New Friends of NRA banquet right on target

    Red, white and blue and the Second Amendment were in full force Thursday, Jan. 26, at the Friends of National Rifle Association banquet at the Phillips County Event Center. Event chair Brooke Dirks called the evening a resounding success, with over 215 people attending the patriotic steak dinner and auction.
    It was the first of what the Friends of NRA hopes to be an annual fundraiser for the future of shooting sports, with half of the proceeds coming back to Phillips County in the form of grant money for shooting-related programs.
    The other half funds similar programs at the national level, such as Eddie Eagle, Refuse to be a Victim, Women on Target and National School Shield. Friends of NRA proudly touts itself as nonprofit and nonpolitical.
    “It’s simply shooting sports,” said Brad Dreier, NRA field representative for field operations, who helped run the event. “It’s a great way to give back to the community and help the overall sport in the local area.”
    Dreier said Friends of NRA banquets across Colorado raised a collective $820,000 last year, with $410,000 going back to local programs.
    Dozens of weapons, gear and related items lined the room on red, white and blue tablecloths for auction, raffling and drawings. Most items were provided as part of the Friends of NRA merchandise package for its many events across the state, some with commemorative silver coins to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the organization’s 1992 inception. Other items were locally donated.
    To begin the evening, all military veterans present were recognized, and the oldest veteran in the room, 87-year-old Army vet Doyle Skinner, was identified. The first item of the night, a patriotic plaque inscribed with a portion of the Pledge of Allegiance, was then auctioned off and presented to Doyle by the winner.
    A steak dinner catered by Happy Jacks followed, interspersed with ticket drawings, before the live auction of 32 guns, hunting-related items, concealed-compartment furnishings for home defense and patriotic decor.
    Certain items were “key items,” entitling the winning bidder to a chance to win a gun safe and one of two guns inside it. Brad Young was the ultimate winner, taking home the safe as well as a Stag AR-15 rifle.
    Raffle drawings, with tickets purchased before the actual event, concluded the evening.
    It was all very by-the-book, as no firearms left the building without winners first passing background checks. In addition, anyone winning a prize worth over $600 had to fill out the necessary tax forms before taking possession of the item.
    Friends of NRA volunteers from across the state came to help the Phillips County committee with its first-ever event. Locally, the Holyoke FFA chapter served the meal and the Holyoke Volunteer Fire Department ran the cash bar.
    No totals were yet available as of Tuesday, Jan. 31, as all funds had to be certified by NRA accountants.