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Banquet helps NRA Foundation

Area’s youth programs benefit through grants

By Erin E. O’Neill

The Marietta Times

eoneill@mariettatimes.com

The 10th annual Mid-Ohio Valley Friends of NRA Banquet will be held on Saturday at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Ohio 676 in Churchtown.

The event, which has drawn as many as 300 people in the past, according to chairman Todd Hetzer, is a big contributor to the National Rifle Association Foundation. The foundation in turn provides grants to area programs for youth. Groups meeting guidelines and completing an NRA Foundation grant application can benefit from the banquet’s proceeds. Projects are funded in the areas of youth programs, shooting range development, firearm safety, hunter education and more.

“In the last nine years of this event, we have provided about $150,000 back to the community,” Hetzer said.

Tickets are $40 for dinner and door prize only or $125 for dinner and $160 worth of raffle tickets. There are raffle games, a live auction and a silent auction that help bring in the bulk of the donations.

“We raise about $22,000 with each event and it helps us to support 4-H, school archery programs and over the last nine years we’ve helped provide funds for the Women on Target clinic at the Fort Harmar Rifle Club,” Hetzer said. “But the bulk of our money goes to 4-H.”

Bull’s-Eye 4-H is open to all boys and girls ages 9 to 19 who are interested in learning and practicing the safe and responsible use of firearms and archery equipment. Youth become 4-H members by participating, according to Teresa Stone, coordinator and instructor for the club.

“We have two sessions, the spring session which starts up March 12, and the fall session, which starts in mid-October,” Stone said. “They are held on Sundays and members must attend half of the meetings for completion. We average about 90 kids each session.”

Grant money also goes toward Ohio shooting education camp scholarships. The camp is held every summer at Canter’s Cave near Jackson.

Without the grant from the NRA foundation, the group would have to look for other sources of funding.

“We provide all the equipment and we are really grateful for the Friends of the NRA, otherwise the kids would have to pay more to participate,” Stone said.

According to Hetzer, about 60 firearms are awarded at the banquet but no one leaves with their prize.

“Our FFL (Federal Firearms Licensed) dealer is the Huntin’ Shack in Beverly,” he said. “All the winners have to claim their prize through them.”

The banquet will begin at 5 p.m. Tickets are available by contacting Lisa Fought at 740-423-6026.

If you go

¯ What: 10th annual Mid-Ohio Valley Friends of NRA Banquet.

¯ When: 5 p.m. Saturday.

¯ Where: Churchtown K of C Hall.

¯ Tickets: $40 for dinner and door prize only or $125 for dinner and $160 worth of raffle tickets.

¯ For information: Lisa Fought, treasurer, at 740-423-6026.

¯ Bullseye 4-H: http://washington.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development/washington-county-shooting-sports

Raffle donors

Apex Feed & Supply, True Value

Bridgeport Equipment & Tool

Bull’s-Eye 4-H Club

Churchtown Knights of Columbus

Erin Pottmeyer

First Quality Collision Center

Henderson Wilds, LLC

Fort Harmar Rifle Club

Huntin’ Shack, LLC

Jerry & Janelle Dotson

KMR Firearms, LLC

McLeish Auction Service

Mike Cook

Peoples Bank

Schafer Leather Goods

Turn-10 Safe Company

West Side Safe & Guns

White Oak Pharmacy, Inc.

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