For the seventh year in a row, Jim Owens and the Camp Perry Retired Marines made great efforts to help junior programs at the National Matches. Owens, who retired from the Marines in 1986 after 23 years of service, formed the Camp Perry Retired Marines Association in 1999. At that time he and his wife decided the purpose of the organization should be the advancement of junior high power shooting, and at the first dinner they raised over $1600 for juniors.
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| Jim Owens and the Camp Perry Retired Marines held a drawing after the Whistler Boy match to give out the 58 scopes and seven scholarships that were donated for junior highpower shooters. |
Since that first dinner the efforts of the Camp Perry Retired Marines have more than tripled. This year they have raised enough money and sponsorship to donate 58 scopes, including one Kowa TSN 661 66mm, three rifle barrels, and seven scholarships to be awarded to junior clubs at the National Matches. That does not included the plaques that the organization donates each year to be presented to the high junior in each of the National Matches. The barrels were donated by Krieger, Obermeyer, and Northern Competitions. The Fulton Armory donated $1000 that was broken into two $500 scholarships, one for the High Collegiate Service Rifle shooter in the Matches, and one for the High Collegiate Match Rifle shooter. Creedmoor Sports also donated $1000, which was broken into five $200 gift certificates for junior clubs, and were placed in a drawing along with the rifle barrels and the scopes. The scopes were purchased with excess profits that Owens, a Kowa Scope dealer, makes on the Kowa scopes he sells, so each time a scope is purchased for him a contribution is made to junior shooting. Also the Camp Perry Retired Marines still hosts an annual dinner, and holds a raffle to raise additional funds.
All that is required to become eligible for the drawing that is held each year is that the junior high power club or state association go online and register their club with the Camp Perry Retired Marines. To do this go to, http://www.jarheadtop.com, or email Jim Owens at topwrpa@adelphia.net. Every club that was registered with the Camp Perry Retired Marines, even if they didn’t bring a team to the National Matches, was entered into the drawing. If a club had a team in the Whistler Boy Match they had an additional ticket in the drawing. Winning a scope or a gift certificate is not the only advantage of registering with the organization; year round they also provide coaching materials, donated scopes, discounts, and wholesale prices on equipment. So if you have a junior club or you want to contribute to junior high power shooting, the Camp Perry Retired Marines are a wonderful resource.
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