Story by Brandon Steinert
The Barton Foundation aims to enhance the Barton student experience with its 12th Annual Sporting Clay Shoot fundraiser from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Sunday, April 24 at Camp Aldrich, 884 NE 110 Ave. in Claflin. The money raised is used for Faculty Mini-Grants, which Barton faculty members can use to purchase items for their classrooms to enhance student learning experiences. The Foundation has awarded $119,644 in mini-grants to date.
Participants can compete as individuals or as three-person teams in a modified Lewis Class style tournament. The shoot begins at 9 a.m. with a shotgun start. Shooters can start the course throughout the day, but must begin by 3 p.m. This is not a National Sporting Clays Association sponsored event.
Registration is $85. Those who pre-register by April 8 get a free chicken fried steak lunch and a free camo hat.
Registration includes 100 sporting clays, prizes for the overall winners and Lewis Class winners, and raffle drawings for great gifts, including a portable gas grill with Ellinwood Packing Plant gift card, Stoeger 12-gauge shotgun, Oakley shooting glasses and sunglasses, a three-day bow hunt at Camp Aldrich, and more. Shooters will need to provide their own shells. ATVs and golf carts are welcome. Those interested can register at clayshoot.bartonccfoundation.org.
Linden Target Sports will handle logistics and supply the equipment. The company has designed a course to complement the beautiful landscape of Camp Aldrich, which sits on 290 acres of rolling sand hills and wilderness areas located two miles north of Highway 156 between Claflin and the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area. The camp boasts at least 70 species of wildflowers and grasses, 57 different types of birds, deer, turkey and various other animals; some of which are on the endangered species list.
“This event allows the Foundation the opportunity to provide great support in our classrooms to improve student learning experiences,” said Lindsey Bogner, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement. “Last year, we were able to fund all of the Mini-Grant applications because of the generous support of our sponsors, shooters, and guests. This year, we hope to do the same!”
For more information, contact Donna McCormick at [email protected] or (620) 792-9306.