HILLSDALE, Mich. — On Saturday, Nov. 12, the Hillsdale College John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center hosted its annual Veteran’s Day shoot on Nov. 12. All veterans received complimentary targets for the shotgun fields and sporting clays course.

“We were glad to thank veterans for their service to our country with a complimentary day of open shooting on the range,” Range Manager Jim Dugan said. “We received a lot of positive feedback from the veterans who came out, and we look forward to hosting similar events in the future.” American Trap, 5 Stand, Olympic Bunker, and the Sporting Clays Course were open for attendees. The AcuSport Grille was open for lunch and early dinner.

“Given the weather, we were thrilled with the turnout,” said Barbie Keiser, manager of guest and event services at the Halter Center. “We have excellent facilities here, and we are glad to be able to share them with our area veterans and the local community.”

The Halter Center is the official home of USA Shooting and is located in Bankers, Michigan. It boasts 113 range-acres and features world-class facilities, including a new action shooting range that accommodates both rifle and pistol shooting.

Hillsdale College has a long history of supporting members and veterans of the nation’s armed forces. When Hillsdale College began refusing taxpayer-subsidized student scholarship aid, it began replacing all such aid with funding from private donations. “Because the courts claim federal scholarship aid constitutes federal funding, Hillsdale had to get creative in how it would replace that funding — including GI Bill benefits,” said Rich Moeggenberg, financial aid director at Hillsdale College. “Veterans who are accepted to the College receive the Hillsdale Freedom Scholarship, which covers costs relating to tuition, room, board, fees, and books. This means that many of our veteran students are able to save their GI Bill funding for graduate school, law school, or for their children’s education.”

The Veteran’s Day Open Shoot is one of the ways Hillsdale College commemorates the sacrifices made by servicemembers and honors veterans and their families. Several Hillsdale College faculty and staff are veterans, including Peter Jennings, professor of management, and Michael Murray, legal counsel and executive director of the Office of Gift and Estate Planning for Institutional Advancement.

“Hillsdale has such a rich history of military involvement: the College recognizes the importance of patriotism and preserving the blessings of liberty, and it celebrates those who sacrifice a life of comfort for protecting the nation,” Jennings said. “It is an honor to recognize and celebrate veterans in the Hillsdale community.”

For photos from the event, click here. To learn more about memberships available at the Halter Center, click here. To learn more about Hillsdale Freedom Scholarships, click here.

For a high-resolution copy of the Hillsdale College clocktower logo, click here.

About the John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center

The Halter Center is a state-of-the-art shooting facility located five miles from the Hillsdale College campus. Opened in 2008, the Center aims to introduce individuals to shooting sports and encourage interest across all levels of experience. The Halter Center also serves an educational purpose by promoting the principles of the Constitution and teaching beginner and experienced shooters in various classes. Home to Hillsdale College’s collegiate shooting teams and the USA national team, the Halter Center is also a resource for the public through camps, conferences, and other programming. For more information, visit shootingsports.hillsdale.edu.

Hillsdale College has been the home of the USA Shooting National Team since 2019 and has hosted USA Shooting Junior Olympic Trap and Skeet development camps and championships. The Center boasts 113 range acres, four international skeet fields, a 22-station sporting clays course, five international bunkers, a small arms range and international archery range, nine American Trap fields, and an AcuSport lodge and grill.

About Hillsdale College

Hillsdale College is an independent, nonsectarian, Christian liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 6.3 million. For more information, visit hillsdale.edu.

CONTACT

Emily Stack Davis | 517-803-3745 | PR@hillsdale.edu