It is Time to Mark Your Calendars

February 29th is the 2008 Lone Star Friends of NRA Dinner. You may recall that James Dark, the Executive Director of the Texas State Rifle Association, was going to buy me a beer for each new member recruited through this blog at this banquet. Note the word "was". Jim found a way out of this little agreement by asking me to be on the committee putting on the dinner. Can't get sloppy drunk on free beer when I'm working you see, so he put me to work.

Last year's even raised over $30,000 for the NRA Foundation and we are hopeful that this year's even will be even bigger and better. The Friends of NRA has no part in the political processes that the NRA participates in, but rather is a continual source of funding for programs designed to foster the shooting sports and get Americans involved in shooting programs. Proceeds from this even will be used to fund additional permanently endowed scholarships within the Texas A&M System as part of the George Tubb memorial Scholarship Program.

V and I are sponsors of the Friends of NRA and I know that the NRA Foundation puts our money to good use. There are several different sponsorship levels, and each level receives some great packages.

Liberty Sponsor - $200

Sculpture of the year: Colonel Theodore Roosevelt

Custom designed sponsor multi-tool

Friends of NRA Sponsor Hat

Traditions (The NRA Foundation's quarterly magazine)

Two tickets to the Lone Star Friends of NRA Dinner.

Sponsor only firearm drawing.

Liberty Plus - $300

Everything in the Liberty Package Plus four more tickets to the Lone Star Friends of NRA Dinner.

Heritage - $500

Everything in the Liberty Plus Package and...

...your choice of Big Sky Carvers "Baldpate" Master's Edition Widgean Decoy OR Marbles Woodcraft Jigged Bone Knife with NRA Logo Sheath.

Freedom - $1000.00

Everything in the Liberty Plus Package and...

...your choice of a Leupold RX-II Rangefinder with VX-I Scope 3x9x40 OR Charles Daly NRA 1873 Single Action. 45LC with color case and Ivory Grips.

Pioneer - $2500

Everything in the Liberty Plus Package and...

...your choice of a Brunton Eterna Scope Package Includes: 18-38x Power, 50mm Objective, Tripod and Quick Release Grip Head or SAS Weatherby 12GA Shotgun 28", Walnut Stock with chokes.

Also available are corporate packages that involve advertising to more than 35,000 firearms owners and sponsor packages in the $5 and $10,000 ranges. If interested, contact me via the email address listed in my profile.

Tickets for the dinner are available for $30 each and there will be a firearm given away as a door prize for attendees. V and I really enjoy this event. $60 for a couples night out is a great deal if they have a good time with folks who they could call friends. This is one of those times.

Speaking of firearms, last year there were literally dozens of firearms given away during the raffles and auctions at the dinner. I expect no less this year.

So mark your calender, February 29th, spend leap year day at a Friends of NRA dinner and maybe go home with a very nice firearm. It would be great if we could fill a couple of tables with folks who read this blog.

Oh, to make it even better, there is a gun show that weekend in the same location.

To find out more, or purchase tickets, call 1.866.TX-Rifle (866.897.4353).

If you do not live in North Texas and would like to attend a FofNRA event, you can find your local chapter here.