March 18, 2021
Story by Brandon Steinert
The Barton Community College Foundation aims to enhance the Barton student experience with its 11th Annual Sporting Clay Shoot fundraiser from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Sunday, April 18 at Camp Aldrich, 884 NE 110 Ave. in Claflin. The money raised is used for mini-grants for Barton faculty members to purchase items for their classrooms to enhance student learning experiences. The foundation has awarded about $100,000 in mini-grants to date.
Participants can compete as individuals or as three-person teams in a modified 100-target Lewis Class style tournament. The shoot begins at 9 a.m. with a shot-gun start throughout the day. The last shooters must start the course by 3 p.m. This is not a National Sporting Clays Association sponsored event.
Registration is $75 with a lunch provided by Great Western Dining for those who pre-register by April 8. Following April 11, registration will still be $75; however, lunch will not be included.
Registration includes 100 sporting clays, prizes for the overall winners and Lewis Class winners, and chance drawings for gifts. 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 is located two miles north of Highway 156 between Claflin and the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, sits on 290 acres of rolling sand hills and wilderness areas. 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.
“Although this event is not the largest in terms of funds raised it is certainly the most unique and the most innovative. It has proven to be a vehicle to fill a special niche for donors who had not previously been involved with our fund-raising efforts,” said Coleen Cape, Executive Director of the Foundation. “It is also unique in that it reaches far beyond the communities in our service area. We have shooters join us, not only from all areas of Kansas but from outlying states as well. It is a great event and the numbers just keep growing. Of course, last year COVID 19 pre-empted this event, so this year we are looking forward to welcoming a record number of shooters.”
For more information, contact Donna McCormick at mccormickd@bartoncc.edu or (620) 792-9306.
Major sponsors
Barton Community College
Rob & Trisha Dove
Hammeke Electric
Pryor Automatic Fire Sprinkler, Inc.
12 Gauge Shot Gun Sponsors
P&S Security
Ricker Seeds
20 Gauge Shot Gun Sponsors
Eldridge Fencing
First Kansas Bank
Great Bend Tribune
Kansas Trophy Experience
M & M Equipment
Panzer Insurance