Matanuska Valley Sportsmen Inc

TO EDUCATE MEMBERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC REGARDING THE SAFE HANDLING OF FIREARMS, AND TO PROMOTE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF FIREARM USE.

PARTICIPATION, OPERATIONS, AND MEMBERSHIP LEVELS CONTINUE TO BE IMPACTED BY THE LASTING EFFECTS OF THE COVID MEDICAL CRISIS. AT THE END OF 2022, MEMBERSHIP REMAINED STABLE, BUT RANGE PARTICIPATION WAS SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. WE ANTICIPATE PARTICIPATION AT THE RANGE WILL CONTINUE TO RISE THE FURTHER WE GET FROM THE PANDEMIC. THE MIX OF PARTICIPANTS REMAINED SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT THE PROGRAMS AND CLASSES WE ARE PROMULGATING HAVE GENERATED ADDITIONAL INTEREST ON THE PART OF MEMBERS AND POTENTIAL MEMBERS. THE LADIES ONLY NIGHT PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE SUCCESSFUL. MORE CLASSES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED, BUT ATTENDANCE REMAINS DOWN SLIGHTLY. THE JUNIOR TEAM SPONSORSHIP HAS CONTINUED, AND MEMBERS HAVE PLACED HIGHLY IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL COMPETITIONS. THE CLASSROOMS CONTINUE TO BE WELL USED AND HAVE A HIGH OCCUPANCY FACTOR. THE INDOOR HIGH-POWER RANGE HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH GOOD UTILIZATION. VOLUNTEER RANGE SAFETY OFFICERS, INSTRUCTORS, BOARD MEMBERS, AND OTHERS PROVIDED OVER 10,000 VOLUNTEER LABOR HOURS TO THE ORGANIZATION AT A VALUE OF OVER $313,400. DURING 2022, WE FORMALIZED THE MANAGEMENT OF THE RANGE SAFETY OFFICERS BY ESTABLISHING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AS WELL AS APPOINTING A RANGE SAFETY OFFICER MANAGER TO OVERSEE AND REFINE THE PROGRAM.

COMPETITION AND TRAINING CLASSES WERE OFFERED AN AVERAGE OF ONCE PER WEEK. BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL CLASSES WERE OFFERED. WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP NEW CLASSES TO ADD TO THE OFFERINGS. THE STATE OF ALASKA HUNTER EDUCATION PROGRAM CLASSES ARE ALSO OFFERED AND HAVE BEEN WELL ATTENDED.OVER 275 PEOPLE WERE TRAINED IN BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL TRAINING CLASSES. THE CLASSES GIVEN PROVIDED TRAINING FROM INTRODUCTION TO FIREARMS THROUGH ADVANCED PERSONAL DEFENSE. TRAINING ALSO INCLUDED RANGE SAFETY OFFICER TRAINING, CHIEF RANGE SAFETY OFFICER TRAINING, A METALLIC CARTRIDGE RELOADING CLASS, AND A REFUSE TO BE A VICTIM CLASS. ATTENDANCE IN ALL OF THE CLASSES WAS ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY COVID RESTRICTIONS AND CONTINUES TO REMAIN AT THE REDUCED LEVELS. A TOTAL OF 34 CLASSES WERE PROVIDED IN 17 DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES. IN 2022, 122 PEOPLE WERE TRAINED UNDER THE STATE OF ALASKA HUNTER EDUCATION PROGRAM IN 9 DIFFERENT CLASSES.

A GUN SHOW WAS SPONSORED IN 2022 TO PROVIDE MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC: 1) THE OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIREARMS INDUSTRY; 2) THE OPPORTUNITY TO UPGRADE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT; 3) TO PURCHASE NEW AND SPECIALIZED PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES; 4) THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBSERVE HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT EDUCATIONAL DISPLAYS; AND 5) TO SELL UN-NEEDED PERSONAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT. OVER 81 VENDORS DISPLAYED AND 2300 PEOPLE ATTENDED.