4-H shooting sports grant application approved by state
A second Friends of NRA banquet saw another successful night of fundraising in Holyoke on Jan. 13. Just a week later, steps were being taken to bring 2017 banquet dollars back to Phillips County.
Committee member Tracy Simpson said that they’re looking forward to getting that money back into the community. After all, the primary goal of the Friends of the National Rifle Association program is to raise funds for the future of shooting sports.
Along with that, Friends of NRA seeks to promote fun and fellowship amongst gun owners. Phillips County’s annual banquet did just that for the nearly 200 people in attendance at this year’s banquet.
Fifteen guns were raffled off, a steak dinner catered by Happy Jacks Barbeque was enjoyed, and games were played. A live auction facilitated by Michael Auction Service netted $19,500 for the NRA cause. Continuing on the tradition started last year, the first auction item of the night was given to the oldest veteran in the room. This year, it was a knife purchased by Jeremy Dirks given to Doyle Skinner.
The entire event, former chairperson Brooke Dirks said, was very patriotic. She also noted that regional support of the NRA is quite remarkable. The Phillips County’s banquet had guests from a number of other communities, coming from as far as Fort Morgan and North Platte, Nebraska. “NRA is one big family,” Simpson said. “All chapters try to go and help with each other’s banquets and share different ideas.”
Grants not limited to shooting sports
The way Friends of NRA banquets are set up, up to 50 percent of the funds raised can be used for grants locally. The other 50 percent goes to national projects. After the 2017 Phillips County banquet, approximately $8,000 was available for local grants. One grant was submitted for Phillips County 4-H shooting sports. Simpson and her husband, Thom, served as delegates at the state grant application meeting last weekend. Chapters from around the state were in attendance.
The Phillips County grant was approved at the state level and is going on for national approval.
Grant applications for this year will be due in October. Simpson emphasized that grants can be used for a wide variety of projects, not just shooting sports. They can be used for such things as youth education, women-focused clinics, law enforcement training, hunter safety and range improvement.
Anyone interested in applying for such grants can contact Simpson at 970-854-3084. With a second successful banquet now finished, Simpson said she hopes to see that money come back to the community for more local projects.
The success of this year’s banquet depended on the volunteer efforts of many, including the Holyoke Volunteer Fire Department, Holyoke FFA, Marty Bornhoft and Kevin Salvador.
The committee intends to continue the annual banquet. In 2019, however, they are looking to change the date, possibly to March. They also welcome any community members who are interested in helping organize next year’s event.