What do I get for $15?

[Riley/MN]

“What do I get for my $15?”, some have been heard to ask. This is a hard question to answer –Everyone is looking to get the most bang for their buck these days.

Usually the person asking this has a hard time grasping the idea that they are “getting” to help promote something that is near and dear to the hearts of so many of us. They have a hard time grasping that this stuff that we have come to hold so dear can be taken from us, just from apathy.

Luckily for us there have always been enough like-minded folks around to make it profitable for vendors to market specifically to us. Black Powder has never gone out of production (yet).  

Well I tell you one thing you folks have received for your $15. You just got eight new muzzleloading rifles, along with fixin’s into the hands of two great programs that promote teaching young people about what we do.

Gamehaven Boy Scout Reservation in Rochester, Minnesota and Marion County 4-H Shooting Sports in Philadelphia, MO are the first two recipients of the TMA Youth Grant Rifles (soon to be presented-pictures to follow).

There is no telling how many future buckskinners might come out of this investment!

This grant program is funded solely from the dues YOU GUYS pay to the Association! Thank you all. This is a job very well done!

[Riley/MN]

I have some personal experience with Gamehaven Scout Reservation. We have an annual Turkey Ridge Rendezvous. This will allow the shooting of good, reliable traditional muzzleloaders at our rendezvous.

We are also about to hold our second annual primitive biathlon. I don't know if the rifles will be here in time for this year, but this will allow us in the future to know that we have good, quality firearms lined up for the youth to use.

The camp also holds a special deer hunt two weekends a year by lottery to reduce the deer herd on the property.  This hunt allows shotguns or muzzleloaders. Once again, having good equipment on the property for the Scouts to use will allow them to harvest game with these rifles as well.

[Riley/MN]

I do not have the same level of experience with Marion County 4-H Shooting Sports, but I hope someone will feel free to share a little more about their program.

I will share this from their application:

The shooting sports program has been a part of the local 4-H programs for years and we are currently trying to expand. The local Palmyra, Mo. Park board has allowed us to install a range on the park grounds to utilize for the shooting and archery elements of our programs. The current leadership has been involved for a number of years and would continue to do so.
The current program depends on the type of firearms that the volunteer leaders own. This results in some years only having in-line style muzzleloaders or no muzzleloaders at all. This grant would enable the 4-H to year in and year out offer traditional muzzleloader shooting as a consistant element of our program. The leadership feels that with this equipment upgrade, the interest would flourish and expand.

[R.M.]

As so many say, the best $15.00 you can spend.
Way to go TMA.  

[greyhunter]

[Swamp]

What I get for my $15, is I get to belong to an association that will protect my passion, my beliefs, and my traditional way of life. That is what this organization is all about. It's not about receiving things in the mail, or personal gains, or just a forum to talk to people.

It's and ASSOCIATION people, one that will fight for what you and I believe in. I strongly feel that I have to belong to the TMA. It's the loud voice for what I truely believe in.

Ask yourself, why do I renew my membership to the NRA, NMLRA, or both every year? Is it not that you feel you have to belong to them? I bet it is! Same here. If your a traditional muzzleloader, then this is your place to call home! We WILL be the voice for all traditional muzzleloading.

Please consider joining our force if your a guest here. I get a good feeling when I renew my memebership every year, and I do believe you will to!

I welcome every traditional muzzleloader to the TMA!  

[2 Locks]

This the first I heard about the TMA Youth Grant Rifles.  Guess I need to start paying attention along with paying my $15.  I must say that is the best idea I've seen come out of the TMA so far!

My hat's off to the Board & Officers for this one  

Keep up the good work guys!

[BEAVERMAN]

Actually the bulk of the funding for the youth grants came from raffle tickets sales, but some of the dues $ were in the pot also, more to come as presentations are made

[Voyageur]

Going back before TMA was shifted to a new server---the days when Smoke was the guy to go to and our former departed President whose picture still appears on our heading--- I  made the exact same comment. "What do I get for my $15?"...."why should I pay for a forum that's there for the using...." I think that will run through many peoples minds when they are faced with that. Yes, it turns people off (maybe fortunately) I think it acts as a primary screening process until you lurk enough and find out that it's really a great place to be. Exactly the way it hit  me, I finally realized back then (early pleistocene) this was a good place to be.  Now with that said there are several other forums I do not sign on, with similar and sometimes greater charges for "membership." Truly many are not worth it i.e the 3 or 4 other BP forums that "exist"---I don't have to list them as most of you know of them---Riley and I know of another forum ( long time it hasn't been a true ML forum) that is fortunately going to die quite soon. So in my way of thinking I am happier being here as I know my posts will be read and I will not fade into the dust. Thanks for the opportunity to be in this great family we have going here just for US.  "Doc"

[Riley/MN]

Actually the bulk of the funding for the youth grants came from raffle tickets sales, but some of the dues $ were in the pot also, more to come as presentations are made

I knew that  

[Spotted Bull]

ALL awesome presentations of what we get for our $15!

[Gordon H.Kemp]

Good news and a great program . Hope it will continue to expand . I have , over the years worked in the Scouting programs . My oldest daughter spent a few years with the Cooperative Extension  4H program  , and at that time there was a shooting sports  segment (don"t know if they still continue to do so )?
        I"m sure it was/is posted some where on the forums but I must have missed it . Would like to know what Groups , Clubs and Oggs. are  considered for the program ? and how do they make their requests ? And is it a drawing or are the chosen by the BOD?
         regardless , I think its a great program and will in the not too distant future pay dividends  in creating  interest in preserving  the history of our country  , and  passion for the weapons and tools that made it possible .    

[BEAVERMAN]

Gordon, everything you are asking about the guidelines for the youth grants are listed in the members section, and have been for close to a year, the committee that chose the eligible programs is made up of TMA members with one BOD officer as the committee chair, any non profit youth org, BSA, 4H, GSA, FCF, etc. that is a 501 c3 org is eligible but needs to be sponsored and submitted by a TMA member , hope this answers some questions, see the other posts for more detail

[Gordon H.Kemp]

Thanks much for the information .  "And all this time I thought you guys were partying " :lol:  :rt th  

[snake eyes]

Riley,
       Although unaware of this program,I can think of no better
way to use the money the TMA has available to it.I hope the program grows as the TMA grows.If there is a fund set up
especially for this program,some may even consider donations
to it.
      Regardless of that my hat goes off to the BOD and officers
for putting the program in motion.
John