Heartland DSC continued its commitment to hunter education and the future of outdoor traditions by hosting a Firearm Hunter Education Course on August 29–30 at the Papillion Gun Club.

The two-day course brought together 72 participants, including 60 students and 12 parents who attended alongside their children. All 60 students successfully completed the course and received their hunter education certification through the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Throughout the weekend, students received instruction designed to help them become safe, responsible and ethical hunters. The course covered essential topics including firearm safety and handling, hunting laws and regulations, hunter ethics, wildlife conservation and other skills needed for a safe and successful experience in the field.

Heartland DSC provided lunch for students, parents, instructors and volunteers on both days, giving everyone an opportunity to spend time together outside the classroom and share their interest in hunting and the outdoors.

Following completion of the course, students were given the opportunity to put what they had learned into practice by participating in supervised clay target shooting. Under the guidance of experienced instructors and volunteers, participants were able to safely handle and shoot firearms in a controlled environment, providing a fitting hands-on conclusion to the weekend’s instruction.

The success of the course was made possible through the efforts of the instructors, volunteers and Papillion Gun Club, along with the commitment of the students and parents who dedicated their weekend to the program.

Hunter education is an important part of Heartland DSC’s mission to promote education, conservation and responsible participation in the outdoors. By helping prepare new hunters to be safe, responsible and ethical in the field, programs like this help ensure that our hunting heritage and conservation traditions continue for generations to come.

Heartland DSC congratulates all 60 newly certified hunters and thanks the parents, instructors, volunteers and Papillion Gun Club for helping make the weekend a success.

Published August 2026

Heartland DSC’s 2026 banquet was once again a tremendous success, bringing together supporters from across the region for an evening dedicated to conservation and youth outdoor opportunities.

The event sold out and featured dinner, raffles, and a live auction, all supporting the organization’s mission of connecting young people to the outdoors while advancing conservation efforts. Funds raised during the evening will help support two major initiatives: Access & Youth Outdoors and Conservation & Advocacy.

One of the most meaningful moments of the evening was the presentation of a Track Chair to a mobility-challenged young man from Nebraska through the organization’s Access Outdoors program. The program provides track chairs that allow youth with mobility challenges to experience outdoor environments that would otherwise be difficult to access.

Guests also enjoyed several interactive activities throughout the evening. Wildlife Encounters gave attendees the opportunity to interact with live animals and learn more about wildlife conservation. Younger guests participated in a casting challenge where they tested their fishing skills.

Between the lively raffle drawings, competitive auction bidding, and the many conversations shared among friends and supporters, the evening was both socially engaging and financially impactful.

The organization is grateful to the many sponsors, donors, volunteers, and attendees whose support made the event possible. Their generosity continues to create meaningful outdoor opportunities for youth while supporting conservation efforts that benefit wildlife and future generations.

Published – March 2026

Frankie from Florida grew up enjoying the outdoors, participating in baseball, surfing, swimming, running and anything to do with nature. At age 10, everything changed when he received a diagnosis of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Intermediate B and Centronuclear Myopathy, a progressive form of Muscular Dystrophy. Now age 13, with his mobility severely impacted, he still pursues his outdoor endeavors and focuses on archery with USA Archery, classified at the most severe level (W1) of para archery for competition.

Frankie won Gold at the Florida State Indoor Competition in 2025 and Silver in the 56th USA Archery Indoor Nationals in the W1 (para) Men/Women combined category. USA Archery does not have a youth division, so he competes against adult archers. Frankie’s ultimate dream is to participate in World competitions and one day the Olympics. An obstacle to this dream was the fact that his current wheelchair did not have the ability to navigate through the terrain required to participate in outdoor 3D shoots, which are a must in the world of competitive archery. He also would not be able to fulfill his dream of bow hunting without the access provided by a motorized off-road wheelchair track system.

Heartland DSC has provided Frankie with a Freedom Trax, a portable, motorized track system that transforms his manual wheelchair into a rugged off-road wheelchair so that he can continue to pursue his archery dreams and get him back outdoors as part of his everyday life.

Published October 2025