Grand Island, NE - The inaugural Heartland First Shots event, sponsored by Hornady, drew more than 80 participants to the Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island, Nebraska, from 9:00 to noon on Saturday, Aug. 25, to learn to shoot and operate firearms safely.

The free event was part of the National Shooting Sports Foundation campaign, “Let’s Go Shooting,” going on nationwide through August.

The participants, most with little or no shooting experience, learned how to safely shoot handguns, rifles and shotguns at firearms stages including 17 HMR, 22 LR, 9mm, 12 gauge and 223 Rem. Over half of those participating were female.

Each shooter received a Hornady® hat, literature from the National Shooting Sports Foundation and a half-price coupon for his or her next visit to the park so the shooters could continue to advance their knowledge and skill.

Volunteers helped with the event, and a safety officer accompanied every firearm on the range.

The Heartland Public Shooting Park is at 6788 W. Husker Highway, two miles west of the intersection of Highway 30 and Husker Highway.

Founded in 1949, Hornady® Manufacturing Company is a family owned business headquartered in Grand Island, Nebraska. Proudly manufacturing products that are made in the USA, Hornady® Manufacturing is a world leader in bullet, ammunition, reloading tool and accessory design and manufacture.