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Idaho Examiner: COMMUNITY INVITED TO ATTEND BANQUET AND AUCTION"Common Sense News"

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COMMUNITY INVITED TO ATTEND BANQUET AND AUCTION

Posted on: October 19, 2007

If you are an avid sportsman or just an American that enjoys the freedoms we have in this country, you probably have heard of the National Rifle Association, better known as the NRA.

Usually the name NRA is synonymous with political action and legislation (NRA-ILA – Institute for Legislative Action), but many folks do not know that the NRA has a charity foundation program that puts millions of dollars back into the communities that support them.

“Thanks to the dedicated efforts of several volunteers in the Blackfoot, American Falls and Pocatello area, said Vernon Preston, Pocatello Area Friends of the NRA Chairman, “we will be having our fifteenth annual auction and banquet.” The event will take place Saturday night, November 3 starting with a social hour at 5:00 p.m. The location is the Red Lion Inn – serving the Harvest Buffet – on Pocatello Creek Road.

“Funds from this annual dinner and auction return to our local community to assist in teaching children firearm safety through the Eddie Eagle program,” commented Greg Farris, co-chairman for the Pocatello Area Friends of the NRA. “Our youth are provided opportunities to learn hunter safety through education courses and the funds are used to assist 4-H, Scouts, Jr. ROTC and other youth groups in learning firearm safety and marksmanship through training and competitive events. Women’s safety classes and wildlife conservation research benefit from these events. Funds from our banquet assist in developing safe shooting ranges in the local area which our law enforcement uses to keep their skills at top proficiency and the community uses for multiple purposes in a safe environment.”

The format is simple – food, fun, family and fund-raising. Whether you are a hunter, competitive shooter, conservationist or just a proud gun owner, Friends of NRA banquets have something of interest for the entire family. Events include dinner followed by exciting auctions and special drawings for unique and collectible merchandise. Attendees bid on items from specially developed Friends of the NRA merchandise package which include several limited edition – numbered and signed by the artist – firearms, sculptures, jewelry, prints, knives and other one-of-a-kind collectibles. Just by attending, each person has a chance at a firearm door prize, and by participating in the many activities, every participant has an opportunity to take home valuable merchandise and enjoyable memories. Many local businesses and community members have donated products and gift certificates to assist in raising these useful funds.

Since its inception in 1992, Friends of the NRA has held 9,038 banquets attended by 1,740,397 gun owners, hunters, and conservationists. These events have raised over $100 million for The NRA Foundation supporting local, station and national grant programs such as youth safety and marksmanship; range development and improvement; training, education and safety for adults; women on target programs; and wildlife and natural resource conservation.

“Pocatello Area Friends volunteer committee has raised over $47,000 in the past four years,” said Preston, “which has returned in grants awarded to various local groups including 4-H, scouts, and local gun clubs like Cedar Hills near Blackfoot and Gate City Sport Shooting Association range just north of Pocatello.” Statewide, Friends banquets have raised enough money for more than $151,000 in grants awarded in 2006.

Established in 1990, The NRA Foundation, Inc., is a 501©(3) tax-exempt organization that raises tax-deductible contributions in support of a wide range of firearms-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.

For more information on The NRA Foundation and future Friends of the NRA banquets you can go to the web site at www.nrafoundation.org. At the website you can see where the money is used in grants and how you can step up and do your part.

Be sure to mark your calendars for November 3, 2007 and join other local outdoorsmen and women who believe in defending our homeland and safe firearm use by attending our local banquet. Tickets can be purchased in Pocatello at Big D’s Sports, Doc’s Gun Barn and Sam’s Gun Shop, in Blackfoot at A to Z Sports and in Soda Springs at Soda Shooting Sports. Prices are $35 per person. Youth 6 to 11 years old are $15. Children under 6 years old are free. A great sponsor package is available for $300 which includes two dinner tickets, a one-in-ten chance at the sponsor’s gun (a Weatherby Vanguard Rifle – you choose the caliber), a bronze statue of George Washington, a sponsor knife, $120 worth of white bucket drawing tickets, tickets for our special red and blue tables and $150 tax deductible receipt. For more information please call Vernon Preston (Chairman) 208-237-8766.


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About Dave Langston

Outdoor writer Dave Langston resides in Chubbuck. He grew up in the Midwest and south fishing and hunting across the country.

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