Rosie:
Can't speak for everyone, but I'm white male 48, hold my BS in Accounting am a corporate officer of a public company. Hold three professional certifications, my CPA, CCP & CMA. Am married to a very beautifull ladie. Live out in the country with my four horses, two dogs, two cats, 9 chickens, 1 guinne hen and who knows what else.
I'm the treasurer of our local gun club, which is a branch of the NRA. We have over 1,100 members. Our main function is to promote the shooting sports and contribute to the local community. Our main source of revenue is our annual pheasant hunt. The local farmers (most who are members) donate their land (approximately 50,000 acres). We buy around 4,500 rooster pheasants and plant them throughout the season. We charge $125 per season from our members to hunt. From these funds we donate around $25,000 a year to the local schools, churches, library and other functions. Up until this year we used to take all the kids from a local orphanage, put them through the NRA hunters safety course and take them out for a weekend of pheasant hunting. Capped out by a pheasant dinner (each kid got his own marked bird to eat) prepaired by us. This last season we got a new director of the orphanage who did not want us to turn her kids into killers. So ended a 48 year tradition.
In addition we have addopted 5 miles of highway to clean up on a monthly basis. We recruite and train over 20 kids each year for the Junior shooters program. They compete in 50 yrd. 22 indoor. One of our kids from several years ago, won the national championship with a near perfect score. He has been undefeated since, with a lifetime average of 297 out of a possible 300.
We are strong supporters of the Friends of the NRA and annually hold the most successful fund raising dinner in the nation. All funds raised at the Friends dinner go to the NRA endowment fund, which is used to fund the Eddy Eagle program, build shooting ranges, etc.
We recently (last week) signed a pledge to donate additional funds to the NRA endowment fund.
As to what types of members we have in our local club... all types, from all walks of life. Approximatly 5% of our members are women. (wished it was higher). I can honestly state that we have the butcher, the baker (no candlestick maker) barber, excutives, teachers, lawyers, farmers & lots others as members.
Although as a group (since we are a non-profit) do not get involved in politics. Most of our members are very active. As individuals we get out and man the phones for our local canidates and march door to door asking for votes. Most of us take a trip a few times a year down to the capital to visit our representatives. Almost all of us write our congress critters every time there is a bill that comes up.
What type of a person am I... well my wife thinks I'm a sweetee..
but she is a little prejudice. I've never been arrested. Had two traffic tickets in my life, both on the same day and both for the same thing... improper left hand turn. Was divorced from my first wife.... out of self defense.... it was either that or I was going to get violent... and I chose the non-violent way out... I left. I got so that I could not handle the verbal abuse any longer... getting woke up at 3:00 a.m. to be yelled at... well anyway I got remarried several years ago and it was the best thing that ever happened to me.
Hope this gives you an idea of who and what the NRA is about.... It's about people getting together and doing something they enjoy.... the shooting sports.... It just so happens that now we have to spend so much time in order to protect that right. Takes so much time away from our other attivities.
Richard