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Benelli USA once again turned a day of shooting into something much bigger.
The company’s 12th Annual Benelli USA Invitational brought 200 shooters to The Point at Pintail in Queenstown, Maryland, on September 26.
The event combined friendly competition, an online auction and plenty of industry support. More importantly, it raised $115,000 for Freedom Hunters.
That brings the Invitational’s total contribution to the organization above $1.215 million.
Freedom Hunters provides outdoor adventures for veterans, active-duty service members, Gold Star families and military families. Its programs include hunting, fishing and shooting experiences across the country.
“The Invitational is a special day for everyone involved because it brings our industry, our customers, and our friends together for something bigger than the competition,” Benelli USA CEO Tom DeBolt said.
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That is a pretty accurate description.
The shooting industry often talks about supporting veterans. Benelli and its partners have spent more than a decade putting real money and effort behind that message.
This year’s winning team included Joe Kukla Sr., Joe Kukla, Marty Gweke and Brandon Gweke. Bill Siosios claimed High Overall Male, while Amy Crow earned High Overall Female.
Dozens of manufacturers, outdoor brands, businesses and individuals donated money, products or time. Their support helped the Invitational reach another six-figure fundraising total.
The 2026 event followed a strong history of giving. Benelli’s 2024 Invitational raised $132,000 and drew 164 shooters.
A day breaking clays is already tough to beat. Doing it while helping veterans and their families makes it even better.
Credit to Benelli, Freedom Hunters, the event sponsors and all 200 participants for keeping this tradition moving forward.
Learn more about the organization or support its mission at FreedomHunters.org.
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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