The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted almost every event since it began in March, and this year’s 28th annual SEMO Friends of NRA banquet almost didn’t happen because of it.
Fortunately, organizers said, the event was held and was more successful than expected.
“It did pretty good, and we probably had 275 in the room,” said event co-chair Albert Boeving.
Last year’s event drew about 450, he said.
The fact the event was able to be held, Boeving said, was a big feat.
“We usually do these in nine or 10 weeks, and we only had five weeks to put it together, so it was kind of short notice,” Boeving explained.
What made it even more difficult was several committee members who could not be on hand, leaving about a half dozen to do the final organizing.
“We just didn’t want to go a year without doing one,” he said.
This year’s banquet, Boeving said, netted right around $35,000. That’s down from last year’s $50,000, but with a smaller crowd because of the pandemic, it was to be expected.
“We were just tickled we could take that few people and still make a successful event,” Boeving said. “If we had our normal amount of people, we would have done tremendous.”
The evening began with a social hour, games, raffles and a silent auction on the bill.
“People were really playing the games, and they sold out quick,” said Boeving. “All the games went faster than we thought they would.”
Karon Campbell’s Tasteful Creations served a pork loin dinner, which was followed by a live auction conducted by volunteer auctioneers Trent Stillwell and Felix Baker.
The hottest item on the live auction, Boeving said, was a Ted Nugent autographed guitar.
Close to 60 guns went home with new owners, Boeving said, including the Friends of NRA Gun of the Year, a Henry .45-70 lever-action rifle, which was won by Randy Persons.
The popular bullet-board game, this time for a Ruger Redhawk revolver, sold out in near-record time, and a raffle, which included a choice of three Glock pistols, sold completely out in about eight minutes, Boeving said.
Poplar Bluff High School’s trap team was on hand to help out during the event, Boeving said, and he was grateful for their help.
Shooters Shack Outdoors, he said, “did all the firearms transfers, and that’s a big deal.”
A date for next year’s event hasn’t been set yet, but the committee always is looking for volunteers to help. Anyone wishing to do so, may call Andrew Heuiser at 573-429-2423 or Boeving at 573-718-9994.