With 2012 underway, why not start the New Year off with a new program at your club or range? The NRA Club Champion Challenge is a fun and exciting way to do just that - and to see who is the best all-around shooter in your club or shooting organization.

Getting started couldn't be more simple - learn more about the NRA Club Champion Challenge and register your event online at www.nraclubchamp.com. NRA provides the courses of fire to choose from and even provides awards including medals and belt buckles for champions. So what are you waiting for? Start 2012 with a "bang" by holding an NRA Club Champion Challenge at your range or club!

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The summer may have drawn to a close and the kids may be back in school, but that doesn't mean the fun has to stop. With the NRA Day Program, you and your family can head to the range and enjoy a day dedicated to the shooting sports.

NRA Day events take place all over the country, so check the listing of upcoming NRA Days to find one near you this fall. Don't see one in your area? Ask your local club or range to start one or get one started yourself! There are a variety of event themes to choose from include hunting, firearms training, youth, women, and even competition, like the bullseye pistol competition clinic for youth in Illinois pictured above. There's an NRA Day event to fit everyone's interests!

To learn more about the NRA Day program or to start an event in your area, contact NRA Day Program Coordinator Claudia Olsen at colsen@nrahq.org or 703-267-1597.

We recently filled you in about three NRA Day Event Directors who won Henry .22 caliber youth rifles for their outstanding efforts in the NRA Day program. Steve Gibbs and John Leinberger won two of the rifles, but Sandino “Sandy” Stornelli stopped by NRA Headquarters yesterday to receive his rifle on a trip the D.C. area.

A resident of Medina, New York, Stornelli runs an NRA Day for youth at the Alabama Hunt Club in New York each year. This is his 4th year as the Event Director and his NRA Day event averages about 50 participants, drawing attendees from as far away as New York City.

“He really concentrates on educating the kids who attend,” said his wife, Marsha. “People really seem to like the family feel and have brothers, sisters, and parents all shooting together.”

NRA Day Coordinator Claudia Olsen and Bill Poole, Director of Education & Training, presented Stornelli with the Henry rifle and a certificate honoring and recognizing him for being one of the top NRA Day Event Directors.

“Our goal is to have people, especially children, learn to shoot in a safe and fun environment and develop the knowledge, skills, and attitude to participate in the shooting sports, and you’ve done just that,” Poole told Stornelli.

Stornelli credits his event’s success to help from fellow club members who work to ensure that all attendees have a great time while learning about the shooting sports and archery.

“I appreciate all that our club and its members have done to help build the event,” Stornelli said. “I coordinate it, but they do all the work to make it possible.”

But what about his plans for his new Henry rifle?

“My grandsons will enjoy it – I think they’ve got half of my gun collection anyway,” said Stornelli with a grin.

The team from NRAhuntersrights.org has another great giveaway this month, and May's prize is a .22 caliber Henry Lever Action Youth rifle, just like the ones awarded to top NRA Day State Coordinators.

Perfect for the young hunter looking for a reliable, lightweight gun to take afield, the Henry .22 is just 4 1/2 pounds and 33 inches in length and is aslo ideal for an adult looking for a compact rifle. It's got a 12-round capacity and is already grooved for a scope. The rifle also features a fully adjustable rear sight, American walnut stock and famously smooth Henry action.  

To win this beauty, all you have to do is send an email to huntersrights@nrahq.org with "Gift Giveaway" in the subject line and you'll be entered to win. The winner will be notified at the end of the month. Visit www.henryrifles.com to learn more about Henry Repeating Arms or to get your free color catalog.

Thanks to Claudia Olsen in NRA's Youth Programs Department for this news about the NRA Day program:

Congratulations to Sandino Stornelli of New York, Steve Gibbs of Wisconsin and John Leinberger of Missouri for being the 2010 top NRA Day State Coordinators. 2010 started with NRA Youth Programs challenging its NRA Day State Coordinators to increase the number of events held in their states and as an incentive, Youth Programs would award the top three coordinators a Henry Lever Action .22 caliber rifle.

The NRA Day program gives communities the opportunity to come together under a formal program to learn, experience, share, and grow in appreciation of the shooting sports. Event themes are designed for discovery and include Basic Shooting, NRA Youth SportsFest, Competitive Shooting Clinics, Shotgun Shooting, Special Interests and Hunting. Above, a group of young shooters participate in an NRA Day Competitive Shooting Clinic in Illinois earlier this year.

As a result of all the hard work of our amazing volunteers, the NRA Day program had a banner year. 147 events were held with a total of 16,854 youth and 3,733 adults attending and 6,226 volunteers helping them make their events a day to remember.

NRA’s Youth Programs will continue this incentive program for 2011 and is counting on the help of their cadre of volunteers to have another banner year. For more information about the NRA Day program, please contact Claudia Olsen at colsen@nrahq.org or 703-267-1591.

Congratulations to our top State Coordinators! Want to know more about NRA Day? Get more info online and find an event near you!

Kids who attend an NRA camp for young shooters have the opportunity to get great instruction and learn some useful tips on the shooting sports.

Youths can learn shooting skills at competition camp

Four years ago, Brandy Dueck of Salem was a most unlikely candidate to oversee a youth competitive shooting camp.

Yet here she is, the director for the 26th annual Col. Allison Junior Rifle Club NRA Junior Rifle Competition Camp on Memorial Day weekend, May 28 through 30, at Four Corners Rod and Gun Club.

"Actually it was kind of funny," she said about an overnight stay that her daughter, Taylor, spent with a friend three years ago. "I guess her parents were members of the gun club," Dueck said.

At a sports show, they had heard about the juniors program at the Albany Rifle & Pistol Club and decided to check it out.

"So they decided to take their daughter, and Taylor happened to be spending the night and went with them," Dueck said, then laughed. "I pick her up at her friend's house, and she says, 'Look, Mom. Look what I did.And she pulled out these targets that she had shot. So I said 'OK,' and she's actually been with it ever since. And she really enjoys it a lot."

Continue reading the rest of the article at the Statesman's Journal here.

With the weather getting warmer across the country, more and more people are looking forward to enjoying some time outside. What better way than at your local range or gun club? We offer an exciting program called NRA Day that will get you and your family out on the range, enjoying the fun of the shooting sports in a safe, supervised environment.

All across the United States, gun clubs, ranges, and other facilites are offering NRA Day events to people within the community. NRA Day events vary by theme and can include learning to shoot several types of firearms, or focusing on just one specific gun. Other events may include archery, fishing, or other outdoor activities. No matter what your interests, NRA Day is the perfect opportunity for the whole family to experience the thrill of the shooting sports.

We've made it easier than ever by listing all our registered NRA Day events online, searchable by state and theme. Many of these events are free to the public or require a very nominal fee to cover supplies and equipment. New events are added almost every day, so check out the listing online and discover NRA Day!

Back in November, we encouraged young pistol shooters to register for the 4th Annual NRA Bullseye Pistol Competition Junior Shooting Camp. Here’s a report on the event courtesy of Jim Hagearty, Coach of the Illinois Junior Precision Shooters. This event was also registered as an NRA Day event through the Youth Programs Department:

Streator, Illinois - SFC Eric Daniels, United States Army (Ret.), a former member of the Army Marksmanship Unit’s Service Pistol team, was the lead instructor for the 4th Annual NRA Bullseye Pistol Competition Junior Shooting Camp, sponsored by the Illinois Junior Precision Shooters - Precision Pistol and hosted by the Sandy Ford Sportsman’s Club in Streator from December 27th through the 29th.

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The NRA Day Program has had another banner year, with 146 held events in 2010. More than 20,000 people attended NRA Day events across the country this year with the help of more than 5,000 volunteers.

Designed to introduce people to the shooting sports, the NRA Day Program encourages clubs and ranges across the country to invite people in the community to their facility to get them involved in the NRA programs that the range offers. From firearms safety, to competitive shooting, to events for women or children, NRA Day has a theme to for everyone. We provide you with materials and promotional items including t-shirts and pins for your attendees. We can even help you apply for state grant funds through the NRA Foundation to help fund your event.

Are you a member of a club or range who could hold an NRA Day event at your facility? Contact our Youth Programs Department at youth@nrahq.org for more information and to find out how you can host a NRA Day event in 2011!