PRESIDENTS CORNER 

July 2022

Dear FSSA members,

Happy Independence Day!!  May God continue to bless our great nation as we celebrate…and as we take a moment to honor all those who worked so hard, who risked so much, and especially those who gave their all so that the United States could be and remain the Land of the Free.  Have the best day possible!!  If you took the opportunity to do some hunting, recreational or competitive shooting this past weekend or today, I hope you enjoyed your Second Amendment Freedoms! I know I did.

FSSA was able to support several of our junior shooters, through our grant program, at the recent 2022 National Junior Olympic Rifle Championships at Hillsdale College and at the 2022 Rifle National Championships at the Olympic Training Center.  Congrats to our junior shooters.  In the next few days, the NRA National Championships, at Camp Atterbury, Indiana and the CMP Championship Matches, at Camp Perry, Ohio, will begin.  Good luck to all competitors and especially our FSSA individuals and teams. FSSA is supporting our teams by providing team shirts and paying team fees.  Other individuals from various FSSA affiliated clubs are supporting the NRA National Matches with their time and expertise.  If you have any stories or pictures to share, please send them to: webmaster@flssa.org. Look for pictures and stories on FSSA's Facebook page and Website.

I’d like to take a moment and thank Florida’s Marion Hammer for all her years of dedicated service supporting our Second Amendment.  As many of you may have already read: “After more than four decades of extraordinary service to the National Rifle Association of America, the Second Amendment, and gun owners nationwide, Marion Hammer is stepping down from her position as a state lobbyist for the NRA-Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) in Florida. She will continue to serve as an advisor to the NRA, assisting with Second Amendment advocacy in the Sunshine State and beyond.”

I was saddened to learn of the passing of US Marine, long time competitive shooter and FSSA Director and Officer, Gene Pitts.  Gene was a fine marksman and instructor and served as a tower talker for many NRA National Championships at Camp Perry.  His leadership as a former FSSA Director and Officer were significant in FSSA’s ability to serve our members and affiliated clubs.  Our deepest sympathy to his wife Karen and his family.

Florida continues as a Second Amendment friendly and welcoming state.  We are only able to enjoy our freedoms when we are represented at the Federal, State and Local levels by officials who value and fully support our constitutional right to own firearms.  We’ve seen what happens when good people do not exercise their right to vote.  With the upcoming elections, let’s do everything we can to ensure our local communities, our state and our country remain committed to preserving our Second Amendment Freedoms.  Stay informed!!  Be involved to the extent that you are able!!  Get out and vote!!  Help others register and get out and vote!!  Our founders gave us a country, second to none.  Let July 4^th re-inspire us to keep our nation free.

If you are overdue for FSSA annual membership renewal, or are coming due, I ask you to please consider renewing.  A reminder that individual annual membership dues will increase to $25.00 beginning next year.  Your membership fees go toward supporting Florida’s state championships, our teams, our juniors, and our women’s programs. The impact and importance of your membership is very much appreciated.  If you have questions about what we do, I invite you to contact me at president@flssa.org.  Memberships as well as donations can be made online at: https://www.flssa.org/join-us and at: https://www.flssa.org/http/www.flssa.org/Donate

Thanks to all our Directors for their work and dedication supporting FSSA and our shooting programs.  If you have an interest in serving or know someone who might be interested, please contact me.

Again, thank you for your membership in FSSA.  Please continue to encourage others to renew or join.  To FSSA’s affiliated clubs, thank you for your continued support.  Please let us know what is happening at your club, so we can share with our members.

Be well, stay safe, and enjoy our (your) USA’s great Independence Day celebration.

Ted

Ted Carter

President – Florida Sport Shooting Association.

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FSSA is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. The FSSA website has a link for members and non-members to make a charitable contribution to our state association, and your gift may be tax deductible. Please consider a donation at http://www.flssa.org. Click the link "Make a donation to FSSA". The donation can be designated to any of our discipline programs, our junior activities, or our general fund. These activities are designed to promote firearms safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those participating in the shooting sports, and to support our junior and women's shooting programs.