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- - Scholarship? (https://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9695)

I've been a member of, and chaired a number of 501(c3) organizations (OK, I realize PGCA is not a charity) but an surprised that the finances of our organization are not open to the members who pay dies.

I think it is a good idea to fund it with donations from the membership, We need this interest in double guns to pass to the next generation, Did not know if any one has noticed but the membership is greying rapidly! Gary

The organizations finances are matter of public record (IRS Form 990) available to anyone as the PGCA is a 501(c)7 organization in the states of VT, MN and VA over the years.

This is easy information to find but it will be 2 years behind at best.

When you say sponsor a youth in gunsmithing, what age group are you refering to? Gunsmithing schools are trade schools with some students minimum ages around 20 years old, and right out of high school. Not old enough to own a hand gun. The course of instruction covers all aspects of gunsmithing. I am not particularly interested in sponsoring a student to study AR-15's. I would be interested in sponsoring a student who participated in an extended specified course of study on side by side shotguns taught by a well qualified instructor like Dennis Potter or someone of his caliber and I don't especially care how old the student is as long as the student has productive years left.
I have looked for such a course on side by sides for several years and all I can find are 2 week NRA courses at Trinidad, Colorado. Montgomery Community College in Troy, North Carolina, has an excellent gunsmithing course but they can't find an instructor to teach the 2 week NRA side by side course.
Something to consider might be an internship for a promising student at one of our better gunsmiths after the student graduates from the gunsmith school. A 12 month internship with emphasis on side by side shotguns should produce a pretty gun gunsmith. And if you would want to establish a maximum age, great.

Just an old man think out loud.
Cheers, Tom

Have you looked here....
http://www.pagunsmith.edu/index.php

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete Lester (Post 97892)

Not out of date at all! This is found on the web at
http://nonprofitdirectory.com/vermon...ated/541725809

IRS Financial Data for 2011:
Assets: $247,009.00
Income: $84,158.00
990 Revenue: $68,745.00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean Romig (Post 97732)

We continuously try to keep a cap on expenses despite the fact that those expenses that we have been absorbing for years continue to escalate with each new year... even more often in some cases. I don't pretend to speak for the Board of Directors nor especially for our treasurer Allan Swanson and CFO Mike McKinney but we are all very aware of where and how your money is spent. Such suggestions, even seemingly worthy ones like this suggestion of Allen's will warrant considerable discussion by the BOD and nobody can predict the outcome of such a discussion at this point. Our Annual Membership fee is a true bargain and the last thing we want to do is to raise it because there is a large silent core of members who are not connected to the internet and have no idea these discussions are going on... and despite all the positive responses here on the forum - there are probably a great number of 'silent' members who may not be in agreement. Your BOD has to be ever watchful of expenses bucause we owe it to ALL members.

Dean I think the BOD has done a remarkable job, looking at the "books" from 2004-2010 shows we have been sailing on a pretty even keel, with a net revenue in the black in 5 out of those 7 years, and + far exceeded the - overall for the period. The 990's show net assets are 142% greater at the end of 2010 from the start of 2004.

Forgive me but I am thinking out loud here; what about somebody such as Keith Kearcher or Brad Batchelder who are already recognized gunsmiths who deal with double guns to possibly take somebody who is interested in double guns to train that person such as an apprentice. I don't mean Brad or Keith necessarily but somebody in that capacity who does the type of work they do. It would sure save money for the membership and might be a great find for the gunsmith and for the membership over the years. Obviously I am not speaking for anybody but myself but that seems to me like a better idea than sponsoring somebody on a scholarship to a gunsmithing school.
I sure hope this makes sense.

Dennis

Hi Robin, Thank you. Yes I did, but it was a few years ago. And like the others, very little on side by side shotguns. Very good coverage on handguns, bolt action rifles, auto loading shotguns over/unders, and black guns. There just is not very much formal instruction out there for those wanting to learn side by side shotguns.

If our group is serious about this I suggest we sponsor an internship for a graduate from a gunsmithing school for about $6000 a year ($500 a month) to help cover living expenses. The gunsmith would pay the intern some salary and we would supplement that salary. Establish a committee to develope an application and qualifications and send an announcement and application to all the recognized gunsmithing schools. I think we would need a contract with the sponsoring gunsmith saying the intern would have to spend X amount of time on side by side shotguns. I don't think there is enough time for this graduating year but 2014 could work. I would certainly donate to that.

Cheers, Tom

PS: I don't think this money should come directly from the PGCA. I think it should come from donations from members and the PGCA should recognize these members in some fashon.