Brookings Friends of NRA banquet next week

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BROOKINGS – Brookings Friends of NRA will hold its banquet Thursday, Feb. 20, at the Brookings Inn Convention Center. 

Participants will support the Second Amendment, shooting sports and hunting heritage with an evening of food, firearms and fundraising at the Brookings Friends of NRA Banquet and Auction.  

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner to follow. Tickets are $35 single or $60 for a couple. Tickets are available at The Exchange (322 Main Ave., Brookings), at the door on the evening of the event, or online at www.friendsofnra.org.  

This year’s banquet features numerous firearms and unique items chosen based on quality, craftmanship, functionality, and compatibility with the ideals of the Friends of NRA program. Specialized hunts including a South African hunt for four and a South Dakota pheasant hunt for two will be offered.  

The banquet will also feature an exciting live and silent auction, and fun-filled games. Proceeds benefit and support shooting sports. Other special pieces that will be offered include:

• “We the People” Guitar signed by Ted Nugent

• Savage Axis 270 with Flag stock signed by Ted Nugent

• Tomb of the Unknown Soldier collectible sculpture

• Red Ryder Team Freedom BB Gun

• “The Attleboro” commemorative knife

• “Don’t Tread on Me” bar Stools

• Barrel Wood American flag 

• Quigley-Ford optics

• Front Sight firearms training

The Friends of NRA Foundation, through fundraising events like this, grants hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to programs that promote the shooting sports, such as high school shooting teams, Boy Scouts, women’s self-defense programs and range improvements.  

More than $80,000 has been awarded locally by the group since 2010. Those receiving FNRA grant monies locally include Beacon Hill Rifle and Pistol Club, Brookings 4-H Shooting Sports Program, Brookings Gun Club/BCCL, Outdoor Adventure Center, Brookings High School Clay Target Club, Brookings NRA Youth Sportsfest, South Dakota State Shooting Sports Club, and the Brookings Cancer Shoot Out.  

Established in 1990, The NRA Foundation raises tax-deductible contributions in support of a wide range of firearms-related public interest activities of the National Rifle Association of America and other organizations that defend and foster the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans. 

The NRA Foundation is the Nation’s largest charitable organization in support of the shooting sports. In large part through funds raised by the Friends of NRA program, the Foundation has awarded over 48,000 grants totaling more than $370 million in grants in support of qualified groups and programs. 

The banquet will feature items that are unique, custom, or limited-in-production, and many that are available only at Friends of NRA events. What’s better than raising money for a good cause while winning guns, playing games and enjoying a great dinner?

There will be a youth shotgun raffle with the winner receiving an engraved Remington 870 shotgun donated by Brookings Engraving.

The live auction will offer an original signed painting by local area artist John Green, a South African safari and a South Dakota pheasant hunt. 

The evening will include a chance to take home the Gun of the Year, a Henry Side Gate Lever Action .45-70 rifle with NRA seal. 

The organization is offering a banquet special which is comprised of a Big Frig Denali 20 qt. cooler, two banquet tickets and a chance to win a Sig Sauer P365 Nitron Micro-Compact 9mm handgun.  Cost of this Banquet Special is $300.  Contact any Brookings FNRA committee member or The Exchange for more information.  This package will also be available the night of the banquet.

To honor all veterans attending, there will be a special drawing. The drawing prize will be a Henry lever action .22 rifle with special engraving that has been underwritten by Dr. Dan Carlson. All veterans attending this year’s banquet will be able to register to win this unique rifle.  

The Brookings Friends of NRA’s annual banquet is an event the whole family can enjoy.  Whether you’re a hunter, competitive shooter or just a proud gun owner, Friends of NRA has something for everyone.  

Attendees do not need to be an NRA member. The event is open to the public.