22 Nebraska Game and Parks Commission • 2014 Annual Report
One of the main goals of the Outdoor Education Center is
to introduce the public, particularly youth, to shooting sports.
Outdoor Education Center staff planned numerous events and
programs to accomplish this goal in 2014. In May, a grand
opening celebration allowed the public to try the indoor and
outdoor archery ranges and the indoor firearm range free of
charge. The event drew thousands of people from across
southeast Nebraska, introducing many to both shooting sports
and the new center for the first time.
Another event, "Archery on Fire," was scheduled to coincide
with the release of the third "Hunger Games" movie in the fall.
The "Hunger Games" books and movies feature characters
that excel at archery and their popularity ignited a nation-
wide resurgence of interest in the sport. Thousands of people
attended this free event, and many came dressed as their
favorite "Hunger Games" characters.
Additional, the center offers Junior Olympic Archery
Development, a program of USA Archery that teaches archery
to youth. The new center has also offered classes and
workshops on bow and firearm selection and maintenance
and introductory shooting classes for adults. Game and Parks
has used the center's classrooms demonstrations on predator
hunting, field-dressing deer, turkey calling and other outdoor
skills, as well as for public meetings.
