MS SOCIETY FUND-RAISER
FOR MS AWARENESS WEEK 1-7 JULY 2008
Held and sponsored by: AIHPA, SSAA & SSAA Sydney Centrefire Rifle Group
$2,200.00 raised for MS, by Shooters...

     

 
   

Shooters Target Multiple Sclerosis

By Richard Ruppas. 

There I was staring at the PC screen on 3^rd June when an email appears from David Waters asking “Rich.  I’m hearing a lot of MS advertising on the radio lately.  Why is that?”.

As with many of the large charity and wellness groups, the Multiple Sclerosis Society was running its MS Awareness week between 1^st and 7^th of June.  MS affects the central nervous system.  It interferes with the transmission of nerve impulses throughout the brain to the body via the spinal cord and optic nerves.  This can result in impairment of motor, sensory and cognitive functions.

There have been many famous and elite athletes who suffer from MS.  As with many illness conditions, it can terribly affect those who so desperately choose to pursue their wishes and choices in life.  In my case, it is shooting.

David knowing I suffer from MS, and being a keen shooter, suggested  the idea of me heading up an campaign to fund raise in recognition of MS awareness week, if I felt up to it.  I was keen to help fund raise for research into a cure for this terrible disease.  This is where the whole fund raiser, and the work, started.

Not having done this before, we had to come up with some objectives and ideals to run the raffle to, and with only days until the end of MS week, organise tickets, prizes, adverts, communication channels, etc.  The work was not an issue for such an important cause.  Our main rule was ensuring this was to remain a shooter initiative, and shooter contribution to an important cause.  Shooters were to organize the fund raiser, shooters sell the tickets, shooters buy the tickets, shooters win shooting prizes, and shooters present a healthy cheque to the MS society – on behalf of shooters.

AIHPA was used to spear head this cause, and after contacting Peter Cuddy of the SSAA Sydney Branch, Peter had no hesitation throwing his support behind it.  This support grew with thanks to the many appreciated ticket selling volunteers around NSW, ACT and WA.  Not a bad effort in just a couple of days.  We are sure, if we had more time, our main shooter contacts in other states would have pitched in also.

I dedicated spending the whole of days 2 and 3 making phone calls, sending emails and driving to literally everyone I could think of and asking for support with prizes.  The response was incredible, and again a good sign of how united the shooting sports world is for a good cause.

Special thanks to our sponsors:-  Beretta Australia, Russell Mark, Nioa Trading, Winchester Australia, Kizlyar Knives, Sheldon & Hammond, The Gunsmiths, Safari Firearms, South Western Firearms and Gun Smithing (WA), Yaffa Publishing, H & K Systems Australia, Australasian Knife Collectors Association (WA), Bankstown Gun Shop, The Game Council of NSW , Horsley Park Gun shop. 

Many thanks to our co-organisers, Australian International High Power Association (AIHPA), Sporting Shooters Association of Australia, Sydney Branch Inc (SSAA) & the informal SSAA Sydney Centerfire Rifle Group (SCRG) shooters.

The 6^th of July, at the SSAA Sydney Cup, was the close of the fund raiser, and where the shooters gathered at the close of competition for their presentation and to witness the MS fund raiser raffle.  SSAA Sydney Branch Secretary Peter Cuddy and AIHPA President David Waters both spoke in favour of the cause, I gave a brief of the prizes and raffle process, Craig Mahoney SCRG Captain carried out the raffle process with the help of “the youngest person in the room” (a nice young daughter to one of the shooters, with a big smile on her face, and blushing red cheeks).

         (Craig conducting the raffle draw...)

A list of the lucky winners is detailed below.  The big winner, were the MS Society, and the shooters.  What a fantastic effort by all the shooters and volunteers to sell 100% of the ticket allocations, and raise a total of A$2,200.00 for a great cause.  Well done!

I hope this fund raiser has helped raise greater awareness of the disease amongst shooters, and hopefully raised recognition of sporting shooters.

Please also find below an official response from the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Many thanks to the supporters and shooters.

From the MSS.

   “On behalf of the MS Society, and people affected by MS, please accept our thanks for your generous support.

     The funds which you all helped to raise will assist us to provide a wide range of services to people with MS and
     support for their families and carers. These services are aimed at enabling people with MS to maintain their maximum
     level of independence at home and where appropriate in the work place.

   MS Australia ACT/NSW/VIC, in consultation with people with MS, constantly reviews and adapts existing services
   while also implementing new ones to keep up with the latest developments in research and treatment for this baffling disease.

   Thank you for caring, your support is truly appreciated.

     Kerry Hill
     Events & Community Fundraising Project Manager”

PRIZE WINNERS AND WINNING TICKET NUMBER.
Note:  For those who won, and weren’t at the draw to collect, you will be contact soon.
Just some of the many prizes...

Held and sponsored by:
AIHPA, SSAA & SSAA Sydney Centrefire Rifle Group

As shooters, lets show our support.
All funds raised go to the Multiple Sclerosis Society

To be drawn at the conclusion of the Sydney Cup 6th July 2008

TICKETS JUST $5.00

Great Prizes on offer include:-

Please contact Richard Ruppas at msfundraiser @ aipha.com if YOU have anything to contribute and/or to pledge your support.

All donations received over $2.00 are tax deductible (raffle ticket purchases are not) Remember to supply your full names and details.

We would like offer our deepest thanks to our sponsors thus far:-
Nioa Trading, Winchester Australia, Safari Firearms, , Berretta Australia and Russell Mark,  Bankstown Gun Shop, Yaffa Publishing, The Gunsmiths, Tasco, H & K Systems, The Game Council of NSW & Horsley Park Gun Shop, Sheldon & Hammond

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