GRANT AWARD ANNOUNCEMENTS!
NRA Foundation
General Consumables Grant Awards
The Sidney Shooting Park would like to thank the NRA Foundation and the Friends of NRA for their consistent support over the years of our youth shooting programs in Cheyenne County. SSP has received equipment and ammunition from the NRA for our .22-Caliber Rimfire Rifle, BB-gun, Archery, and Trap Shooting programs.
2021 - $4,000.00
2019 - $3,455.88
2018 - $3,275.34
Amateur Trapshooting Association
August 2020 - The Sidney Shooting Park is proud to announce an award of $994.31 from the Amateur Trapshooting Association’s (ATA) Gun Club Grant! This money will be used to purchase replacement equipment such as microphones and cables for SSP’s Pat-Trap throwers.
“These funds are essential in keeping our Trap fields running in tip-top shape, and to ensure our ATA shoots move at a comfortable, uninterrupted pace. There’s nothing that annoys shooters more than slow or malfunctioning microphones, or throwers that aren’t functioning properly. We want to keep shooters coming back to our shoots, so we are most appreciative of the award from the ATA in helping us remain the premiere Trap facility in the southern Panhandle!” said Vice-President Carla Lutz.
Cheyenne County Visitors Committee
December 2019 - The Sidney Shooting Park is honored to announce the receipt of a grant from the Cheyenne County Visitors Committee in the amount of $9,000.
“The Cheyenne County Visitors Committee is pleased by the Commissioners’ decision to assist with funding for the Sidney Shooting Park’s Pistol Shooting Range,” said Hal Enevoldsen, Chair and Brooke DeNovellis, Vice-Chair on behalf of the Cheyenne County Visitors Committee. “The project falls well within our parameters of growing tourism in Cheyenne County by providing a venue that will draw shooters to our county for pistol competitions. The lodging tax funds provided come from people staying in our local lodging establishments, spending money in the community, and with the nearest pistol course of this caliber being in Grand Island or Fort Collins, Sidney is well placed to draw from a broad area for a return on the County’s investment. We applaud the Sidney Shooting Park for their initiative and congratulate them on their addition.”
This grant will fully fund Phase II of SSP’s new Handgun Range project, which will be accomplished by the summer of 2020. The initial Phase I project calls for four covered shooting lanes to be installed. Phase II will take place in early 2020, at which time the size of the pistol range will be doubled by adding a second shelter with enough stations and targets for another four shooting lanes. Upon completion of the project there will be two 20’ x 40’ steel shade structures side by side in the pit, for a total of eight covered lanes.
Read the full press release HERE.
Bass Pro Shops / Cabela’s Outdoor Fund
December 2019 - The Sidney Shooting Park is honored to announce the receipt of a grant from the Bass Pro Shops / Cabela’s Outdoor Fund in the amount of $20,000.
Brad Zalesky, SSP President, said “I would like to thank the Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Outdoor Fund for all their support in the progressive development of our great Park and the future of our youth programs.”
This generous grant will fully fund Phase I of SSP’s Handgun Range project, which will be accomplished by the end of 2019. One complete shooting area with four covered shooting lanes will be installed during this phase. Phase II will take place in early 2020, at which time the size of the pistol range will be doubled by adding a second shelter with enough stations and targets for another four shooting lanes. Upon completion of the project there will be two 20’ x 40’ steel shade structures side by side in the pit, for a total of eight covered lanes.
“The Sidney Shooting Park would like to thank the Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Outdoor Fund for their generous grant”, stated SSP Treasurer Jeff Ellwanger. “This grant will make it possible to provide a quality, safe shooting venue for the citizens of Cheyenne County as well as shooting enthusiasts throughout Western Nebraska, Northeast Colorado and Southeast Wyoming.”
As the premier outdoor and conservation company, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s supports initiatives inspiring everyone to enjoy, love, and conserve the great outdoors. The 501(c)3 Outdoor Fund raises funds to support conservation efforts by encouraging more than 200 million passionate sportsmen and sportswomen to round up their purchases in Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s stores.
Read the full press release HERE.
NRA FOUNDATION
2018 - The NRA Foundation has awarded the Sidney Shooting Park two grants for 2018 - a general merchandise grant and a range improvement grant, for a total of $13,275.34
The range improvement grant of $10,000 is earmarked toward constructing new shade structures next to the trap and skeet fields, as well as a covered equipment shed located south of the clubhouse. The general merchandise grant of $3,275.34 included consumable items for the Sidney Sharpshooters 4-H youth shooting programs, such as .22 ammunition, shotgun shells, clay targets, paper targets, and eye and ear protection.
“The Sidney Shooting Park would once again like to thank the NRA Foundation grant program for their continued support and development of the shooting park. The NRA Foundation has been a huge part of allowing us to improve the facilities and make them more shooter- and family-friendly. Past grants have been used to improve equipment on the regulation trap and skeet fields. With the ability to now host both ATA and NSSA shoots, this year’s grants have allowed us to provide shade structures to improve the shooting park experience. It encourages family and friends to come as spectators and enjoy the shooting sports atmosphere as we introduce new people to the sport.” said Ray Witt, SSP Vice-President.
“As the park grows and develops, it is imperative that we are able to protect our investments and make the park as efficient as possible. With the generous grant for the equipment storage sheds, we now have the ability to store equipment and targets on-site in a protected environment. The return on these investments will be realized for many years to come as we continue to grow and improve the shooting sports programs in the Panhandle of Nebraska.”
NWTF - Cheyenne County Boss Gobblers
Grant Awards
2018 - The Sidney Shooting Park is proud to announce the receipt of a $500 grant from the Cheyenne County Boss Gobblers - NWTF. The money was used to purchase 4 new Crickett rifles for the Sidney Sharpshooters 4-H .22-Caliber Rimfire Rifle program, as well as gun stands, target holders, and other reusable equipment necessary to keep the youth shooting programs running smoothly.
“The BB Gun and .22 Rimfire Rifle 4H programs would like to thank the National Wild Turkey Federation for their support of the programs. These funds allowed for the acquisition of four new Crickett .22 rimfire rifles as well as other equipment such as shooting pads, official targets, target holders, etc. The program had gone idle and lacked the equipment needed to allow the students to compete effectively.” said Bernie Fehringer, BB-gun and .22 Rimfire Rifle coach and SSP Board Member.
“The equipment acquired will continue to support the program for many years into the future. We hope to develop a good competitive team this coming season. We start the students shooting reactive targets. There is nothing like seeing the face of a young shooter when they put that first shot onto the target!”
NRA Foundation
2017 - The NRA Foundation has awarded the Sidney Shooting Park a range improvement grant totaling $9,312. The funds are earmarked to fund the purchase of two skeet-specific clay target throwers to complete the Park’s skeet field. "The Sidney Shooting Park would like to thank the generous support of the NRA Foundation grant program", said Sean Streff, SSP President. "The grant has helped in our continued expansion of the Sidney Shooting Park facility."
The goal of this project is to purchase the final equipment necessary to upgrade the skeet field to meet the specifications of a regulation course. With the upgrade of the throwers, the Sidney Shooting Park will be able to host sanctioned NSSA (National Skeet Shooting Association) shoots to draw people from outlying states and from across the nation, and provide people from the local area with additional marksmanship opportunities and youth instruction programs.
"Thanks to this generous grant from the NRA Foundation, we now offer a skeet shooting venue that features state-of-the-art Pat-Trap skeet machines", said Jeff Ellwanger, SSP Treasurer. "We sincerely appreciate the NRA’s commitment to shooting sports and the Sidney Shooting Park."
For more information, read the NRA Foundation grant press release HERE.
Cabela's Foundation
2017 - "Would you like to round up?" It's a common phrase you hear as you pass through a Cabela's checkout line.
Your "round-up" contributions are hard at work right here in Sidney! The Cabela's Outdoor Fund awarded a $21,000 grant to the Sidney Shooting Park specific to archery range enhancements. The west-facing range has been decommissioned, and a new north-facing practice range has been constructed.
A new "walking course" will be completed by mid-summer. The walking course includes 14 targets spread out across the natural contour of the area's landscape, covering just under one mile.
In addition to the expanded practice range and walking course, the grant has funded construction of a shelter with a concrete pad, picnic benches, and bow racks, as well as fencing and signage.
For more information, check out the Archery page on our website.
For more information, read the Cabela's Outdoor Fund press release HERE.
NWTF - Cheyenne County Boss Gobblers
2017 - The Sidney Shooting Park is proud to announce the receipt of a $500 grant from the Cheyenne County Boss Gobblers - NWTF for the Sidney Sharpshooters 4-H youth shooting programs! We appreciate your support!