Brighter days are on the horizon. Despite the many confusing and contradictory directions during this COVID-19 crisis, I must acknowledge and thank all SSAA members for their patience and cooperation, again demonstrating a real commitment to community responsibility.
Our sport has fared comparatively well through this period compared to many and the restrictions have been more of an annoyance and inconvenience rather than a disaster, despite the fact some prime hunting seasons have been interrupted and competitive engagements postponed.
As travel and hunting restrictions ease and ranges open again, please be understanding of the pressures that range and club administrators are under to meet their regulatory obligations and to keep you safe. Please cooperate and follow their directions as requested. These people are by and large committed volunteers, all doing their best to provide facilities for us.
I trust this down time has given everyone a chance to organise their gear again, ready to get back to business and, importantly, a chance to review their secure storage obligations. Remember that every time a firearm is stolen, legitimate firearms owners come under scrutiny, fairly or not. It is crucial we take our responsibility seriously when it comes to firearms security.
The opportunity to catch up on our reading will have been a blessing to many and I’m sure you’ll have noticed the increasingly diverse number of quality topics being included in our SSAA publications and website to cater to the ever-increasing and discerning membership base we have. Keeping yourself informed is so important and in a world of fleeting internet and social media grabs, the published and written word still prevails and is an enduring source of entertainment, knowledge and reference for the newcomer and experienced member alike, so don’t miss the chance to enjoy this part of your association.
Always being progressive and needing to manage the massive amount of information we make available, we are currently undertaking an upgrade of our SSAA website to make your experiences more user-friendly and complete and for breaking news our regular E-alerts and E-newsletters are readily available for members to subscribe to at no cost.
As the current restrictions are steadily eased, you’ll see numerous activities promoted at your local branches and ranges. Please support these and become involved. You will find you’ll gain so much more from your sport by being more actively involved. The progressive nature of SSAA means there will always be new opportunities and experiences and the near future will be no different, so stay in touch and be part of our positive future.