Wildlife Department receives $7,500 NRA grant for Wildlife Expo

            Visitors to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's 2009 Oklahoma Wildlife Expo have the opportunity to try first hand several outdoor activities, including shooting sports thanks to a grant from the National Rifle Association Foundation.
            At its July meeting, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission, which is the governing board of the Wildlife Department, accepted a grant of $7,500 from the NRA Foundation to purchase ammunition and shooting supplies for the 2009 Oklahoma Wildlife Expo. The grant is expected to cover about half the cost of all shooting expenses.
            The Wildlife Expo is Oklahoma's largest outdoor recreation event designed to provide hands-on learning opportunities for all types of outdoor enthusiasts while promoting and instilling an appreciation for Oklahoma's wildlife and natural resources. Among other activities, Expo visitors have the opportunity to try a variety of shooting sports including air rifle shooting and shotgun shooting. Last year, about 4,200 Expo visitors shot close to 27,500 shotgun shells, and an estimated 60-70 percent of the shooters were under the age of 18.
            According to Nels Rodefeld, information and education chief for the Wildlife Department, the National Rifle Association and its Oklahoma members, through the Friends of the NRA and the NRA Foundation, have been very supportive of the Wildlife Department, particularly in the areas of shooting sports education and promotion. Rodefeld added that, in the past, NRA foundation grants have been used to purchase shotguns, clay target throwers, trailers, and other equipment for the Department's Shotgun Training and Education Program.
            Darren Delong, senior field representative for the NRA, presented the grant check to the Wildlife Department on behalf of the NRA.
            “The NRA is glad to partner with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation to bring the Wildlife Expo to Oklahoma,” Delong said. “It's a great event and we are happy to provide this grant. We know it will go a long way in sharing the tradition of shooting sports and the outdoors with Oklahomans.”
 


Photo Caption: At its July meeting, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission accepted a grant of $7,500 from the NRA Foundation to purchase ammunition and shooting supplies for the 2009 Oklahoma Wildlife Expo. Pictured is Nels Rodefeld, information and education chief for the Wildlife Department, accepting the grant check from Darren Delong, senior field representative for the NRA.
 
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