Earplugs, hats and glasses were more than a fashion statement at the 17th annual Charity Shoot to benefit the Education Foundation of Indian River County. The friendly competition last Saturday drew shooters and spectators alike to the Windsor Gun Club at Indian River Trap and Skeet, where the quiet of the morning was punctuated with blasts from 12- and 20-guage shotguns.
“It’s always exciting to see both men and women out here playing this sport; it’s a level playing field,” said Cathy Filusch, Education Foundation board president.
The three-person teams were randomly drawn, a necessity given the varying skill levels, which ranged from complete novices to experts.
Dede Snowden first introduced the Charity Shoot concept to the foundation and remains an enthusiastic participant. “It fills up every year; people really want to do it,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun and you don’t need to be an ace. Mulligans really help, and so does team spirit.”
Before any guns were loaded, Windsor Gun Pro Nicky Szápáry explained the rules of the game, including in all seriousness, “Safety is the most important target of the day.”
Basically, participants shoot at disks (clay pigeons) that are flung into the air by mechanized traps at varying angles, speeds, elevations and distances. Scores are based on a combination of the results in two flights – Driven Game Simulation and Quadruple Three-Stand. In the demanding Driven Game portion of the competition, shooters each have 40 shells and four minutes to hit the flurry of 100 targets being launched their way.
“There’s a lot of wind up there today. The wind will blow those birds and the shooter has to take that into consideration,” said Windsor resident Neil Shaw, a regular at the shoot, as he waited his turn.
Proceeds from the event will help fund the Education Foundation’s many programs and, while school may not be in session over the summer, they will be as busy as ever.
Cynthia Falardeau, EF executive director, commented that their Academic Youth Development program will be preparing 200 eighth-graders for success before they enter Algebra 1 in the fall.
“Passing Algebra 1 is a requirement for entering high school in Florida,” said Falardeau. “Part of the Academic Youth Development program, which follows the Agile Minds curriculum, is to teach students self-efficacy; setting up students to believe in themselves. It engages them in real-life scenarios and teaches them ways they’ll actually be using algebra.”
This summer’s 6-week STEP into Kindergarten (Summer Transition Enrichment Program) will give a boost to 4-year-old students registered to attend Title 1 schools by developing their literacy and social skills. And heading into fall, funds will also be needed for their Sneaker Exchange, Backpacks/School Supply Fund and Vision for Reading program.
“The other thing this supports is the students heading into the International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles this May 14 to 19. Funding supports them getting there,” said Falardeau, referencing the Vero Beach High School team of Spencer Toll and Josh Tucker, and the individual project by Sana Shareef, a student at Saint Edward’s School.
Spectators and shooters gathered after the competition to enjoy an upscale Windsor picnic, with a menu featuring Italian sausage and peppers, hamburgers, BBQ grilled chicken and all the fixings.
For more information, visit edfoundationirc.org.