Greg.B's 'INGO Challenge"

[Greg.B]

As many of you know, I'm very involved in youth activities. I'm strongly involved with the Boy Scouts of America as a Scoutmaster, Merit Badge Counselor, and a member of our Council Shooting Sports Committee. I'm also a volunteer Indiana Hunter Education Instructor, and am certified as an NRA Range Safety Officer and Instructor for pistol, rifle, and shotgun. Along with working on a few other certifications, I also enjoy deer hunting (archery, shotgun, and muzzleloader), squirrel hunting, trap and skeet, and just plain old plinking on the range. When I have the time, that is...

Being involved with these activities has given me quite a bit of insight into our youth as related to these areas. It never ceases to amaze me when I see youth (and adults for that matter) that have never been exposed to the shooting sports and/or hunting activities, and I personally find that troubling.

You see, it's a satisyfing feeling to see a youth or adult who shoots for the first time. Generally, their eyes light up and they grin from ear to ear when they hit target. Then, in talking with them afterwards, you find out that they haven't had the opportunity to participate in these activites before. There can be various reasons for this, but one of the ones that I've heard quite a few times is "No one in my family does this, and no one else has ever asked me".

No one else has ever asked me....Now I don't know about you ladies and gentlemen, but for me that's a very humbling statement, and one that I've realized that I've been guilty of. I mean, we spend countless hours enjoying our sports. We spend untold dollars on our equipment and their use. We preach active involvement, and lecture about the importance for standing up for our rights. We spend quality time with our spouses, children, and grandchildren teaching them about hunting, shooting, and the 2nd amendment. But where (and when) do we take the initiative to introduce others to our activities who might not have be fortunate enough to have a relationship with people like us and those in our own circle of friends? Who's going to introduce them, safely and responsibly, to our activities?

This leads me to my "INGO Challenge" for each and every member of INGO, including myself:

Sometime in the next 60 days, introduce at least one new person, youth or adult, to the shooting sports or hunting.

That person can be a friend, a neighbor, or a family member. Perhaps it's a 'friend of a friend'. It doesn't matter who it is, really. What does matter is that you're giving them an opportunity that they might not otherwise have. Take them to the range and let them fire your firearms; provide the ammunition for them; teach them safety while they learn to enjoy shooting. Perhaps take them hunting with you, especially if they're a youth who can sit with you and observe on that first trip. Take them for a walk through the woods, and teach them about wildlife.

In doing so, you help to build our strengnth as a whole and ensure the future of our heritage. You see, the shooting sports and hunting are an important part of our heritage, and as you know are under constant attack from all directions. These activities define in part who we are and what we believe in. As such, they have a strong influence on who we become, both as individuals and as a collective. Shooting and hunting teaches important life lessons, safety, and responsibility; it builds new friendships, and it builds support for our cause, for as our numbers grow, so does our strength.

The last thing I might like to ad is that there's an awesome book written by Richard Louv (The Last Child in the Woods, Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2008)). I highly encourage all outdoors men/women to read this book if you're interested in this subject. It really strikes home with me, and I think it will with many of you as well.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and for those that will choose to participate, a special thank's in advance!