Friends of National Rifle Association set annual dinner

Lousy shooting by Union troops in the Civil War led to the creation of Americas premier group defending the Second Amendment.

Back in 1871, the National Rifle Association was formed by Gen. George Wingate and Col. William Church, as a means of enhancing marksmanship with the long-barrel weapons.

Today, the NRA is a multi-million-dollar organization, and no state boasts more ardent members than West Virginia, with some 32,000 strong, says Terry Kourey, chairman of the Southern West Virginia Friends of NRA.

It goes back to West Virginia traditionally being a hunting area, he said.

Over the years, and generations, people have owned guns and support trying to preserve the Second Amendment and continuing with the generations to come, we hope.

Come Sept. 13, the Friends of NRA plans to hold its annual dinner, with the doors opening at 6 p.m. at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.

A single ticket runs $40, while the charge is $70 per couple, and $500 for a table of eight.

As a 501-c-3 entity, the Friends of NRA raises tax deductible funds to support shooting sports and benefit charities, while defending the 2nd Amendment.

We began in 1990 and since then have had 14,000 such events, Kourey said.

Weve awarded $180 million in grants to different organizations. Some are for youth firearms safety and education programs, hunter education, range development and improvement, and wildlife conservation efforts.

Excerpt from:
Friends of National Rifle Association set annual dinner