Whitley County JROTC receives NRA grant to purchase competition air rifles

Thanks to a grant from The National Rifle Association (NRA) Foundation and Friends of the NRA, the Whitley County High School JROTC received a grant totaling about $5,000 to purchase air rifles, target systems, and the equipment required to charge air rifles.

Whitley County JROTC cadets show off the new air rifles. Front, left to right are Raven Mayfield and Ashley Bryant. Rear, left to right are Daniel Edmonson, Naomi Hansford, and Faith Perkins.

“This new equipment provides our cadets the newest and best air rifles to compete with other programs in the Shooters Class,” noted MSG Don Gross, who is a WCHS JROTC instructor.

Local JROTC programs compete against each other in local meets, as well as, state and national competitions each year.

Shooting programs provide many advantages to the students by teaching fire arm safety and provides opportunities for educational scholarships.

Every year, The NRA Foundation allocates half of all net proceeds to go back into the state in which it was raised, where Friends of NRA state funded committees decide on programs and projects to fund on the local and state levels. In addition to the NRA, Disabled Veterans of America Post #90 and American Legion Post #88 contributed in purchasing additional air rifles.

“We are so grateful to the NRA, DAV, and AL for assisting us with the purchase of this equipment. I feel it greatly enhances our ability to compete at a high level and will contribute to our goal of winning a state and national championship,” said Rifle Team Commander Cadet Raven Mayfield.