The 25th anniversary banquet for the annual Friends of the NRA (National Rifle Association) is set to take place on Saturday, October 21 with doors opening for games at 5:00PM and a prime rib dinner by Hickory Creek being served at 7:00PM. Many of the popular games will be back including the mug raffle, wheel of fortune, penny raffle, bullet board, the Red, Blue and Gold tables, and Crap Shoot (outhouse).  

Per Barbara Cushman, this year’s banquet will boast about twenty-five more guns than previously with other items including, “Locally, there is a Carla Stroh wildlife print; Libby Lamp has designed a concealed carry purse; Deb Harty is designing two pieces of jewelry just for this banquet and Tricia Miller’s soaps and lotions will also be available for silent auction. The gun of the year is a Daniel Defense M4 Carbine V7 5.56mmx45.  Also in the basic FNRA catalog there is a Henry Big Boy Silver Lever Action Rifle .44 Mag with anniversary logo, a youth Cricket .22LR Rifle with Silver Anniversary coin,  an autographed Charlie Daniel’s fiddle, two stoneware crocks and so much more.  The Patriot Tribute Sculpture will be the first to be auctioned off and the highest bidder will gift it to the veteran at the dinner that has served the longest”.  In addition to the auction items and the lot of more guns, three special commemorative guns have been booked for Niobrara County, “There are 3 Henry Frontier model rifles with Niobrara serialization (Niobrara001, Niobrara002 & Niobrara003).  The highest bidder will receive all 3 guns” states Cushman. 

“Since Lusk has been involved with the banquets and grant applications have been submitted, over $148,000 have come back to the county.  The 4H Shooting Sports building has new guns, archery equipment, 3D targets, tables and chairs.  The new multi-purpose building (shooting sports building) at the fairgrounds was substantially funded by the FNRA grants. Last year’s funds went toward a new trap line and voice call at the Gun Club.  The 4H shooting sports received a garage door for the building that stores the trailer” explains Cushman. Tickets can be purchased at the door but are currently on pre-sale and those wishing to sponsor a catalog item for the auction can still contact Barbara or Dan Cushman; “An individual ticket is $35, couples tickets are $30 each, and a family can get in for only $75. Twelve and younger eat for free”.