BY DAWN HORN – The Hawaii Friends of NRA as the state affiliate of the National Rifle Association Foundation is pleased to announce a grant of $5,000.00 to the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) for the purchase of 50 high quality Spotting Scopes for high school Air Rifle Teams. This is the first of a series of annual grants in a program to provide each Hawaii high school with a set of 5 Spotting Scopes.
“Spotting Scopes are used to see where the shots are landing on the target and to ‘sight in’ the air rifle by adjusting sights so the shots hit the center of the target,’ explained noted island singer and former champion marksman Audy Kimura, Co-Chairman of the Hawaii FNRA. “Many of our schools lack the proper equipment or are using broken equipment left over from Viet Nam era JROTC programs. The students are guessing where their shots hit, or they are using binoculars which means they put their air rifle down between shots. This ruins their aim and alignment with the target.”
“We are happy to partner with the Friends of NRA to provide new equipment to our schools so our athletes will not face disadvantages or inequities in competition,” noted Chris Chun, Executive Director of HHSAA. Hawaii has 39 high schools statewide competing in Air Riflery. Shooting is an NCAA college scholarship sport and an Olympic sport. Several former Hawaii champions currently compete at the college and national level.
Funds for the Spotting Scopes are being raised by a non-profit Friends of NRA committee composed of high school Air Rifle Team student athletes and adult volunteers. Hawaii FNRA also sponsors air rifle coach certification training, junior shooting camps, and school range repairs.
Dawn Horn is with the NRA in Hawaii. To contribute or to attend this year’s Friends of NRA Dinner on Sunday, November 7th to raise funds for the next Spotting Scope grant, contact her at (808) 225-7873 or dawnhorn@lava.net.