

At Friends of NRA banquets are full of great people who support the Second Amendment and want to raise money for local, state and national shooting sports programs. Each event is run by our absolutely dedicated volunteers. Without their help, Friends of NRA would not be able to have such reach across the country or make as much of an impact on the future of our shooting sports heritage as we do today.

Find out where Friends of NRA dinners are happening ...

Tim Heuiser is Friends of NRA's Central Region Volunteer of the Year

Fairfax, Virginia - Following Friends of NRA's Eastern Region Volunteer of the Year William Shank, the 2012 Central Region recipient is Missouri's Tim Heuiser.

Heuiser, who resides in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, has been a member of the South East Missouri Friends of NRA committee since it started in 1993 and has been an officer for 19 of those 20 years. Between banquet tickets sold, sponsorships, underwriting and donations, he raised over $67,000 during last year's banquet season banquet season.

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William Shank is Friends of NRA's Eastern Region Volunteer of the Year

Fairfax, Virginia - Receiving a Friends of NRA Area Volunteer of the Year award is a great honor among the thousands of people who lend their time to the grassroots fundraising organization. Even greater still is to be named a Region Volunteer of the Year. These individuals are chosen from the pool of Area recipients by senior NRA staff for their exceptional contributions - a best of the best if you will.

NRAblog will be highlighting the winners from the five Friends of NRA regions - Eastern, Central, Mid West, Southern, Western - beginning with the Eastern region's William Shank.

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2012's top Friends of NRA volunteers recognized for outstanding service

Fairfax, Virginia - The success of the Friends of NRA grassroots fundraising program rests entirely on its volunteers. Each year thousands of dedicated individuals across the country volunteer their time - for free - to help raise money for the future of the shooting sports at Friends of NRA banquets and auctions.

The National Rifle Association is proud of every single one of these individuals, but it also recognizes those that go above and beyond their duties to preserve our shooting heritage.

More on Friends of NRA's Volunteers of the Year...