Blue Water Sportsman’s Association Receives NRA Foundation Grant

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
Incorporated 1871
11250 Waples Mill Road - Fairfax, VA 22030 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 14, 2015
Contact: [email protected]; (703) 267-1595

Blue Water Sportsman’s Association Receives NRA Foundation Grant

KIMBALL, Mich. – The NRA Foundation has awarded the Blue Water Sportsman’s Association (BWSA) of Kimball, Michigan, four grants totaling nearly $8,000. BWSA introduces 4-position smallbore rifle shooting to youth aged 10 to 18 and awards shooters for their achievements with rankings and medals.

“The program is important for the future of shooting, since we can to bring youth into a safe environment where we can safely teach them how to handle firearms,” said Senior Coach Jerry Sobocinski.

Utilizing the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program, participants are offered different levels of training, allowing beginners to focus on safety and proper firearm handling while intermediate and advanced students can practice specific techniques and schedule matches. In past season, five students achieved the program’s Distinguished Expert classification — a nationally recognized skill level paralleling a competitively classified Sharpshooter.

"Young shooters in our junior program have been able to perfect their marksmanship skills steadily over time, thanks in large part to steady support from Friends of NRA and The NRA Foundation," said Junior Competitions Director David Dell. “On behalf of the Blue Water Sportman’s Association, we would like to thank Friends of NRA for their contribution to preserving our shooting heritage."

Thanks to the NRA Foundation grants, BWSA can provide equipment at no cost to every student who seeks safety training and marksmanship instruction.

“We use NRA Foundation grants for gear such as spotting scopes, stands, smallbore shooting coats and gloves,” said Dell. “These grants offer our juniors the chance to be competitive with other clubs.” 

About the National Rifle Association
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Five million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and is the leader in forearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit http:///nra.org.

About The NRA Foundation
Established in 1990, The NRA Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that raises tax-deductible contributions in support of a wide range of firearm-related public interest activities of the National Rifle Association of America and other organizations that defend and foster the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans. These activities are designed to promote firearm and hunting safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those participating in the shootings sports, and to educate the general public about firearms in their historic, technological, and artistic context.  Learn more about the NRA Foundation and how to apply for grants at www.nrafoundation.org.

About Friends of NRA
Friends of NRA is a grassroots fund-raising program that fosters community involvement to organize and, with help from NRA field staff, plan community events for firearms enthusiasts. All net proceeds from Friends of NRA events are allocated to The NRA Foundation, the leading charitable organization in support of the shooting sports. Through NRA Foundation grants for equipment, training materials, range improvements, and more, qualified local, state, and national programs receive aid to involve and inspire a new generation of competitive shooters. Learn more about Friends of NRA at www.friendsofnra.org. 

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