Are you as frustrated as I am at the lies told by the media about the NRA?  Worse yet, are you disturbed that too many in the general public believe these blatant falsehoods?  No, we are not in the business of selling guns; no, we are not lobbyist for gun manufacturers; no, we do not pay politicians to support their love of the Second Amendment and, Holy Cow, we are not domestic terrorists!  Let’s explore just one NRA program that you may not be familiar with that truly demonstrates what the NRA is all about and how you can get involved and help in its success.

EDDIE EAGLE GUNSAFE PROGRAM

 For over 30 years the NRA has offered this school based program which teaches young children what to do if they ever accidently come into contact with a firearm. The Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program is taught by authorized instructors  in a classroom setting and utilizes kid friendly videos, activity books,  fun stickers, a dedicated kids’ webpage (with games, sing-alongs, stories, etc.), separate parent and instructor guides, a periodic newsletter, and even an adult costumed Eddie Eagle character.

The materials are subdivided into age appropriate presentations, from Pre-K through 4^th grade. All of this supports the essential message of the program - “Stop, Don’t Touch, Run Away, Tell a Grown-up!” . Informational materials are also supplied to the parents.  Nowhere in the program is firearm ownership mentioned or promoted nor is NRA membership marketed.

To date, over 26,000 school teachers and law enforcement officers have presented the program to over 31 million young students. Statistically, fatal firearms accidents within the Eddie Eagle age group have been reduced by 80% since the program’s launch. The Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program is endorsed by the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Sheriffs’ Association, and the Association of American Educators.

I encourage you to view the entire program on-line at www.eddieeagle.nra.org. Following that, if you’d like to get further involved, you can volunteer to become an Eddie Eagle Representative and take further steps to activate the program in your local schools by introducing it to the appropriate school and law enforcement officials. Please call 1-800-231-0752 and request a “Representative” application. If interested, you may also be involved in the actual teaching of the course. Once again, call the 800 number to discuss your interests.  The program is offered free of charge by utilizing grant money supplied by the outstanding “Friends of the NRA” organization. The NRA makes absolutely no monetary profit from the Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program. Given the amount of firearms present in our country and unfortunately, the carelessness of some folks in their firearms’ handling and storage, it’s difficult to imagine a more worthwhile program for you to consider supporting and participating in.

So, there you have one program among the many offered by the NRA that promotes safe and responsible firearm ownership. Keep it in mind the next time someone starts flapping their lips about the “evil NRA”. You can be proud of your NRA membership since, in reality, we are the only ones providing rock solid information and world class training regarding firearms and their safe use.  Renew or extend your membership today or give the gift of an NRA membership to a friend or family member by clicking the NRA logo below. Your support is needed now more than ever!

Thank you.