Adjusting To A Pandemic
Like every other organization in 2020, HAVA adjusted to the realities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and instituted several changes to its core offerings.
One of HAVA’s flagship experiences is its Family Day events, which typically draw 250–400 participants. Due to social distancing concerns, HAVA suspended these large-scale gatherings.
Missing out on an occasion to serve hundreds of participants in one setting is unfortunate, but it’s given HAVA the impetus to focus on one of its founding principles.
“It’s something we’ve been saying since the beginning: It’s not about the numbers for us, it’s about the quality of the interactions with those who sacrificed so much in service to our country,” Taylor shared. “There’s a silver lining to this crisis; we’ve been able to focus on quality over quantity for those we serve.”
HAVA demonstrated this emphasis by developing smaller shooting events, limiting participation to 10–60 individuals. These small-scale activities facilitate a more even ratio between HAVA volunteers and participants — thus encouraging increased qualitative interactions.
Another add-on benefit: Since these events require fewer resources for host facilities, they’ve expanded the potential for HAVA to forge new partnerships. Taylor shared a successful October event at the Bandera Gun Club in Bandera, Texas, will lead to a follow-up training experience in October 2021.
A final organizational change for HAVA in 2020 took place in its Training segment, which integrated Learn To Shoot Again (LTSA) activities into its portfolio.
