NFM's Trick or Treat a success

The National Firearm Museum's first-ever Trick or Treat event was a ghoulish good time yesterday with dozens of participants enjoying the festivities. The slideshow above shows some of the decorations scattered throughout the Museum's exhibits.

Pirate Phil served donuts, apple cider, cookies, and coffee in the lobby. Other museum staff dressed as soldiers and cowboys were on hand, and NRAblog.com's ferocious mascot, Fang the puggle, made a guest appearance.

Children disguised as Transformers, witches, pumpkins, zombies, and princesses wandered through the darkened Museum, collecting candy and trinkets from pumpkins lit by glow sticks. Cobwebs and bloody handprints added to the eerie atmosphere, and a soundtrack of creepy sounds echoed throughout the galleries.

NRAblog.com is challenging Museum Director Jim Supica to outdo this year's festivities with a haunted halloween sleepover in the museum next year. We'll keep you posted!

Women On Target see increase in participation

The Women On Target® program is one of several programs in the Women's Programs Department of the NRA.

Program Coordinator Beth Hellmann has spent the past several years helping club members from across the nation to organize clinics. The program has become nationally recognized as a safe, fun way to acquire a new skill, and participation has increased 21 percent in 2008.

Hellmann offers the following commentary:

While shooting is often perceived as a male-only sport, Women On Target® proves that women enjoy it just as much as men, and for the same reason men do: It's fun!

There's nothing like the feeling of empowerment that comes with learning a new skill — especially one that is a little off the beaten track for most women. Often, women tell me that they are interested in learning to shoot because they want to learn a new sport, develop a hobby, or to learn to protect themselves.

Without training by skilled, knowledgeable instructors, that possibility is remote. Thanks to our unparalleled safety record, women know that training at NRA's Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics is the best choice for them to begin their firearms education.

Additionally, Women On Target® volunteers and host clubs provide all necessary equipment for the beginner, who typically owns no firearms. This includes eye and ear protection, targets, ammunition, firearms, and most of all, a firing range. Grants may be available to defray these expenses. Clubs interested in grants should contact their NRA Field Representative or download an application.

Women On Target® is also an excellent gateway. Women who are hesitant to attend a regular NRA Basic Firearms Training course feel that Instructional Shooting Clinics are perfect for them.

We've spent much of the past two years creating new programs for women — programs that are user friendly and may even be conducted on an individual basis. This includes our Women On Target® postal match program. Women may compete with others all over the country by completing a course of fire and submitting their entries to NRA/Competitive Shooting Division.

Our new Women On Target® Marksmanship Qualification Program provides another incentive for women to continue shooting long after the clinic is over. Special patches designed with a feminine touch are available for qualified women.

We've also designed a variety of new program support materials, provided free of charge to registered clinics. In addition to providing items for the participants, we provide certificates of appreciation, red hats, and red safety vests for volunteers. After all, our program would not be possible without volunteers! This year alone, over 4,000 volunteers have made Women On Target® instructional shooting clinics possible for nearly 7,000 participants.

This week at the National Firearms Museum ...

The National Firearms Museum is always a busy place, but Jim Supica's arrival in early October seems to have the wheels turning even faster than usual. The museum played host to several tour groups this week, including the Paralyzed Veterans of America. An international TV crew stopped by for a quick Q&A with Phil Schreier about the history of firearms.

And, as pictured above, NRA News Executive Producer John Popp was on the premises yesterday to film a few segments of the "Curator's Corner," a weekly segment on NRA News featuring NFM Senior Curator Phil Schreier. Schreier chooses a gun to showcase for each segment and gives the piece's history and plenty of context.

The first piece taped Thursday is one of the Museum's central pieces: the moving, spinning, shooting range, pictured at left. It was built in 1903 and actually was used in an arcade at Coney Island. A gun collector in Ohio kept it in his garage, allowing neighborhood kids to plink at the moving rows of ducks every 4th of July.

When the Museum first acquired the panel, it had to be rebuilt, Schreier says, but the Museum itself was being constructed. "The Museum was literally built up around this range," he says. Schreier described the effort to restore the piece to its original lustre.

Listening to him talk reminded me of something the international news producer had told me after hearing Phil tell a few stories from the American Civil War. "You can tell by the way he talks that he is passionate about what he is doing," he said.

Supica seemed to be thinking the same thing. "He can give this much information about every piece in here," Supica told me in awe as Phil was telling the story of the shooting range.

Tune into NRA News every Thursday evening either through NRAnews.com or on Sirius radio to hear what Phil has to say.

Remember to stop by the Museum's Trick or Treat between 4 and 6 p.m. if you're in the area!

This week's Friends events

Friends of NRA is entering what might be best described as its open season.

Every weekend banquets and auctions are happening all over the nation. The fine people over at Friends are providing us with a calendar of upcoming events; watch for it here on NRABlog.com each Wednesday from here on!

Upcoming Friends of NRA Events

10/30/2008

Wynne, Arkansas

Santa Maria, California

Lake City, Florida

Pompano Beach, Florida

Arlington Heights, Illinois

Franklin, Indiana

Swansea, Massachusetts

Brimley, Michigan

Warrensburg, Missouri

Georgetown, South Carolina

Manchester, Tennessee

Mission, Texas

Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

11/01/2008

Chandler, Arizona

San Diego, California

Vincennes, Indiana

Bridgeton, New Jersey

Clovis, New Mexico

Minot, North Dakota

11/02/2008

Winter, Wisconsin

Can't find your state on this list? Visit the Friends of NRA website to find events in your area!

Paralyzed Veterans of America visit NRA

Army veteran Ryan, of Fort Belvoir, shares a laugh with Disabled Shooting Manager Vanessa Warner at the NRA Range Wednesday.

NRA's Disabled Shooting Services teamed up with the Washington, D.C.-based Paralyzed Veterans of America yesterday to welcome two wounded veterans to NRA Headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia. Andy MacDonald of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and Vanessa Warner of Disabled Shooting Services coordinated the day's activities.

Terry, a Marine veteran who is now in the Army Reserves, and Ryan, were treated to lunch before they toured the National Firearm Museum with senior curator Phil Schreier. The men then joined former Marine and NRA National Pistol Manager Brian Zins on the NRA Range to shoot a variety of pistols as well as and Andy's .308.

"It's always a pleasure to be able to partner with a group such as PVA," Warner said. "The day was a great one and we hope to continue to expose our nation's honored veterans to NRA programs in any way possible."

2009 National Junior Air Gun Championship and Training Summit

The NRA 2009 National Junior Air Gun Championship and Training Summit will be held at Camp Perry, OH July 1-3.

Air Gun Coordinator Jessi McClain points out that two things have changed.

"No invitation needed!" she said. "This Championship will now be open to anyone, with no requirement for sponsorship."

Another change to the current program is that competitors no longer need a team in order to compete. Individual competitors are welcome.

Any questions? Contact McClain at (703)267-1477 or jmcclain@nrahq.org.