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National Forest Foundation’s Sporting Clays Invitational Unites Conservationists on Behalf of National Forest Restoration

National Forest Foundation's Sporting Clays Invitational

National Forest Foundation

Bedford Hills, NY --(Ammoland.com)- The National Forest Foundation’s 17th Annual Sporting Clays Invitational drew more than 300 shooters and guests from across the country who were dedicated to raising funds to restore America’s 193-million-acre National Forest System.

The May 6-7 event was sponsored by Remington Outdoor Foundation, an organization committed to conservation and providing public land access for the millions of Americans who hunt and enjoy the outdoors.

Several dignitaries and celebrities attended the event including television journalist and author Tom Brokaw, who served as guest speaker for the opening reception at the GlenArbor Golf Club in Bedford Hills, N.Y. He shared how his South Dakota boyhood developed his appreciation for America’s national forests and why giving back to this resource is so important.

Attendees also were treated to a shotgun shooting demonstration by Staff Sgt. Josh Richmond and Staff Sgt. Mark Weeks, both with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Ga. Staff Sgt. Richmond is the current world champion in men’s double trap. Staff Sgt. Weeks is a four-time member of the World Championship team and former USA Shooting National Shotgun Team coach.

The event also featured an opportunity for 158 shooters to vie for the honor of being top gun at Dover Furnace Shooting Grounds. The Dover Plains, N.Y., course features 20 stations located along a two-mile path that winds through hardwood forests and wetland areas.

The winning team for the event was Ten Mile River Preserve with second place going to Vertrue, LLC., and Verizon Business claiming third. The event’s top gun was Al Gaynor while Stephanie Steinkraus was runner up. Chris Sutter won the Betteridge Rolex Challenge by running a challenging 10-clay station.

Through sponsorships, donations, live and silent auctions, the event generated more than $300,000 in support of the NFF’s mission to engage communities in conserving and improving National Forests and Grasslands.

“Over the course of two days, we experienced an amazing level of camaraderie and generosity on behalf of our country’s great public lands,” said NFF President Bill Possiel. “Thanks to our partner, the Remington Outdoor Foundation, as well as dozens of other sponsors and donors, the Sporting Clays Invitational continues to provide a fun yet meaningful way for people to learn more about our National Forests and help perpetuate them for future generations.”

For more information about the event, contact: Jennifer Schoonen at jschoonen@nationalforests.org or call 406-830-3354.

About National Forest FoundationNational Forest Foundation
Founded by Congress in 1991, the National Forest Foundation works to conserve, restore and enhance America’s 193-million-acre National Forest System. Through community-based strategies and public-private partnerships, the NFF enhances wildlife habitat, revitalizes wildfire-damaged landscapes, restores watersheds, and improves recreational resources for the benefit of all Americans. The NFF’s Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences national conservation campaign is uniting public and private partners to conduct large-scale forest and watershed restoration and revitalize ecosystem resiliency in iconic National Forest System sites around the nation. To learn more, visit us at www.nationalforests.org.

About OutdoorRoadmap.com
ORM with URLOutdoorRoadmap.com is expected to become the single online source of information and services related to hunting, target shooting, archery and conservation. By teaming with interested participants, OutdoorRoadmap.com offers online hunter education and firearms safety training, interactive maps and tools, event listings, social media, licensing resources, and a wealth of outdoor information.For more information about this state-of-the-art platform, visit www.OutdoorRoadmap.com.

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Virginia Shooting Sports Association’s 13th Annual Crush’n Clays

Virginia Shooting Sports Association

Virginia - -(Ammoland.com)- Thirteen years ago, VSSA began sponsoring what has become the longest running charity shooting event of its type.

Founder Steve Canale refers to it as the best job that you don’t get paid to do.

This year’s event will be held on June 11, 2011 at the Arlington-Fairfax IWLA. It is a fun event and well worth attending. The event has sold out the last three years. Below is more information on the event and the important charity it supports.

Heroes Like You Can Help Heroes Like These
by Steve Canale
Everyday heroes don’t always make headlines. Most aren’t strong, brave or well-known, but these men and women step up to help those less fortunate. You meet them at work, in the grocery store, on the busy street . . . everywhere.

I meet them the 2nd Saturday each June, at Crush’n Clays. These heroes give their time and treasure to benefit the kids of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Crush’n Clays is the longest running shooting charity event that benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It is also the longest continuously running shooting charity event in the country. It’s success was has been chronicled in the IWLA national magazine, Outdoor America, NRA Club Connection, as well as numerous websites.

To date, we’ve raised over $230,000. The event wouldn’t be possible without the support of Arlington-Fairfax IWLA, the Virginia Shooting Sports Association and our sponsors such as the National Rifle Association, and Dominick Casciano of Atlantic Healthcare.

Let me introduce you to one of the patients this event benefits.

Nathan is just a year old and is an energetic boy who loves running after his brothers and playing outside.

Nathan’s mom couldn’t seem to get a picture of her baby without capturing a glint of white in his left eye, she thought her camera was malfunctioning. Her pictures kept coming out the same, and she started to wonder if something was wrong with little Nathan’s eye. At Nathan’s 6-month checkup, she decided to show one of the photographs to his pediatrician. The doctor took one look at the photograph, and his face turned serious. He recommended she take Nathan to specialists right away.

At the family’s local hospital, the diagnosis was made: Nathan had bilateral retinoblastoma, a form of eye cancer. Tumors were present in both of Nathan’s eyes, and he would need further care. Crushed, Nathan’s parents asked the doctor where they should turn for their son’s treatment. The doctor was quick to recommend St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “We can treat it here, but at St. Jude, they’re doing research. They have new treatments,” she said. “If it was my child, I would go to St. Jude.”

The doctor provided a referral, and within a few days, Nathan and his parents were on their way to St. Jude.

At St. Jude, Nathan received a total of 11 rounds of chemotherapy over the course of eight months. He also had laser treatments when, during treatment, his tumors started to grow back. In spring 2009, Nathan completed treatment and was able to have his no-more chemo party. He returns to St. Jude for regular checkups.

Regardless of whether you can attend this year’s Crush’n Clays” event, please consider making a contribution.

You make a living from what you get, but you make a life from what you give. Heroes like you can help heroes like these.

Contributions can be made to “Crush’n Clays” and sent to: Virginia Shooting Sports Association, P.O. Box 1258, Orange, VA 22960

• Download an Entry Form here.
• Download a Sponsor From here.

Above is video of NRANews’ coverage of the 2009 event.

About:
The Virginia Shooting Sports Association (VSSA) was originally founded as the Virginia State Rifle and Revolver Association in 1938. VSSA is the official state association of the National Rifle Association. VSSA is also closely affiliated with the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), Virginia Outdoor Sports Information Network (VOSIN), National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), Virginia Gun Collectors Association, and the Virginia Wildlife Federation (VWF). Visit: www.myvssa.org

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