SCI Foundation (SCIF) and Sables as a part of their long standing partnership with The Salvation Army, provided a customized education program for 18 Salvation Army staff August 19-23, 2024, at a Salvation Army facility near Rapid City, South Dakota.
Since 2008, SCIF and Sables have partnered with the Salvation Army to provide educational program training for their staff. This partnership has provided a platform for SCIF and Sables to help promote the foundation’s emphasis on educating the non-hunting public on the cultural and socially acceptable aspects of hunting as an activity and its importance to conservation efforts. The North American Model of Conservation, Project WILD, NASP archery, introduction to firearms, and ecology are examples of educational programming that is provided. With this training Salvation Army staff have introduced conservation and shooting sports to well over 500,000 youth and adults throughout the country at Salvation Army camps, corps, and KROC centers as a part of The Salvation Army Outdoors (TSAO) program.
At the customized education program provided in August, SCIF staff and hired contractors taught a variety of the previously mentioned topics to TSAO staff that are designed to introduce youth and adults to the outdoors, conservation, and hunting. Participants learned in an experiential learning environment with classroom concepts being reinforced with a hands-on portion. In addition to the course learning, participants were provided curriculum resources to use in conjunction with the training provided.
Here at SCIF, we are excited to continue this outstanding partnership with The Salvation Army and help train their staff on conservation and hunting as a culturally and socially acceptable activity. Plans are currently being made with The Salvation Army to provide further educational learning opportunities for their staff on a regional level in 2025. If you or someone else you know is interested in learning more about this program or how they can support SCIF, Sables, and their education programs, contact Assistant Director of Education, Todd Roggenkamp at 520-954-0664 or troggenkamp@scifirstforhunters.org
