Support the NRA and the shooting sports at Friends of NRA dinners in California, Utah and North Carolina

Wednesday morning means it's time again to welcome Nicole McMahon, NRA Event Marketing and Communications Manager, for this week's rundown of Friends of NRA banquets scheduled to take off across the United States.

There are about 1,100 Friends of NRA dinners held every year and they're all driven, and put on, by our dedicated volunteers. All money raised at banquets goes right back into supporting the shooting sports - half into national programs and half into local and state programs where the banquet was held. If you haven't made it to one of our tables, fear not. The season has just begun, there are plenty of opportunities to catch up.

To attend an event in your neighborhood, check the Friends of NRA website for a list of upcoming events in your state. Bookmark that page while you're at it because they are adding events all the time.

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

Greater Triangle Friends of NRA hold highest grossing event ever in North Carolina

Fairfax, Virginia - Last month featured the best Friends of NRA banquet the state has ever seen. Featuring NRA Second Vice President Alan Cors, NRA Board Member Edie Fleeman and almost 800 Second Amendment Supporters, the event was a huge success. And fresh off the press we have an article covering the historic night from NRA Event Support Coordinator Allison Terusiak. Enjoy.

With the economy in yet another year of little growth, you would think that finding an excess of funds would be nearly impossible. Not so for the Greater Triangle Friends of NRA committee in North Carolina. Not only did this committee beat out its previous year's net income profits by over $53,500, but it decided to throw in a side of victory by setting the record for the highest net profit sales for the state of North Carolina, totaling $95,865. How you ask? We were able to get a little insight from one of the major contributors to this success, committee chairman Elvie Jackson.

More on North Carolina's biggest Friends of NRA banquet ever ...

Support the NRA and the shooting sports at Friends of NRA dinners in New Jersey, Ohio, 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 you can find friendly, generous people who gather out of their love of the Second Amendment to raise money for local, state and national shooting sports programs. And each event is run by our absolutely dedicated volunteers. Without their help, we 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 ...

Support the NRA at dinners in Colorado, Texas, Arizona and more states across the country

Courtesy of NRA's Event Marketing and Communications Manager Nicole McMahon, here are the Friends of NRA events for the next two weeks.

At Friends of NRA dinners you're surrounded by friendly, generous people who gather out of their appreciation for the Second Amendment and desire to help our country's shooting sports heritage. Banquets feature games, raffles, auctions and more all to raise money for shooting sports programs at the national, state and local levels.

You know what food looks like, but if you're wondering what else will be at Friends of NRA banquets, check out just some of the custom 2013 merchandise right here.

Find the nearest banquets to you on the Friends of NRA website to help plan which banquet(s) you will attend this year.

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

NRA Foundation Banquet auction item on display in NRA Annual Meeting exhibit hall

Houston, Texas - The exhibit hall at this year's NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits opened bright and early today in downtown Houston, but not for attendees. More than 550 exhibitors are frantically building their booths in anticipation of this weekend's record crowds.

Aisles that will be packed shoulder-to-shoulder with NRA fans over the next couple days are currently strewn with giant wooden shipping boxes and beeping forklifts. But while the whole thing won't come together until later in the afternoon, some things are all set up and look great.

More on the custom NRA-themed airboat...

Support the NRA at dinners in Colorado, Virginia, Alaska and more

Courtesy of Event Marketing and Communications Manager Nicole McMahon, here are the Friends of NRA events for this next week.

Although the 2013 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will be going on in Houston this weekend, that doesn't mean the rest of Friends of NRA nation is silent. There are plenty of events across the country for anyone unable to make it to the national convention.

What can you expect at Friends of NRA dinners? They're full of nothing but friendly, generous people who gather out of their appreciation for the Second Amendment and desire to help our country's shooting sports heritage. Banquets feature games, raffles, auctions and more all to raise money for shooting sports programs at the national, state and local levels.

Wonder what types of things you'll see at Friends of NRA dinners? Feast your eyes on some of the 2013 merchandise right here.

Find the nearest banquets to you on the Friends of NRA website to help plan which banquet(s) you will attend this year.

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

Diamondback airboat available in NRA Foundation live auction in Houston

Fairfax, Virginia - The National NRA Foundation Banquet and Auction at this year's NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Houston will be chock full of special, collectible NRA items that you can bid on. One of the most exciting pieces of this year's live auction is a custom airboat by Diamondback Airboats.

Want to fish, hunt or joyride through shallow waters while showing off your support for the NRA? This is the item for you. A one-of-a-kind airboat, it was made especially for the May 2nd National NRA Foundation Banquet and Auction.

More on the custom NRA airboat at Annual Meeting...

Find out about all the great things Friends of NRA is doing across the country to preserve our shooting heritage

Fairfax, Virginia - The newest issue of Traditions Magazine is now available online. This is your chance to delve into the world of the NRA and discover the most up-to-date Friends of NRA on how the grassroots fundraising organization is preserving our country's shooting heritage.

You can read this quarter's issue by navigating through the pages below (don't forget you can click to zoom) with a simple click of the mouse. Or, if you so choose, just register on Issuu and download a PDF version of the magazine to scroll through the pages.

Becoming a Friends of NRA sponsor, aside from many other benefits, will land you a physical copy of this great quarterly magazine.

More on the latest issue of Traditions magazine ...

Hunt winner writes about once in a lifetime trip to New Zealand from Friends of NRA

Fairfax, Virginia - Last fall the Central Coast Friends of NRA, based in Newport, Oregon, auctioned off a New Zealand hunting trip during its annual banquet. The winner, Chris Vukasovich, recently returned from from the land of the long white cloud and wrote the NRA a nice letter about his Red Stag hunt.

Dear Sir:

I would like to take this opportunity to comment on a hunting trip I purchased at a Friends of NRA banquet here in Newport, OR. It was a Red Stag hunt in New Zealand provided by Central South Island Hunting. Gary Oakes is the owner/outfitter and I can’t recommend him highly enough.

More on New Zealand hunting with Friends of NRA...