Georgia Receives $55,000 Grant from NSSF to Promote Hunting

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has been awarded a grant for $55,000 from the National Shooting Sports Foundation to expand opportunities for hunters.

The state is one of nine to receive funding from NSSF through its Hunting Heritage Partnership program. NSSF, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting-sports industry, has provided more than $4.3 million in grants to 38 state agencies over the past nine years to support programs that promote hunting and target shooting.

The agency's project, which will be coordinated with Alabama and Kentucky, will assess the best ways to encourage and assist hunter-education graduates to become active hunters and hunting-license purchasers. The project will focus on developing "next step" guidance for hunter-education graduates.

"The future of hunting in Georgia relies on establishing new generations of hunters," says Dan Forster, director of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division. "This grant will help make it possible for state wildlife agencies to obtain practical and specific tools and resources to help hunter-education graduates take the next step toward becoming hunters."

NSSF developed the Hunting Heritage Partnership grant program to assist state agencies nationwide in their attempts to help hunters locate land on which to hunt and easily access state hunting information plus encourage newcomers to start and then continue hunting.

"NSSF grants to state agencies are making a difference," said Chris Dolnack, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of NSSF. "Programs are being launched to benefit hunting and target shooting that otherwise might never have gotten off the ground in these challenging economic times."

The grant program is helping NSSF fulfill its goal of increasing participation in hunting and target shooting by 20 percent by 2014.

"I congratulate the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for earning this NSSF grant. By increasing the number of sportsmen in America we increase the funding available for wildlife conservation and for building target shooting ranges, thereby preserving our American heritage well into the future," said Joshua W. Dorsey IV, vice president of operations at Smyrna-based Glock Inc. and a member of the NSSF Board of Governors.

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Atlanta Premiere of the HBO Sport s Documentary 'BREAKING THE HUDDLE: THE INTEGRATION OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL' on Tuesday, December 2

HBO Sports, the Chick-fil-A Bowl and the Atlanta Sports Council to Host Atlanta Premiere of the HBO Sports Documentary 'BREAKING THE HUDDLE: THE INTEGRATION OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL' on Tuesday, December 2 at Georgia State's Rialto Center

PRNewswire/ -- HBO has partnered with the Chick-fil-A Bowl and the Atlanta Sports Council to host the invitation-only screening of the HBO Sports Documentary BREAKING THE HUDDLE: THE INTEGRATION OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL on Tuesday, December 2 at 7:30 pm at the Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University. Jerry LeVias, the first African-American football scholarship athlete in the Southwest Conference, and the film's producer, Joe Lavine, will attend.

While America celebrates the historic election of its first African-American president, HBO Sports revisits a moment in time when black athletes blazed a trail through the South. In BREAKING THE HUDDLE: THE INTEGRATION OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL, HBO's award-winning documentary unit chronicles the compelling stories of the young men who leveled the playing field in the major conferences of the South against the backdrop of the civil rights movement.

Focusing on football programs in the Southeastern, Southwest and Atlantic Coast Conferences, BREAKING THE HUDDLE: THE INTEGRATION OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL chronicles the heyday of football programs at historically black colleges and universities, and explores the profound effect of the Civil Rights movement of the '60s on the racial status quo of college athletics. The story culminates with the Sept. 1970 game played in Birmingham between the University of Southern California, featuring star African-American running back Sam "Bam" Cunningham, and the University of Alabama team of legendary Crimson Tide head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant.

"We strive to uncover sports stories such as this which display tremendous struggle, pain and triumph," says Joe Lavine, the film's producer. "BREAKING THE HUDDLE will make you laugh, make you cry and make you see just how resilient people can be -- even at very young ages."

Among those interviewed are college football trailblazers Thom Gossom, Darryl Hill, Jerry LeVias, Willie Lanier, John Mitchell, Bubba Smith, Wilbur Hackett, Jr., Jimmy Jones and Sam Cunningham; journalists Jeff Prugh, Howell Raines, Ed Krzemienski and Keith Dunnavant; and George Wallace, Jr.

HBO Sports' documentary division has produced 56 documentaries since 1991, capturing seven Peabody Awards and 27 Sports Emmy(R) Awards.

The executive producers of BREAKING THE HUDDLE: THE INTEGRATION OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; Joe Lavine produces; William C. Rhoden is the writer; music composed by Joel Goodman; edited by Bill McCullough; Liev Schreiber narrates.

BREAKING THE HUDDLE: THE INTEGRATION OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL, chronicling the integration of college football in the South, debuts TUESDAY, DEC. 16 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), the eve of college bowl season, exclusively on HBO.

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Fox Sports Net to Air the Farmers Insurance Group(R) Angel City Classic

GFP Note: Be sure to tune in on September 27th to see Morehouse College!

PRNewswire/ -- Mark your calendars and get ready for a fantastic football game to be nationally televised on the Fox Sports Network September 27, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. from the Los Angeles Coliseum. Farmers Insurance Group of Companies is proud to bring to Southern California, the unique exposure to the excitement and thrill of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) by sponsoring a football game between two powerhouses, Prairie View A & M University from Prairie View, Texas and Morehouse College, from Atlanta, Georgia.

"We are honored to be the title sponsor of the Farmers Insurance Group Angel City Classic and welcome the Fox Sports Network to the Classic," noted Farmers Insurance Group CEO Paul Hopkins. "Everyone is invited to enjoy the game which includes the highly anticipated half-time battle-of-the-bands and after the game, a special tribute by Stax Records to world famous musician Isaac Hayes who died this week."

"This is absolutely fantastic," said Black Educational Events CEO John T. Fleming. "Fox Sports Net coverage will allow the entire country to see firsthand the game, high school Band Clinic, Greek tailgate party, and the enthusiasm that these Historically Black Colleges and Universities elicit. We're thrilled that Fox, along with Farmers Insurance Group, share our goal of promoting educational opportunities for minority students through athletic competition and unbelievable musical exhibition."

"Farmers will also announce three recipients of the Farmers Insurance Group UNCF National Scholarship Awards for college students who are in their 2nd, 3rd or 4th year attending an HBCU or United Negro College Fund (UNCF) school during the September 26-27 weekend at a special Gala," explained Faye W. McClure, Farmers Vice President of Strategic Marketing. "It is Farmers way of saying we care about young people who could use a helping hand as they pursue a college education. We couldn't be more proud about helping these students achieve their dreams in life."

Stax Records VP of Artist & Repertoire, Collin Stanback, expects to see an outpouring of artists joining what will inevitably be a huge celebration for Hayes. "This is of course tragic news about the loss of such a giant in the music business. Stax Records was in many ways the house that Isaac built as a prolific songwriter and performer and I can't think of a more fitting way to show our gratitude for everything he gave us than to fill the L.A. Coliseum with all of his fans," said Stanback.

For more information, or to participate as a sponsor or a vendor, call the Farmers Insurance Group Angel City Classic office at 323-293-0940 or visit http://www.angelcityclassic.com/

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Governor Perdue Announces Filing of the Landowners Protection Act

Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that legislation has been filed that will limit liability for landowners who open their property to hunters and agri-tourists. Senate Bill 449, known as the Landowners Protection Act of 2008, is being carried by Senator Bill Heath, one of the Governor’s Floor Leaders in the Senate.

“Georgia is a prime destination for hunters and tourists who want to enjoy our land and farms,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “This legislation will prevent liability concerns from discouraging landowners welcoming guests onto their property.”

The proposal will protect landowners who allow individuals to hunt on their property from being sued for accidents arising during a hunt. Likewise, landowners operating an agri-tourism attraction would not be held liable for accidents or injuries that may occur on the visit. Property owners will continue to be held responsible for gross negligence, and they will be liable if they deliberately put people in danger. Governor Perdue announced the legislation during the Georgia Farm Bureau’s annual legislative luncheon.

“We want to encourage landowners to open their hunting property and farms to visitors to enjoy Georgia’s natural beauty as an agricultural and sportsman’s paradise,” said Senator Bill Heath. “The Georgia General Assembly is working to protect landowners and, again, stand up for the rights of private property owners.”