NRA Banquet set for Sept. 15

The 11th annual Hot Springs County Friends of the NRA banquet will be Saturday, Sept. 15 at the Days Inn. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with dinner at 7 p.m. featuring Baron of Beef.

The banquet will have more than 20 firearms available through games as well as silent and live auction. In addition to those, there will be the always popular Wall of Guns. There’s always some interesting pieces as well, and this year is no exception with items featuring John Wayne, an AR guitar signed by Ted Nugent and the 2018 Gun of the Year, a Kimber Custom II 45 ACP. There are plenty of firearms for people to get excited about, Hot Springs County Friends of NRA member Cynthia Garbin said.

Among the games at the banquet will be some old standbys, Garbin said, as well as a couple new additions and some kids games.

Proceeds from the banquet will go to a pool of funds generated statewide. Fifty percent of the money stays in Wyoming. Since the of Friends of the NRA’s inception, the county has seen 16 grants awarded, totaling almost $115,000. Grant recipients have included 4-H shooting sports, the Thermopolis Gun Club and the Thermopolis Clay Cutters Scholastic Clay Target Program.

This year a total $36,665 in grants was awarded, $20,930 to the 4-H shooting sports alone, as well as the Clay Cutters, Thermopolis Gun Club and for the Wyoming Youth Hunter Education Challenge.

The remaining 50 percent of proceeds goes to the National NRA Foundation to support items such as safety courses, the Eddie Eagle program which teaches gun safety, women’s programs, enforcement training and Game and Fish programs

Admission for the event is $35 for adults and $25 for youth 14 and under, which includes the dinner. Advance tickets are available at various businesses, or by contacting Paul Garbin at 921-8303.