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 MEDICAL CRISIS. AT THE END OF 2021, MEMBERSHIP REMAINED STABLE. DURING THE YEAR, RANGE PARTICIPATION WAS SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT WE ANTICIPATE THOSE NUMBERS WILL RISE. 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 IS 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 $220,000.

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 500 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. A TOTAL OF 51 CLASSES WERE PROVIDED IN 12 DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES. IN 2021, 144 PEOPLE WERE TRAINED UNDER THE STATE OF ALASKA HUNTER EDUCATION PROGRAM IN 11 DIFFERENT CLASSES.

A GUN SHOW WAS SPONSORED IN 2021 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 2700 PEOPLE ATTENDED.