Let’s help our local communities during these difficult times

A message from David Bot – President, Burlington Rifle and Revolver Club

In light of the need to support those working on the front lines of the COVID-19 emergency, the Burlington Rifle and Revolver Club is taking the initiative to arrange donations from both the club and its membership to assist organizations in need.

This is a good opportunity to demonstrate support for our local communities and to increase our visibility. In the past, we encountered people who blocked our efforts simply because we were a “gun club.” However, today we’re making significant inroads and have already made the CHCH News as a “major contributor” and will be in the local print media as well. We hope to continue these efforts until our club and sport are recognized across the region.

We are asking other clubs to do the same and in doing so, inform the general public of our collective existence so we can in future counter any criticism we may receive by the outspoken few. To make things simple in setting up your own initiative, I am providing a copy of the text that we have added to our local hospital foundation’s donation page where our members can donate directly. You can access it HERE or email me at president@rangeburlington.ca for a copy. Feel free to use and modify the text as you see fit for your club and local community distribution.

I am also drafting some pre-canned press releases that can be distributed to local media. If you would like to access them to modify for your own use, don’t hesitate to email me.

I would like to maintain a list of clubs that make contributions as well as their donation amounts so we can promote this nationally with the help of people like Tony Bernardo, Executive Director at the Canadian Shooting Sports Association. So please do let us know if your club sets up a fundraising initiative.

When this pandemic is over, long-term plans are to regularly repeat donation drives and news releases and use it to counter any unjust criticism by our detractors.

The shooting sports are one of the very few sports, perhaps the only one, in which juniors and seniors can participate on an equal basis, often without special provisions or handicaps. Bullseye is one such discipline but there are many others as you know. It is a life-long sport and any attempt to demonize us, the shooting sports and our equipment, is a direct attack on both our youth, our seniors and everyone in between. This information, when conveyed to politicians, often helps them to better understand and appreciate our sport.

Now is the time to get this process started and make it a nationwide effort. It is unfortunate that it takes an emergency such as this to create a window for us to be seen in a positive light, but it would be foolish for us to forgo this opportunity to help our fellow Canadians and improve our public image. Let’s show Canada what an amazing community we are!

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know.

David Bot, President
Burlington Rifle and Revolver Club
905-599-1641
president@rangeburlington.ca