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Ridgeway Rifle Club president tells Elk County commissioners national matches bring local boost
Summary
Anthony Santee, president of the Ridgeway Rifle Club, told the Elk County commissioners that the club will host national competitions this summer that draw competitors from across the U.S. and abroad and that the club expects to spend roughly $40,000 locally on supplies, awards and services.
Anthony Santee, president of the Ridgeway Rifle Club, told the Elk County Board of Commissioners that a slate of national competitions will bring significant tourism and local spending to the county.
"This year, we're projected to spend just the rifle club about $40,000 in the community," Santee said, listing purchases of paint, awards and local services. He told commissioners the club — founded in 1927 — will host the 2026 NRA nationals and the Monarch Cup beginning July 25 and running through Aug. 1, and that competitors travel from more than a dozen states and Canada.
Santee said the club also provides training for local law enforcement, runs a junior program that supplies rifles and ammunition for youth instruction, and hires local youth to help set and retrieve targets during matches. "We employ kids almost every weekend — anywhere from six to eight kids — and the club funds the whole program," he said.
Commissioners thanked Santee for the update and accepted brochures he left with the county. The presentation emphasized economic and community benefits: Santee listed local vendors that supply materials and awards, noted visiting teams buy lodging and food in town, and said the club’s activities have produced several Division I collegiate shooters.
The presentation did not request county funding or a policy change; Santee said the club is funded through membership and match fees and that the listed spending estimates are drawn from current match operations.
