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Zinnel to Help Mule Deer Foundation Teach 10,000 Youth

Mule Deer Foundation

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah --(Ammoland.com)- Introducing about 10,000 youngsters to the shooting sports each year is one goal of the Mule Deer Foundation’s (MDF) new education initiative.

MDF announced today that it has hired outdoor educator Jon Zinnel as its Youth Programs Coordinator to help meet and exceed that goal.

“Jon shares our vision and enthusiasm for using best practices to recruit and mentor new hunters, shooters and conservationists,” said MDF President and CEO Miles Moretti, adding “He knows that we are not only passing along our hunting heritage, but we are also creating future conservation leaders.”

Zinnel, an avid hunter and former national 4-H Shooting Sports Ambassador, will work with field directors, partners and many of the MDF chapters to expand the successful M.U.L.E.Y. (Mindful, Understanding, Legal, Ethical Youth) Program, according to MDF’s Chief Operating Officer Eric Tycksen, who oversees the organization’s strategic education initiative. He gave credit to member volunteers and MDF Sponsor Larry Potterfield and MidwayUSA for funding the program.

Zinnel said, “I’ve watched the Mule Deer Foundation’s growth, seen its friendly, cooperative approach with partners, and seen what a great position it’s in to really make a difference for the future of hunting. I am excited to be a part of building that future.”

In recent months, MDF has already announced partnerships with the Youth Shooting Sports Alliance, Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and other partner companies and organizations.

Zinnel is an NRA certified firearms instructor in multiple disciplines, a rangemaster and a Basic Archery Instructor Trainer for the National Archery in the Schools Program. Before moving to MDF, he was Coordinator of the American Wilderness Leadership School and youth education programs for the SCI Foundation.

About MDF (www.muledeer.org)
The Mule Deer Foundation is one of the key conservation groups in North America working to restore, improve and protect mule deer, black-tailed deer and their habitat. With a focus on science and program efficiency, MDF has raised millions of dollars and put countless man-hours on the ground for conservation and related projects. MDF also acknowledges regulated hunting as a viable management component and is committed to recruitment and retention of youth into the shooting sports and conservation. Get involved at www.muledeer.org or call 1-888-375-DEER.

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Northern Knives Makes Donations to benefit AKTI’s Legislative Fund

Randall Knife Model 5-4 Silent Auction Knife Blade 2011

American Knife & Tool Institute

Cody, WY --(Ammoland.com)- Northern Knives donates Randall Knife for Blade Show Silent Auction, a William Henry E6-5 for an AKTI drawing, and starts an AKTI supporter wristband fundraiser for the American Knife & Tool Institute’s Legislative Fund.

Northern Knives www.northernknives.net, an Anchorage, Alaska retail store and Associate member of the American Knife & Tool Institute, has been thinking hard and working even harder to find ways to help the nonprofit advocacy organization increase AKTI’s Legislative Fund. Recognizing that making effective and reasonable changes to state laws takes a lot of both time and money, the owners of Northern Knives have made some generous donations to help raise funds for the next legislative efforts AKTI has planned to protect the rights of everyone to be able to buy, sell, make, own carry and use knives and edged tools.

A Randall Made knife, Model 5-4, will be shown at the Blade Show in Atlanta June 10-12, 2011 and available by Silent Auction to the highest bidder. Stop by the AKTI booth #162 and place your bid on this very poplar, but not easy to get, 4-inch blade Randall with a stag handle and brass hilt with black, white and red spaces.

Selling for close to $500 when available, you may have to wait over five years to get one directly from the maker. The actual knife will be on display and the winning bidder can take it home after the Silent Auction closes on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Northern Knives also donated a William Henry Model E6-5 Serial number 065, a beautiful little folder. Anyone who joins, renews, signs up as a Grassroots Supporter, buys a wristband, or just wants to enter to win the knife is eligible. The drawing will be held Sunday at Blade at the AKTI booth #162 at 1 p.m. (Georgia law requires that no purchase is necessary to enter any drawing.)

Grassroots Supporters provide an email address so they can be contacted with information about the AKTI’s legislative initiative and calls to action to contact legislators or others when needed. Hearing from voters is very important to legislators and we need numbers to make effective change. Not heading to the Blade Show? Sign up at www.AKTI.org. Even better – make a commitment to ask at least one other knife owner to visit www.AKTI.org and become a free Grassroots Supporter.

Northern Knives is making iy possible to show your support of AKTI’s efforts to Keep Knives in American Lives. Available to purchase at Blade Show and on their website www.northernknives.net are black silicone support wristbands. All proceeds will be donated to AKTI by Northern Knives. Owner Ray Thibault noted, “It’s an excellent way to support an excellent organization for only $3!”

So visit AKTI at Booth #162 at the Blade Show in Atlanta to learn more about how this organization in working for the entire knife community. Or visit www.AKTI.org today and sign up as a free Grassroots Supporter or join as a member.

Thank you Northern Knives for valuable ideas and action to help Keep Knives in American Lives.

The American Knife & Tool Institute (AKTI) is a non-profit organization (501(c)6) representing all segments of the knife industry and all knife users. Formed by concerned industry leaders after considerable discussion with individual knifemakers, knife magazine publishers, and a broad section of the knife community, AKTI has been the reasonable and responsible voice of the knife community since 1998. For more about AKTI, please see our website at www.AKTI.org.

Filed under: Gun Rights News, Shooting Industry News by Ammoland No Comments »