Three 4-H members from Barton County will head to Grand Island, Neb., to compete in the 2017 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships that will be held June 25-30.
Representing Barton County at the national event are 16-year-old Katelyn Reh from Ellinwood, who will compete is the small-bore rifle events; 17-year-old Parker Smith from Great Bend, competing in the small-bore rifle events; and 18-year-old Sam McGinnis, also from Great Bend, who will compete in archery events. Smith has been in 4-H shooting for six years and McGinnis has been in archery for 10 years.
“I am very excited to be going to nationals to represent Barton County with my fellow shooters,” 4-H shooter Reh said. “I am looking forward to hanging out with other shooters and friends that I have made over the years of competing and helping them out.”
The kids go through many competitions in order to qualify for the national shoot. They start at the county level and advance to the state tournaments where they must reach a certain score in order to make the list for the national shoot.
“These shoots teach the kids so much,” coach John Reh said. “It teaches them discipline, math skills, team work, networking and public speaking. They will be able to use these life skills throughout their life.”
These kids have been hard at work not only with making the cut to compete in the national shoot, but trying to raise the funds to go. The funds they have raised so far are about half of what they need to cover travel expenses such as food, lodging, equipment maintenance and ammunition.
To help with the cost, the 4-H shooters will hold a garage sale from 8 a.m. to noon on June 3 at the at the 4-H buildings north of Great Bend.
“These kids do a lot,” coach Reh said. “They do all the legwork for the fundraising in order for them to make the trip. They go out to local businesses and ask for donations and come up with other ideas to help with the cost.”
If anyone would like to make a donation to help fund the kids to the national shoot they can drop off their donations at the Barton County Extension office located at 1800 12th St. in Great Bend.