About Us

Friends of NRA is a grassroots fundraising program developed to raise funds for The NRA
Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempted organization. The program's fundraising events are fun, familyoriented gatherings organized by thousands of volunteers nationwide with the help of the NRA's professional staff. By the end of 2004, more than 10,000 Friends of NRA events have been held since the program's inception in the fall of 1992, reaching over 2,000,000 shooters, hunters and other firearm enthusiasts in their own communities.

To date, over $15.8 million has been raised for The NRA Foundation through this dynamic program funding important projects such as: youth shooting programs, hunter education, range development and improvements, safety and marksmanship training, wildlife conservation, and endowments for the future of the shooting sports.

By participating in Friends of NRA, sponsors get the chance to expose their talents and products while attendees enjoy an evening of comraderie-- all in support of raising funds to perpetuate our American shooting sports and hunting tradition.

The Roanoke Valley Friends of NRA VA -1 was the first committee to charter in Virginia.  Mr. Leonard Muse was instrumental in forming the committee.  On 12 January 1993 ,Terry Slusher and Phil Roath, the NRA field representative, signed the Roanoke Valley Friends of NRA. 

The first committee had twenty-five members.  The officers were selected as the late Bob Tully and the late Terry Slusher as co-chairmen, Lois Bostain was the secretary, Harvey Bulaski as the treasurer and Al Robinson as the assistant treasurer. 

A check of $500 provided 'seed' money for the committee.   This is the same amount that is required to be retained in the bank account after each banquet.

The meetings were held 1, 12, 20 April and 10 May 1993.  On 10 May 1993, only thirty-two tickets had been sold, mostly to committee members.  The inaugural banquet was 14 May 1993 at the Holiday Inn - Tanglewood. 

The auction and prizes were presented by the late Jim Hallis.  The arrangements were handled by the late Leonard Muse and Betty Carr Muse.  There were ninety-eight attendees.  The Holiday Inn fee was $2,889.28.  The committee grosses $12,452 and netted $2,302.  Afterwards Phil Roath, the NRA field representative, opined this could have been the banquet from Hell but later said it was the committee from Heaven.

Contributors then until now are Hunter's Den, Bryansteen's, and Roanoke Rifle & Revolver Club.

A FRNA Leadership Workshop was held in the fall of 1993, attended by Bob Tully.  At the funding meetings the pressure was on us as the roll call to rate the grant requests always started with VA - 1!  Sometimes, we found ourselves out in left field with our rating.

Today, we meet each month to plan our events. 

A special thank you to Harvey Bulaski for submitting the background information for our committee.