Since you gave a snarky reply I'm going to drop the gloves.
ANYONE running a youth program is going to have a substantial amount of donations to make it work. The economics are that if you have to charge what you're putting into it, no kids are going to be signed up by their parents. That leads to fewer black powder shooters later in life and black powder/muzzleloading dying even further. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?? Those of us engaged in instruction with youth have already invested literally days to get certified and paid for the courses, course materials, and travel expenses out of our pockets. The muzzleloading instructor cert requires Basic Muzzleloading (1 day) Basic Instructor (1+day) and Muzzleloading Instructor (1+days). Running time for the course work ALONE is like 4 days and then there's a shooting component and you're going to pay for that out of pocket. Past that, we instructors often donate targeting materials, lead, and other materials to make it a safe, fun and educational experience for the kids. Our time on the range working with the kids is DONATED BY US. We don't get paid. So anybody who is kind enough, cares enough to see kids have a safe, positive experience with black powder on the range, darn right I'm asking for donations and Schuetzen is putting their money/inventory where their mouth is and backing youth shooting sports. Can't say that for Goex and others.
Call me a beggar if you want. At least I can look around and see the decline in black powder and muzzleloading and am doing something about it with Schuetzen's and others help. You and others like you with your attitude are the problem with muzzleloading's decline and by extension youth in general.
