Texas State Rifle Association receives AgriLife Extension Partnership Award

Writer: Robert Burns, 903-312-3199, rd-burns@tamu.edu

COLLEGE STATION – The Texas State Rifle Association has been honored with an Extension Partnership Award presented by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

The award was presented Jan. 6 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Conference held on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station.

According to the award nomination, the association was the first major donor to the Texas 4-H Shooting Sports program since its inception in the 1970s, and has continued to support the program in numerous ways since.
According to the association’s website, the Austin-based organization has “tens of thousands of members” from all walks of life and across the state “who have the common goal in protecting the rights of the law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.”

“Since 1919, TSRA has served Texans by protecting the lawful possession and use of firearms, providing gun-safety training and supporting the shooting sports, hunter education and wildlife conservation efforts,” reads the website summary.

Award nominators noted the “4-H Shooting Sports program serves as a vehicle to benefit not only youth in the program but their family members as well. Many TSRA members have attended the intensive instructor training course and invested personally in the lives of youth and families through the program.”

AgriLife Extension uses funds donated by the association in various ways, including as award stipends in competitions.

“More recently, the association designated funds from its license plate income for both the 4-H Shooting Sports program and the Tubb Scholarship program administered by the Texas A&M Foundation,” according to the nomination. “From scouting groups to Junior Olympics training, TSRA serves as an avenue for the youth of today to become responsible citizens of tomorrow. With TSRA’s generous support, AgriLife is able to continue the shooting sports program and other programming that results in positive impacts on the lives of youth and families throughout the state.”

Established in 1999, the Extension Partnership Award recognizes vital alliances with agencies, organizations, and others beyond The Texas A&M University System. AgriLife Extension honors those partners whose dedicated collaboration and support have significantly enhanced the outreach and impact of AgriLife Extension programs for the people of Texas.

-30-