Awards $5,000 in college scholarships from funds raised at Friends of NRA events

Half of all money raised at Friends of NRA events goes back to the states they originated from. Who decides what to do with that money? Special State Fund Committees. These groups appropriate grants to organizations all over the state to improve the local shooting sports. The new issue of Traditions Magazine has a great story about the Oregon State Fund Committee helping youth shooters reach for their dreams by awarding college scholarships.

Traveling from the far corners of the state of Oregon, volunteers and committee members gathered for the annual Oregon Friends of NRA State Fund Committee meeting earlier this year. It was over casual conversation with members of the committee where an idea was generated to make an impact among the youth in Oregon.

It has been the mission of the Friends of NRA program and The NRA Foundation to look to the youth when determining how to allocate funds raised. We all know that the future of the shooting sports rests in the generation that always comes next. This is exactly why programs like 4H, junior ROTC, Youth Outdoor days and Youth Hunter Education Challenge (Y.H.E.C.) are among the most consistently supported by NRA Foundation grants.

It was with the youth of Oregon in mind that the committee developed a new scholarship program that would support the next generation’s champions of the Second Amendment. The newly appointed program would provide financial support to five graduating high school seniors from any county in Oregon.

“We had briefly discussed this idea in the past but the concept never took off,” said Dr. Maurizio Valerio, Chairman of Oregon Friends of NRA State Fund Committee.

The Oregon Friends of NRA wanted to get off the ground and running as soon as possible after the State Fund meeting. “We felt this was a priority that needed to be put into practice,” shared Valerio.

You can finish reading the story and hear about Oregon's future plans right here.