At GLOCK, Inc., success is not like a river, flowing in one direction. The financial good fortunes enjoyed by GLOCK for the past 25 years have been shared by the company in continuing channels of financial support that reach out from GLOCK to worthy organizations. Receiving the GLOCK support are groups whose members represent grassroots Americans striving to give their all to their duties in law enforcement and military and individual shooters and gun owners, such as NRA members, who strive to protect our right to own and use firearms.
In 2010 alone, GLOCK contributions to non-profit causes around the country topped $550,000. There were lots of smiling faces at the ceremonies when the checks from GLOCK were presented, including R. Lee Ermey, “The Gunny,” GLOCK’s spokesperson.
Helping Hands
Following is a breakdown of the organizations helped by GLOCK that shows how they benefited and what makes them so worthy:
During the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in Orlando, Florida, Craig Dutton, Assistant National Sales Manager for GLOCK, Inc., presented a check for $50,000 to the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) Charity. At the same time, a check for $20,000 went to the Drug Enforcement Administration Survivor Benefit Fund (DEA SBF).
“GLOCK, Inc., has a long history of supporting the individuals and families of those that go in harm’s way,” Dutton said. “We are proud to contribute to these two great organizations which make such a vital impact in the communities in which we live.”
This is the fourth consecutive year that GLOCK, Inc. has donated to the C.O.P.S. organization for a total of $200,000. C.O.P.S. is dedicated to supporting friends and families of Law Enforcement officers dealing with the grief caused after the loss of an officer. The nonprofit organization supports families with scholarships, child and teen camps, counseling programs designed for spouses and parents, as well as support for the department in which the fallen officer served.
The DEA SBF is a non-profit charitable organization that supports the surviving family members of the DEA employees and deputized Task Force Officers killed in the line of duty. This marked GLOCK, Inc.’s first significant contribution to the group.
In September, at a ceremony at the Iwo Jima Memorial, outside the Marine Corps Quantico, Virginia, main gate, GLOCK, Inc., made a $50,000 donation to The Young Marines. This was the fifth consecutive year GLOCK has made this contribution during the Modern Day Marine Conference, bringing the total to $250,000.
GLOCK, Inc., Vice President Josh Dorsey, a former Marine himself, said, “GLOCK is a strong supporter of The Young Marines, an organization that develops the characteristics of our nation’s future leaders, which are necessary to preserve the freedom that we currently enjoy, well into the future.”
The Young Marines is a nonprofit youth organization whose mission is to positively impact America’s future by providing programs for youth that promote their mental, moral and physical health through teamwork, self-discipline and a drug-free lifestyle. The program strives to instill core values of “Honor, Courage and Commitment” adopted by the Marine Corps to each of their members.
In June, a GLOCK donation of $100,000 went to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) during the Special Operations Industry Conference (SOFIC). GLOCK has donated $500,000 to SOWF during the past five years. The non-profit organization provides college educations to the surviving children of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps special operations personnel killed in combat or training.
Accepting the donation from GLOCK, Inc.’s Vice President Josh Dorsey was Col. John T. Carney Jr., the founding father of Air Force Special Tactics and current President of SOWF and Taniya Wright. Taniya’s father, James Wright, died in a training accident in 1987 while serving as a member of the Army’s Special Forces. Through donations such as GLOCK’s, SOWF was able to cover Taniya’s expenses at the U. of South Florida. She graduated from USF in 2006 with a degree in Mass Communications and now works as an associate producer at the NBC affiliate in Tampa.
Earlier last year, at the NRA’s Annual Meetings and Exhibits in May at Charlotte, North Carolina, GLOCK, Inc’s., Vice Presidents, Josh Dorsey and Chad Mathis presented a check for $120,000 to the NRA and its affiliates, Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre.
The distribution of the contribution was designated as: NRA, $50,000; NRA Whittington Center Operational Costs, $50,000; Whittington Adventure Camp, $15,000; NRA Law Enforcement Activities Division (LEAD), $5,000.
The Whittington Center, located on 33,000 acres in northeastern New Mexico, is one of the most comprehensive shooting facilities in America today. Financed 100 percent through voluntary contributions, the Center hosts competitive, educational and recreational shooting activities year round.
The Law Enforcement Activities Division is an NRA program founded specifically to provide the Law Enforcement community with a certified and standard Law Enforcement firearm Instructor Training program.
Moving Forward
Needless to say, GLOCK remains committed to supporting those who support the military/law enforcement/shooting community. In addition to producing a reliable firearm that will keep them alive when they are in harm’s way, the company has also proven its willingness to step up with equally important financial support to those desperately in need.
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