I just got this forward-- it appears legit.  Not too many high schools have rifle teams any more-- fewer still would probably allow AR15's.

Anyone got an extra barrel or can help with cash for a barrel for a good cause?

Note:  Yes, internet frauds are common.  Is anyone in the Wickenburg area?  If this can be verified, I'll be the first to toss in $25.00.

Mike

NOTE: BY REQUEST, ALL EMAIL ADDYS ALTERED.  REMOVED "NO-SPAM" PART OF EMAIL TO CONTACT THE FOLKS INVOLVED!


Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2004 21:40:40 -0700
From: RD <[email protected]>
Subject: Wickenburg HS High Power Rifle Team Needs Your Help

Many of you have heard of the great success of the Arizona Junior High
Power Rifle Team, having taken 2nd place at Camp Perry, Ohio earlier
this year.

For photos see:
http://www.members.cox.net/azjrhp/azjrhp.htm    --and--    
http://tinyurl.com/4oan5

Many of the members of this shooting team (girls and boys) come from
the
Wickenburg High School Rifle Team  Yes, you heard right: a high school
high power rifle team. This over-achieving groups of young guns is
coached by Rex Powers, a mild-mannered spirit who tells me he will be
glad to answer your questions at [email protected]

Why would you want to e-mail him? Because he needs your help. No, he
didn't come to me begging for assistance. I found out about the team
and
decided it was time for some grassroots activism.

There's a problem. The team's donated equipment is in such a state of
disrepair including four rifles with completely shot-out barrels, that
of the 32 individuals who wanted to become a part of the team,
two-thirds had to be turned away. Out of seven rifles, only one shoots
to competitive accuracy. The rules allow three shooters to a rifle (one
shooting, one scoring, one on target duty), so that's what they are
forced to do for both competition and practice.

One kind gentleman has already agreed to replace three of the shot-out
Rock River Arms barrels. We are looking for donations for the fourth
replacement. As well, we are looking to purchase at least one Rock
River
Arms National Match A2 rifle -- and hopefully a few more. All items
will
be purchased by a local FFL and given to the team at dealer cost. You
can see the rifle here: http://www.rockriverarms.com at the RRA Custom
Rifles button. We'll try to get them in kit form at reduced cost
because
Coach Powers likes his students to learn through work. They also have
to
assemble their own ammunition on single-stage presses.

Phase I

"But what can I do, Rick? My family is on a tight budget."  Yes, as is
mine. But the State of Arizona has made this activism as painless as
can
be. It is possible (and easy) to take advantage of  A.R.S. 43-1089
which
allows a tax credit of $200 for individuals and $250 for married
couples, filing jointly, for fees or donations paid to a public school
in support of extracurricular activities.

Wickenburg High School's rifle team is one such extracurricular
activity. This tax credit is so coveted that if you do a google search
on the term you will find dozens of schools with information about it
on
their web pages, such as Prescott:
http://www.prescott.k12.az.us/az_tax_credit.htm   And you don't have to
live in the district to which you are donating.

If you send a check to the school in the coming weeks (up to December
31), you'll get all of it back when you get your Arizona income tax
refund next spring. Think of it: you support youth sport, you support
your Right to Keep and Bear Arms, you make the anti-gunners apoplectic,
and you get your money back in a few months. Is this cool or what?

You may not be able to afford the maximum $200/$250. But $25 is better
than nothing. Another option is to spread your donation over the next
several weeks. As long as it all get to the school on or before
December
31, your money comes back to you in early 2005.

Please make checks payable to:

"Wickenburg High School Rifle Team"

In the note section write: "Attn: Coach Rex Powers"

Address the envelope as follows:

Wickenburg High School Rifle Team
c/o Coach Rex Powers
1090 South Vulture Mine Road
Wickenburg, Arizona 85390

Phase II

I spoke to Coach Powers today and we began to brainstorm. I asked him
who he competed against at South Mountain on Saturday, was it another
high school team? No. Just a bunch of non-aligned high power kids.
Schools that still have teams have air rifle teams, not high power
teams.

I wondered out loud how fun it would be if his team had a high school
rivalry, say with Mesa Mountain View, or whatever. Naturally he said he
would love it. He told me that he would have to find a school with a
school board that was open to the idea, and had a potential coach
nearby. So I suggested that this search could be a project for him
after
he gets these new rifles set up. But since he competes with dozens of
non associated kids, perhaps one of the things he should do is to find
a
trio of shooters who go to the same school. Get buy-in from the Board,
get a coach. Viola...(nearly) instant team. A little help from Friends
of the NRA, Arizona Rifle and Pistol Association, Cactus League,
whoever, and it could be a reality.

Well, heck. If two teams in Maricopa County, why not four?  Yes, that
might take some time to assemble all this, and our resources would be
spread thin, but with a very small capital outlay, three rifles could
equate to another nine-member team.

Suddenly, we don't just have the Wickenburg High Rifle Team, we have
the
Maricopa County High School High Power Rifle Championships. Could a
state tournament be far away?

It's up to you. We can't do this alone. Rex won't beg, but I will:
please don't let these kids down.

Thank you,

Rick DeStephens
Glendale, Arizona
[email protected]

This for real....the hunt started last week.

SR........I almost contacted you guys

Guys..this IS legit.  I am friends with the Assistant Coach of the team, and am friends with Rick (the guy doing to emailing).  I've been in contact with the actual coach, Rex, and am working on getting them about 20 of the 20-rd magazines for this venture.

Sinistral:  As to why they didn't contact you, don't know....however that IS interesting news.  Email Rick and let him know...I'd like to find out how the hell they shot out 4 rifles in three years (if I am putting everything together correctly).

Rick is doing this for the in-your-face activism and bunghole-pucker this will cause the anti's....people donating AR-type rifles to a HIGH SCHOOL team. :)

Prebans - email me off list and I'll give you Rick's phone number if you want to chat with him.  Otherwise, his email is in the message.  This has been on the AZRKBA mailing list for about a week or so....

TimW
Phoenix
Practical Tactical, LLC

I'm satisfied as to the legitimacy of this now.

How about it, guys?  I'm in for $25.00.  Will anyone else step up to help them get their fourth barrel?

Mike

Quoted: I'm satisfied as to the legitimacy of this now. How about it, guys?  I'm in for $25.00.  Will anyone else step up to help them get their fourth barrel? Mike

I'm in.

There's really no excuse not to, if you read the E-mail, you'll get it back in your taxes anyway...

Hi guys,

I'm the Rick guy mentioned above.

Thanks for your enthusiasm. Maxing out the $250 per couple is a lot to ask of many of us. I had to get my wife to go along, but the 100% tax credit was the deal-maker.

If you can't afford the max, go with $25. $10. Anything. The fact that many people are in on this for a little beats a few in for a lot. The antis will hate that this is a grassroots gunnie thing. It is far easier for them to villify a few (such as NRA instead of all the other gun rights groups), rather than scores of donors.

Please spread the word via e-mail and other forums. E-mail one of your fave media types. Have them call up Coach Powers. Call up a manufacturer and see if they can donate ammo components, or whatever. Don't get burned out on this, make it fun.

Remember the long-term goal is not just to make Wickenburg a healthy team again that doesn't have to turn away 24 freakin' potential team members, it is to change the landscape of Arizona...

I asked Rex what that kind of competition might mean to the sport of high power rifle in Arizona. Without hesistation he said, "It means national champions."

Visualize an Arizona State Rifle League, press coverage, and some mighty peeved anti-gunners.

Thanks for making my day with your positive vibes.

Rick

Damn good idea!
I have donated to various  groups on this board and I'm am glad to see something for the kids
in the shooting sport,especially Az kids.

To tell you the truth,I didn't realize high schools had shooting teams.
I guess cash might be the thing that is most needed,
but can someone tell me(maybe Rex,Rick,Tim) is there a list of supplies that is also needed?

I plan to talk with the principal at River Valley High,who is a hunter, and see
what the chances are...

Lets get behind the kids on this and show our support.

How about a tack Mods?

Zoomer. They've been at it for a while so they have some quantity of spare parts. What they need is rifles so they can have more kids learning the sport.

If you are going to try to start a team at a school near you, please so so. What I would suggest is that you e-mail Rex Powers and exchange phone numbers with him so he can tell you the ins and outs of this. Then, I would contact your local gun club as well as Ed Schein &  Terry Allison of the Arizona Rifle and Pistol Association to get their organization behind it. They have already gotten a bit of a sniff of this activism and I will likely be having a dinner meeting with Ed Schein next Wednesday. If they suddenly get nibbles from you, Zoomer, they'll know that this is a parade they damn-well better get in front of.

http://www.asrpa.com/

Terry Allison [email protected]

H. Dean Hall ASRPA and NRA Field Rep [email protected] (he just e-mailed me about grants)

Lanis Aden [email protected]

----------------------------------

Sinistral,

For you, due to your Cav-Arms connection, I think you're ready for Phase II activism, if you think you can muster the troops. Let's assume that we have Wickenburg up to speed, rifle-equipment-wise in a month or so.  Heck, why not contact Rex, ASRPA, etc, and tell them that YOU want to sponsor a rifle team over there in your neck of the woods (Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler).

Dang, I think it's just amazing that Wickenburg HS doesn't apply for an NRA grant every other year. Why didn't they say to the parents of all those kids they turned away, "Hey, we don't have enough rifles, but if you do the tax credit, for $250... three sets of parents equals $750 which equals one rifle. We shoot one rifle per three kids. Therefore, one maxed-out donation (which you'll get back next spring) equals your kid's spot on the team. "         hat
This ain't rocket science.      hinkin
Rick

If you are serious about sponsoring a team in the East Valley then the place to start might be Marcos De Niza in Tempe or maybe even Tempe High School. They have an Army JROTC Unit that teaches basic marksmanship as part of the program. They already have an air rifle team. I know its only an air rifle team but at the time the team was started it was really the only thing that could get through. That was back in 1986 or 1987 if I remember correctly. But the students used to be taken down to Ft Huachuca every year during spring break where they were taught marksmanship by the rifle instructors there using M-16s. So if they are still doing that they will already know the basics of shooting and taking care of an AR-15.

Since the program is older now parents might be more inclined to allow a high powered rifle team that uses AR-15s

Oooooh. That's good.

I was unaware of that angle. JROTC and air rifle to high power.

That's worth a look.

Can you team with Cav Arms and help them do the leg work? Contact Arizona Rifle & Pistol Assoc. and let them know what you have in mind. They might know the high-probability schools.

I'm thinking about church teams also. We go to CCV (Christ Church of the Valley), and it is the Walmart of churches. Huge, with ever-groing start-up programs such as youth soccer, which I coach. This may be way to political for the pastor as I have never heard him talk about anything controversial. Tons of W-04 and NRA stickers in the parking lot, though. Hmmm.

Rick

Quoted: If you are serious about sponsoring a team in the East Valley then the place to start might be Marcos De Niza in Tempe or maybe even Tempe High School. They have an Army JROTC Unit that teaches basic marksmanship as part of the program. They already have an air rifle team. I know its only an air rifle team but at the time the team was started it was really the only thing that could get through. That was back in 1986 or 1987 if I remember correctly. But the students used to be taken down to Ft Huachuca every year during spring break where they were taught marksmanship by the rifle instructors there using M-16s. So if they are still doing that they will already know the basics of shooting and taking care of an AR-15. Since the program is older now parents might be more inclined to allow a high powered rifle team that uses AR-15s

 

I could be at Marcos in 5 minutes from my apartment, I'd be willing to help out if we could get them going...

To get them going I would first contact Rex Powers via e-mail (when he gets back from his elk hunt next tuesday).

Then, I would contact  lean on http://www.asrpa.com/ and Friends of the NRA and personally help Coach Powers lean on them.

Here is another thought. If Cav Arms can muster a few national match rifles and start up a team, surley American Spirit Arms could do the same.

What is the contact info for the two companies?  I'd like to give them a yak over the phone.

Rick

Anybody else up for kickin in some cash for the Wickenburg rifle team?
I would like to see the Arizona members swing a rifle if possible.
I'll go one bill if anybody else can.
If not I'll just send it to Rex.

Quoted: Anybody else up for kickin in some cash for the Wickenburg rifle team? I would like to see the Arizona members swing a rifle if possible. I'll go one bill if anybody else can. If not I'll just send it to Rex.

Im not even from your state, I will kick in a check..

In High school I was on the JROTC Rifle Team, We used Air rifles and Remington 40X's. Every year those of us on the team would help teach the Cadets that were not on the team the M-16 at Ft Lewis, and we would all get a chance to Shoot real Military rifles....

I loved Rifle team, and learned a lot, We used to shoot 3 days a week at the Natl Guard armory not even 2 milse away, they had a 5 lane underground 25 yd range. That range was shut down 10 years ago because of the " health issues" and as far as I know now the team that was around for over 25 years is no more, due to no place to shoot.  The rifles got pack'd up and sent back to the USMC and that is that...


Has anyone talked woth CMP yet?

Why has no one posted this in GD?...I would bet that if someone set up a PayPal address you would get some $$$

R-32,

Thanks for you generosity. All of your suggestions are on the mark. The PayPal thing would be fine, but that is going to have to be set up via Rex and the school.

The response has been so good (beyond my expectations, anyway), that I think it is time to move to Phase II. Let's get the other teams started.

Those of you who are buddies with Cav Arms, American Spirit Arms, Dillon Precision, etc, contact them and let them know about this activism.  Tell them you will help with the grunt work so they don't have to invest a lot of staff time.

Rex will be back from his elk hunt/machine gun shoot tomorrow. I will contact him and see if he is ready to canvass Maricopa county for friendly schools.

I have a meeting this Wednesday at Macayos on Central at 6pm with some folks who are also members of ASRPA and Friends of the NRA . I've e-mails are fine and dandy, but there's nothing quite like picking up the phone or meeting one on one.

This thing is moving.

Rick

The next one will be hoisted in your honor R-32
The young adults are the future of this country.

Rex will be back from his elk hunt/machine gun shoot tomorrow

I live out on the western edge of the free country, (Bullhead City)
so I'm kind of out of the loop as far as doing any footwork
but let me know if I can help out.

Let us know who to PayPal.

You kind of got me thinking R-32 and maybe rick can answer.
Do these rifles become school property ?

Quoted: R-32, Thanks for you generosity. All of your suggestions are on the mark. The PayPal thing would be fine, but that is going to have to be set up via Rex and the school. Rick

One of you locals that are friends with Rex should just set up the account, post the info in the G.D.  from here. Im willing to bet that in 24 hours you have at least $1000.00 if  not more, market this thing right to the guys/gals here, and you will do well, and have lots of outside $$ support, The Other School districts may be the prob. But if you can come up with some funds that may help smooth them out a little. I would love to see Cavarms and Spirit get onboard. I wish my kids were a little older I could get into a project like this myself.

Anyway, Good luck guys!

post the info in the G.D. here. Im willing to bet that in 24 hours you hav>snip<

I agree and I would like to nominate prebans as the chairman, honorary of course

Quoted: post the info in the G.D. here. Im willing to bet that in 24 hours you hav>snip< I agree and I would like to nominate prebans as the chairman, honorary of course

Okay, will do.

Rick, what's the PayPal address?

Mike

Hold yer horses, cowboys !!!

Geez, youze guyz are agressive.  ;)

I haven't contacted Rex yet. When He gets back, I'll talk to him about it and have his assistant coach (the rather computer-savvy owner of 'Macs R We' http://www.macsrwe.com/ ) who can do it up, if doing so will fit the needs of the tax credit. My guess is that it will, but I'd like to make sure.

Rick

Hi guys, I'm Rex Powers and I'm the coach/sponsor of the WHS rifle team. I just now had time to get on this site and will go back and read all of the previous post but if you want to get a quick answer I'll be on the board several times each school day.
I asked my Activities Director about the PAYPAL account and she said she wasn't sure about it as there is supposed to be a 3% charge for the service and wasn't sure about the implications of the money being used to pay this as being tax money.

How'd the elk hunt go?
Where did ya go unit 8 or 10?

I pay some bills with on-line banking
and sent some cash to a bud of mine that way,
went right through. I think I will use that.

If I send it to the school addy above "Attn: Coach Rex"
will you be the first to open?

I just want to make sure that the shooting team
will be the one to get it and the reason I say this
is because with some schools,it's first come
first served. (If you know what I mean)

Just in case Rex doesn't get back in a timely manner --

He saw elk, didn't see the *right* elk. No shots taken.  ;)

As for the donations, they've taken donations before, no problem.

Make sure you send along all of your contact info so they can credit you with the donation for their records and send you back some confirmation. Rex thinks this may include SSN, but I don't recall sending an SSN with any of my prior donations.


Please make checks payable to:

"Wickenburg High School Rifle Team"

In the note section write: "Attn: Coach Rex Powers"

Address the envelope as follows:

Wickenburg High School Rifle Team
c/o Coach Rex Powers
1090 South Vulture Mine Road
Wickenburg, Arizona 85390

Tagged.

As for the donations, they've taken donations before, no problem.

Good deal Rick, I'll get something going payday. (25th)

As far as the money going to where it is intended, this is a mesage from C.D. Tavares, the assistant coach:

This is not a problem with Wickenburg.  Because none of the extracurriculars get money from the general budget, practically all donations are specifically targeted, and they go where they are targeted.

Warren,

Thanks for the reply.

I spoke with your stable-mate, Sinistral Rifle and suggested that since Wickenburg is now well-supplied, you might wish to concentrate on one of the next teams to be formed.

Gotta begin to start that league.

I thought I posted here, but maybe not.

I met with Terry Allison at the CCW post-Banquet meeting. We ran a profit and promised ASRPA a sizeable check. Terry suggested that the money could be used for nearly any non-firearm purchase (shooting mats, spotting scopes, etc), and wondered out loud whether the league should be the focus. I agreed.

He said that I should get in contact with Dave Janecek of the ASU "Gun Devils" as well as Allen Elliot of Central Arizona College. I have sent e-mails. These two know how to set up teams and leagues.

More later.

Rick

Fired off a round thru on-line bank,
Let me know if it shows will ya Rex.



From the heart of Dust Devil Country.
Fort Mo.

Will do Zoom.........and thanks.   Rex