Wickenburg Highschool High Power Rifle Team -- Donations

Many of you will remember our fund raising/activism from fall 2004.

We took advantage of Arizona's tax credit and had dozens and dozens and dozens of people donate the limit and have the State of Arizona give it back to them in the form of a refund when their Arizona income taxes were due.

The result was that some $10,000+ was raised allowing for the team to purchase new national match AR15s, shooting supplies and to practice their little fannies off and to join the Arizona Junior High Power team and take first place at Camp Perry in 2005.

See http://members.cox.net/azjrhp/ for a photo of the team -- notice that five team members are female (second photo on the page).




It's end-of-the-year time again and we are trying to get more money raised.

My check is in the mail.

Rick

Here is the update from Coach Rex Powers:

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I wanted to give you folks an update as to the health of the Wickenburg High School High-Power Rifle Team.

Due to your generous donations last year, the club was able to purchase a used SUV and box trailer to transport two coaches, five shooters, equipment, and luggage to Camp Perry this past summer (and transport a trophy back). The club now has six serviceable guns and a good complement of spare barrels, parts, jackets, scopes, and similar equipment.

Last year, the team started out with about ten shooters and ended the year with five committed competitors. This year, roughly 24 kids came out for the team! Despite the fact that their six AR-15s are enough to support only 18 competitors at any given match, the Coach has decided not to cut any shooters. He expects the problem to resolve itself due to attrition caused by participation in other seasonal sports or failure of interest among the less committed. This is the biggest the Rifle Team has ever been. In fact, due to its popularity, the school administration has reclassified the Rifle Team from a club to a sport.

As you probably remember, Arizona residents can make an annual donation to a public school activity and receive a dollar-for-dollar CREDIT on their state income tax. In other words, you can take money that you would have to pay the state anyway, and send it to the Rifle Team instead, at no cost to you. And this year there's even an extra federal incentive: due to the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act, your donation to ANY charitable cause (not just Katrina Relief) between now and the end of the year is not subject to the usual 50% limitation.

This year's state tax credit limit is $50 higher: $300 for a couple filing jointly, of $250 for an individual filer. If you owe at least that much to the state of Arizona, you can help out the only remaining high-school high-power shooting team in America by sending a donation to:

Coach Rex Powers
Wickenburg High School
1090 South Vulture Mine Road
Wickenburg AZ 85390.

The state is recommending all donations be sent to arrive before December 16, so it can be processed before the school closes for the holidays. If you have any questions, you can contact the school at (928) 684-6622.

To all of you who participated last year, and to all of you who will be participating this year, thank you so much!

Rex

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'We should establish shooting galleries in all the large public and military schools, should maintain national target ranges in different parts of the country, and should in every way encourage the formation of rifle clubs throughout all parts of the land. The little Republic of Switzerland offers us an excellent example in all matters connected with building up an efficient citizen soldiery." Theodore Roosevelt, Sixth Annual Message to Congress, on Dec. 6, 1906

 

Here is a helpful document you can print out.

It speeds up the paperwork the school has to do to take in the money and to properly assign it to the Rifle Team (and not the Chess Club).

 

Hallo AZRick

Kudos to you for backing such a great cause; that photo is truly motivational.

If you ever get a chance to do a short writeup on dealing with those who support/oppose a teenage Rifle Team, I'm sure a lot of us would love to hear the story.

I feel terrible for you that there aren't dozens upon dozens of AZ residents maxing out their taxcredits on your organization. $10,000 is about equivalent to 30-some Arizonans maxing their donation. I can't imagine that THR can't beat that this year. If I understand correctly, this doesn't cost a dime extra if you're an AZ resident, right? Your $300 in taxmoney that would have gone to laying new linoleum some state office or filling the coffee machine at the Department of Widgets will instead be spent on sweet, sweet gunmetal.

I donated last year, despite not being an AZ resident, but am an unemployed student this year. So, I hereby offer you a shameless bump for your post, and let me know if you need help tracking down THR Arizonans and "encouraging" them to donate (ominous music)...

Can we get some mods to temporarily sticky this on General Discussion with a title clearly indicating that this doesn't cost you any money if you're an AZ resident?

Sorry for being so overwrought about it, but it bugs me that this is one of the best things we can do to bring up young shooters, doesn't cost AZ folks any money, and yet we don't hear much about it.

-MV

P.S.: Not to rob Wickenburg, but are there other HP teams in AZ that can also take tax-credit donations?

 

MV,

Thanks for the heart-felt bump.

Yes, Arizonans will get their full $300 back in about, oh, three months from now.

But I have some more motivation for you and your fellow Texans.

See the brunette in front, second from the left? She was one of the stars of the Arizona State Junior team, and she is now a freshman at Texas Christian University. She set a school record this fall in air rifle.

http://www.cstv.com/sports/c-rifle/stories/111505aaa.html

If any of you had *any* doubts about this activity, Let that be dispelled.

Rick

 

One of the things that shocked me was the resistance to creating a second high school-based HP rifle team. Some of the adults who supported the Arizona Junior HP team "feared" that it would dilute the talent pool in their team.

Utterly short-sighted. But there you have it. We could have had a second team by now but those who have the connections won't throw the switch.

The most critical component for starting a second team is a to find a VERY dedicated adult who is willing to coach and spend way too much of his former free time running this team (training, going to meets, reloading parties, etc). Oh, and a very dedicated adult to be the assistant coach.

Nobody said it would be easy.

Rick

 

Congratulations on your win in the rattle battle this year. I was tied up sat night after the match and could not attend.
This is a great program you have and I think with two teams I really do not see the problem the others have. The more shooters in the program the better. How you set the teams and who is on them is not that bad.

Good luck on your goals for this coming year and your fund raising.

Jon

 

Thanks, Jon. But remember, this isn't *my* team. It's Rex Powers' team.

And yes, Justin, this is very political (school kids with guns???). I wouldn't be involved if it weren't.

Rick

 

THAT'S SO COOL!!!

In my highschool, the closest thing to a gun we had was the hot glue melter in arts & crafts...

 

I found this from the AZ_CCW yahoo group.

The check is in the mail!

 

I luv U man !!!

Rick

 

hey i am all for the rifle club i am a junior in high school and i am also captain of the chess club so we need money too beleive me chess bulids brain power but a rifle club i am going to talk to the principle today

 

BDH, once you get the okay from the Admin, you'll need to find a dedicated and knowledgeable rifle coach. That won't be easy.

Look toward your State Rifle and Pistol Association for help first. You'll need it. But just think if you succeed?

Rick

 

Here's another version of the form w/ instructions.

http://members.cox.net/azjrhp/WHStaxcredit05form.doc

 

Healthy, all-American young men and women with the means and training to defend their nation and the maturity and wisdom to take charge of their lives.


This is one agnostic who says, "God Bless America."

Is there anywhere I can send a few bucks by PayPal?

 

well i got permission but have to wait until next year to join 4-h and the fun will begin not the high power rifle team but will have rifle comps. + pistol and also balckpowder and even skeet so i am happy even found a coach who is an ex army ranger going to help so i should be set

 

BDH

They're going to let you start a rifle team? Excellent news. What state are you in?
-

 

No PayPal, unfortunately. The school tried that last year and ran into problems of some sort.

A check is the best way.

Thanks,

BDH, great news on the rifle team.

Rick

 

Here is a progress report from Coach Rex Powers:

Thanks for your help.

Rick