Allentown's Camp Compass will receive a $10,000 grant from the NRA

This building is the home for Camp Compass, an outdoors educational program for inner city youths. Photo by Nick Hromiak

Through the proceeds from the Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg (the “Harrisburg show” as it has been known), the National Rifle Association (NRA) is donating $43,000 to five Pennsylvania organizations that promote the outdoor lifestyle through educational and recreational activities. 

One of the five is our local Camp Compass, an Allentown-based inner city youth organization that introduces urban, middle and high school students to various outdoor activities. 

For their efforts, the organization, headed by John Annoni an Allentown middle school teacher, will receive the second highest grant amount of $10,000 that will be used to supplement their social media outreach and public education for their Camouflaging Our Differences initiative. It’s designed to provide real-world educational experiences to youths and their families from inner cities while highlighting the beauty and significance of diversity, according to the NRA announcement. 

Camp Compass is headquartered in the back of Joe Mascari’s Carpet store on Sumner Avenue in Allentown. Several years ago Joe Mascari donated the second floor of his building for the organizations’ use. 

The first largest grant of $12,000 went to Harrisburg Hunters and Anglers Association of Harrisburg. Their grant money will go to support the organizations’ wide variety of youth activities and firearm training programs hosted year-round at their Dauphin County facility.

Shenecoy Sportsmen of McConnelstown, Pa., received a $10,000 grant to support two range improvement and expansion projects. The club plans to update their archery and rifle ranges and build a new pistol range complete with steel targets, with grant donations covering material and construction costs. 

Hunt of a Lifetime of Haborcreek, Pa., will use their $7,000 grant to support their goal of providing unique dream hunting and fishing experiences for youths 21 and under who have been diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. 

Wildlife For Everyone Endowment Foundation of State College, Pa., received $4,000 to help them support various youth programs throughout the year through the acquisition of an inflatable BB gun range. 

These grants, made through the NRA Foundation, are not the first NRA gave out. In 2016, NRA donated $50,000 to similar groups. NRA points out that the success of the Great American Outdoor Show and the efforts of the NRA Foundation is the leading charitable organization that supports the shooting and hunting sports. 

The nine-day show (Feb. 4-12), held at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, is the largest in the country as it features a myriad of the best of the outdoors. For more information and show tickets for the show go to www.greatamericanoutdoorsshow.org. 
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