Civic Duty

When you get an opportunity to promote the shooting sports in your community, jump in with both feet.

The world is run by those who show up; therefore, it is entirely appropriate to say our respective communities are influenced, in part, by the various civic clubs and the folks found within those community organizations. The Chamber of Commerce is a big one, but so are Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, Jaycees, the various Masonic groups, and AMBUCS, to name a few. These groups represent the broader front line of the community of which you are a part. Each group has at its core great ideas and drive to make the community a better place, and your participation puts you in the flow of things.

All these groups do good things and have purpose, but typically in your community only one or two will have the “players,” the “up-and-coming” leaders. In Oklahoma City where I live it was Rotary. There were 11 different Rotary clubs in and around the metroplex area, but one—Club 29—was the club several friends encouraged me to join.

When we sold the business in 2016 this club had more than 500 members, and the average attendance at lunch was well over 300. Given the size, the club attracted the best speakers from all over the world. That fact alone made it worth being in attendance. Yet this is not being involved; it is just attending. Remember, you are the front line of the shooting sports, the face of our industry. Everything you do, say, and are involved in represents not only you and your business but the overall shooting sports industry. You are an ambassador.

I was given that humble yet daunting title by several leaders who happened to also be guests of the range when I first joined in the late 1980s. Their encouragement helped me set the right spirit for the task ahead, and as my mother always encouraged me to do, I “jumped in with both feet.” There were lots of great things ahead, but also some challenges.

The first challenge was overhearing a conversation and being referred to as the “token gun guy.” Now, I could have taken umbrage at this elitist comment and gone down a normal path of being offended; instead, I took the stance that they simply did not know me or the shooting sports world. I opted to show them the truth by my actions and deeds. This was not only fun, but planted seeds for the future that are still being harvested today.

The very first opportunity came just a few weeks later. Rotary is truly international in scope with clubs all over the world. They use this leverage to create short-term exchange programs (usually a few days), such as the Adult Business Exchange and the Youth “Rotary Wings” program. Another program is a year-long “Rotary Student Exchange” for high-school students. Despite the enormity of my club, they had struggled to get members to host these folks.

A longtime member reached out to me. He took time to give me the history and importance of these programs, the struggle with getting folks at the club involved, and his faith in me and our family to make it work. That inspired me on several fronts, and I agreed to host.

The first exchange person, a businessman from Malta, was a wonderful soul in his mid to late 20s. He immediately connected with our young children and my wife, Jayne. He was fascinated with the fact that we ran an indoor gun range. At the send-off party for him and the other Adult Business Exchange group members, I was given the opportunity to host a high-school exchange student, Stefania Lettini, from Germany.

That program, and this very special young lady, set us on a track to eventually host well over 20 individuals, mostly young adults. It brought the world into our home, but it also helped spread the word about the shooting sports in such a great hands-on way. All of our young guests wanted to see the range and store, and they all wanted to shoot, which was a first-time experience for most of them. They were such a joy to teach and be with.  We learned, after they went home, that the shooting part of their visit was a big hit.

The following year the next group came and wanted to go shooting. This was a great surprise to a few of the Rotary folks who were not necessarily fans of the shooting sports. A group from the “Wings” program were so upset that they were not going to shoot that they got together and respectfully but strongly let the leaders know they wanted to shoot before leaving. I received a call at 9:30 p.m. asking if we could host the entire group at the range first thing the next morning. Of course, I said, “You bet.” They were scheduled to fly out at 2 p.m. It was a tight window, but we made it happen. There were many happy faces and lots of pictures, but most importantly, positive memories of the shooting sports world.

Eventually, along with several of my spirited team members, I did lots of other things within this and other clubs. Doing the introductions, prayers, bringing headline speakers (several from the shooting sports world), and of course, donating prizes such as guns, safes, and training, were personally rewarding. None of it would have ever happened had I had not been involved.

Our purpose was, and still is, to grow the shooting sports. A key benefit of all this civic involvement was the opportunity to be put right in the middle of the movers and shakers of the city. You cannot buy that kind of influence.

The Simple Truth is that we were able to influence in a positive way attitudes toward the shooting sports, all the while having a great time. You can do this as well. Jump in with both feet.