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The Michigan Longbow Association (MLA) was started in the early 80's by a small group of longbow enthusiasts who wanted to join together with other longbow shooters to enjoy camaraderie, shooting, and promoting the love of the longbow.

Since then we have been joined by over 300 members who have found that they also like to share good times around the campfire and target butt with the rest of us who find something soothing and mysterious about owning and shooting longbows.

The MLA annually holds the Great Lakes Longbow Invitational (GLLI), the world's largest longbow event! We gather for an extended weekend to shoot, eat & be merry, check out the latest in traditional gear from the over 100 vendors, and basically have a good time. For more details see GLLI XX.

One of the Highlights of the GLLI is the Silver Arrow Shoot. The Silver Arrow is a modified American Round with the winner getting the distinction of being called "Best Archer in the Realm" as well as taking home the coveted "Silver Arrow".

The MLA publishes a quarterly magazine called StickTalk. The StickTalk keeps members up-to-date about the happening of the organizations, entertains you with good writing, and sometimes even teaches you a trick or two.

The MLA holds 1 or 2 shoots every year plus the annual GLLI.

The membership shoots are inexpensive (free sometimes) and are always family oriented.

However, the MLA is more than just getting together and shooting longbows. Here is a list of events and activities we have been or are currently involved in:

MLA Youth program, where children can borrow longbows, arrows, etc. at shoots. We currently have 15 longbows from 10-40 #, arrows, arm guards, quivers, gloves and tabs. All of this equipment was made or donated by other members.

We sponsor a youth & their mentor to attend the Pope and Young Youth Camp in Colorado.

A youth hunter is sponsored to the PBS Youth Leadership Hunt in Texas.

Members have worked with the Boy Scouts to promote archery at their area Jamboree.

$1.00 per member was donated (about $380) to the International Bowhunter Education Program. The money was used to purchase teaching aides. Fellow member Jay Chase runs the local I.B.E.P. Program.

A bow was donated by longtime member Carl Johns and was raffled off at the 1998, 1999, 2000 & 2001 GLLI. The money was then donated to worthy hunting conservation groups

A bow was donated by longtime member Jim Reynolds and was raffled off at the 1998 & 1999 GLLI. The money was then donated to worthy hunting conservation groups

Our membership donated $1,000 to help defray medical costs during the illness of primitive archery legend and MLA friend, Jay Massey.

A special raffle was sponsored at the 1997 GLLI, which raised over $2,000 to help out Martha Massey after the death of her husband Jay.

A special Bear Hunt Raffle was sponsored at the 1997 GLLI which raised over $700 to help a longtime member with medical bills. Fellow member Jack Leggo donated the hunt.

A special raffle was held to help defer medical bills of a longtime MLA member and supporter. All of the items offered in this raffle were donated by MLA members, including a Thunderstick III from Jim Reynolds!

We are always looking for new ways to help introduce kids into the sport of archery and bowhunting.