March 18, 2014
Story by Joe Vinduska
Photo by Brandon Steinert
The Barton Foundation will host its Seventh Annual Clay Shoot from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 4 at Camp Aldrich, 884 NE 110 Ave. in Claflin. It is sponsored by Mossberg Sanitation Inc., Innovative Livestock Services, Murphy Family Enterprises, Hammeke Electric, Inc., Great Plains Inspection and Smith Supply, LLC.
The Lewis Class event has become the largest sporting clay shoot in the state of Kansas, and the money raised is used for mini-grants for Barton faculty members to purchase items for their classrooms that will enhance the student learning experience.
Those who pre-register by April 1 will receive a free long-sleeve shirt, but registrations will still be taken up to the day of the shoot. Shooters can register at bartonccfoundation.org/sporting-clay-shoot.html. Shooters can participate as individuals or as three-person teams in a 100-target Lewis Class style tournament.
The entry fee of $60 per person includes lunch prepared by Great Western Dining, a round of 100 sporting clays, prizes for the overall winners and flight winners and chance drawings for gifts. The fee does not include shells, but those will be available for purchase. Non-shooters can purchase a $10 ticket for lunch. Shooters are allowed to bring their ATV’s and golf carts.
Director for Institutional Advancement and the Barton Foundation Darnell Holopirek said the clay shoot is the perfect event for the area and that competition is only one of the benefits to attending.
“Kansas is such a big hunting state and a great state for outdoor activity,” she said. “It’s just such a fun event. A lot of our shooters come to be competitive and yes, they want to win, but at the same time they are there to enjoy being outdoors and the camaraderie between the shooters.”
The vendor for this year’s shoot will be Dennis Linden of Linden Target Sports. He will supply the equipment, run the operations for the event and design the course to complement Camp Aldrich’s landscape.
This is the first time the shoot will be held at Camp Aldrich, which is located two miles north of Highway 156 between Claflin and the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area. It sits on 290 acres of rolling sand hills and wilderness areas. The camp boasts at least 70 species of wild flowers and grasses, 57 different types of birds, deer, turkey and various other animals; some of which are on the endangered species list.
The shoot has traditionally been held at LaSada Sporting Clays and Hunting Service in Russell. Holopirek said the move to Camp Aldrich was approved by the Foundation board after the Camp Aldrich Committee suggested it to boost awareness of the camp and its offerings such as deer hunting.
“We’re pretty excited about this opportunity,” she said. “I think it’s going to help the college market Camp Aldrich and give our shooters a brand new venue, which also gives us an opportunity to change up the stations every year, which will help keep the course fresh.”
The shoot will now feature two (instead of one) target shooters at each of the 10 stations and there will also be two-person flurries, which will give shooters an opportunity to practice or compete amongst themselves for bragging rights. The large size of Camp Aldrich will also allow for rest stations and refreshment stands.
For more information, contact Holopirek at holopirekd@bartonccc.edu or (620) 792-9367.
Other major sponsors for the fundraiser are:
12 Gauge Shotgun Sponsors
Dove Chevrolet Buick Cadillac
CUNA Mutual Retirement Solutions
M&M Equipment
Farmers Bank & Trust, NA
D&S Casing Crews
P&S Security
20 Gauge Shotgun Sponsors
Eldridge Fencing
Jack Bowman
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Great Bend Farm Equipment
Great Bend Tribune
There are also ten .410 Shotgun Level Sponsors, 27 Station Sponsors, and many other generous donors who have given cash and gift-in-kind donations.