March 27, 2015 at 4:10 p.m.
Minocqua Gun Club aims to provide opportunities for youth
Minocqua Gun Club aims to provide opportunities for youth
Luke Yelton, the club's president, said funds raised from the banquet support the youth programs the club facilitates including hunter's education programs and a junior trap league team.
"We do pretty well thanks to the support of the community," Yelton said.
Before dinner was served, banquet guests were treated to a cash bar and a spread of raffle prizes. Most of the prizes were shooting-sport related including several double barrels. Other prizes included wood duck calls, a crossbow, Stihl chainsaw, pop up blind, ice auger, hunting dog beds and other hunting supplies.
The club's live pie auction brought in more than $200 alone. Homemade pies were auctioned to the highest bidder. For those interested in such records, the highest bid was brought in by the blueberry pie.
The Minocqua Gun Club raised enough funds to ensure that the Junior Trap League shooters are able to participate for free. The club provides the shotgun shells, clay birds and six instructors including the club's vice-president and coach Russ Goddard.
The 10-week-long junior trap league ends with an annual statewide competition held in Rome, Wis. Goddard said the trip is completely paid for by the club.
Jenna Kohl, 2012 and 2013 State High School Trapshooting Ladies Champion, said she enjoys "beating the guys." Each state competition brings in around 300 competitive shooters from all over the state.
Kohl said she has been shooting trap for seven years. She graduated from Lakeland Union High School and currently attends Mayville State University in North Dakota.
Lakeland Union High School senior Maddi Quamme said she has only been shooting on the Junior Trap League for a year. A friend introduced her to the sport and she was instantly drawn into it, she said. Quamme plans to attend UW-Green Bay in the fall.
Goddard said the Junior Trap program has been running since 1998 and has been completely supported by the club to ensure the sport remains accessible to kids in the community.
"That's why this is here," Kohl said of the banquet.
Tom Jensch of the Rhinelander-based Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation North Country Chapter made a $250 donation to the club's youth programs as well. Jensch said he's proud to support programs like the Junior Trap League that offer kids a way to learn outdoors skills. Jensch said the North County Chapter also supported the Northwoods Youth Deer Hunt Challenge.
Yelton said the Minocqua Gun Club's next big event will be its third annual Lloyd Pukall Memorial Shoot in August. Date to be determined.
The Minocqua Gun Club is a non-profit educational and training facility that operates for the benefit of Lakeland area residents and visitors. The club has been operating since 1958 and offers three trap ranges and a skeet range. The club has about 145 members. Annual membership is $40 per person and $50 per family.
Ryan Matthews may be reached at [email protected].
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