Grayson County 4-H students taking aim

The 4H shooting sports are a great way to get kids involved with safe and accurate firearm handling. If you are in Grason County, KY, here is a club for you:

Grayson County 4-H students taking aim

By Theresa Dunn

When your child looks at you from behind the computerized game controls and gives you that line, “there is nothing to do in Grayson County” the local 4-H Club has a solution to that problem.

On Tuesdays at 6 pm the Kentucky 4-H Shooting Sports meets to teach area youth to handle and shoot weapons at the Agriculture Park just off HWY. 259.

It is an introduction to the safe and responsible use of firearms and archery equipment which, according to one of the shooting sports coaches, Lori East, is a valuable life skill.

The goal of the program is not just to teach kids about shooting guns and bows and arrows, it is to provide youth with an outstanding way of providing human growth and development in life skills identified by the National 4-H program.

Look at what they have to offer:

If a young person is interested in just archery then he can concentrate on that or he can do all five; shotgun, rifle, pistol, archery or black powder.

The land they use has been donated to the club, but they could use some help to get things finished up.

There are 53 members in the program. The property at the Ag Park was donated to the club by Doctor Vitor Duvall.

The club hopes to provide a first-rate facility for the 4-H members. and is hoping for donations and community support.

“We have a vision of having a rifle range where 50 people can shoot and we want it to be handicap accessible,” said one of the leaders of the club, Bob Higbee.

“We are not looking for just money but donations of time and supplies. We need about five loads of gravel to get started and about 30 yards of concrete.

“We already have two trap throwers and just need the block and house for each of those,” said Higbee.

There are no dues and all the guns and bows are provided to the young members free of charge. With five disciplines available to the youth there is plenty to do for everyone.

This is how we ensure the RKBA is passed down to our children and grandchildren. For most of us, the days of stepping out into the back yard and plinking cans with Dad are long gone. Organized shooting groups such as the 4H are one good way to help your children learn safe and accurate marksmanship, along with a bit of competition. There are 4H shooting clubs throughout the United States, and they all could use your support.