PRESIDENTS CORNER 

July 2026

Happy Independence Day, and happy 250th birthday to the USA! May God continue to bless our great nation as we celebrate and honor those who worked, sacrificed, and gave their lives so the United States could remain the Land of the Free. I hope you have a wonderful day. I also encourage you to go hunting or enjoy recreational or competitive shooting soon—and bring a friend or family member along. Let’s celebrate our Second Amendment freedoms!

It has already been a strong summer for shooting sports. FSSA provided grant support to help two international pistol shooters compete, one in the United States the other in Germany. At the recent USA Shooting National Championships, one adult member, and two juniors excelled in several pistol events. Well done!

The NRA National Pistol Championships will begin in the next few days at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Ohio. I’m pleased to share that FSSA individuals and teams will compete at both the upcoming NRA and CMP National Championships. Best wishes to all competitors, especially our FSSA shooters and teams. FSSA supports our state association teams by funding team shirts, hats, and fees. If you have stories or photos to share, please send them to webmaster@flssa.org. Watch for updates on FSSA’s Facebook page and website. The NRA has again selected Port Malabar Rifle and Pistol Club to host the 2026 F-Class Fullbore Midrange National Championship in December.

Florida remains a welcoming, Second Amendment-friendly state. We can enjoy these freedoms only when we are represented at the federal, state, and local levels by officials who value and defend our constitutional right to own firearms. I won’t belabor the point, but every Second Amendment patriot needs to vote to help protect our 2A freedoms. The NRA and other pro-2A organizations continue working to defend pro-gun issues and support candidates who will fight for our right to keep and bear arms. Let’s do our part by voting, helping others register, supporting free and fair elections, and doing all we can to preserve our constitutional right to lawfully own and safely use firearms. May July 4th re-inspire us to keep our nation free.

If your FSSA annual membership is overdue or coming up for renewal, please consider renewing. Your membership supports Florida’s state championships, teams, juniors, and women’s programs, and your support is greatly appreciated. If you have questions about FSSA’s work, please contact me at president@flssa.org. Memberships and donations can be completed online at https://www.flssa.org/join-us and https://www.flssa.org/http/www.flssa.org/Donate.

Special thanks to all our directors for their commitment and dedication to FSSA and our programs. Please welcome new Director Darryl Rotherforth (At-Large). I am also pleased to welcome Stephen Price (Pistol) and Joe Sciulli (Junior Activities) back to the FSSA board after a brief time away. Mary Watkins is taking over treasurer duties from Sue Carter, who remains FSSA Secretary, and George Powell was reelected Vice President. If you are interested in serving, or know someone who might be, please contact me.

Thank you again for your FSSA membership. Please continue encouraging others to renew or join. To FSSA’s affiliated clubs, thank you for your continued support and for promoting safe shooting environments. Please let us know what is happening at your club so we can share it with our members.

Be well, stay safe, and enjoy our great Independence Day celebration.

Ted Carter
President