by Kristin Kruse
The Hamilton Trap Club has been hosting the annual “Shriners Shoot” fundraiser for 19 years. On May 4, the club was at full capacity as 80 shooters that made up 17 squads showed up to support Shriners Children’s Hospital. All proceeds from the shoot, which included money raised from the purchase of targets and use of the facility, as well as a silent auction and a raffle, are donated to local families.
“All proceeds stay in the valley,” said longtime Trap Club treasurer Cheryl Wallis. “The funds we raise are for families that need to travel to the nearest Shriners Hospital, which is in Spokane. The money helps them get where they need to go. It covers food, gas and lodging.”
In the 19 years that the event has taken place, $160,000 has been raised and donated to the Shriners. This year proved to be the best yet, according to Wallis. “Each year our goal is to raise $10,000 and this year’s event raised $12,280.”
Community donations for the fundraiser ranged from an array of baked goods to sporting clay sessions at the Stock Farm Club and everything in-between.
The executive director of the club, Tom Allsop, said, “I think this year’s shoot went very well. It takes an enormous amount of work to put this all together. The Shiners are a wonderful group to work with. They provided all of the food for the lunch, and the club donated all of the targets.”
Allsop’s son Marvin, who serves as the club’s director of the kid’s Bitterroot Blaster Program, stated, “This was one of the best shoots to date. The weather was good, everyone was happy and there was no drama. One of our Bitterroot Blasters, Ellie Walz, who is a junior at Corvallis High School, won high overall in ladies. She has been part of our program since she was 12 and has really come a long way.”
The day ended with an “Annie Oakley Shoot,” where shooters pay $10 to enter and shoot a target from a long distance. If you miss, you’re out and the last one standing wins the pot, which was $200 this year.
Allsop spoke of the importance of the Bitterroot Blasters program at the club. “I have received so many letters from parents telling me what a huge thing this has been in their kids life.”
On May 21, the club will team up with the Corvallis Sports and Outdoors Program to educate kids about gun safety.
“This is one more thing we do to get kids involved in the sport,” said Allsop.
On June 8 there will be another fundraiser specifically for the Bitterroot Blasters with kids coming from Bigfork, Missoula and several other Western Montana towns to compete.