LEWISTOWN, Ill. - The NRA Foundation has awarded the Fulton County 4-H Shooting Sports program a grant totaling $3,200 to fund shotgun and rifle ammunition. "We are very thankful for the continued support we have received from the NRA," said Krista Gray, Fulton 4-H program coordinator "The financial support makes it possible for more kids to be able to be involved."
A total of 29 youth have been active in the 2021-2022 4-H Shooting Sports program. Shooting Sports is one of the most successful endeavors of the University of Illinois 4-H program. Fulton County is in its ninth year of offering Shooting Sports to area youth ages 8 to 18.
“We offer a fall session and spring session each year,” explained Gray. “Our spring session just started on April 10 and the youth and volunteers were excited to be back out on the line. Terry Cremer, Craig Hand, Lee Roy Knuppel, and Lonnie Van Pelt are our certified Shooting Sports instructors over the air rifle, .22 caliber pistol, .22 rifle, and shotgun disciplines.”
4-H Shooting Sports is designed to provide a safe, fun environment for youth to learn life skills while learning respect of firearms. The activities of the program and the support of caring adult leaders give young people a chance to develop skills in decision making, self-responsibility, teamwork, and leadership. Fulton 4-H Shooting Sports volunteers have built a strong, local program that includes the added benefits of camaraderie among the members and families.
“In 4-H, we are proud of the sense of belonging we have in our programs. Our Shooting Sports program is a perfect example of that,” noted Gray. “Positive character development is a top priority in shooting sports. The outdoor sportsmanship skills developed are just an added bonus.”
Youth and adults can get involved in the 4-H Shooting Sports program. Additional adult volunteers are always welcome to apply to the program. A shooting sports volunteer training is coming up soon. Interested adults can contact Krista Gray at the U of I Extension office for volunteer application details; visit the website at extension.illinois.edu/fmpt/4-h-fulton-county or call 309-547-3711.
About University of Illinois Extension: University of Illinois Extension is the flagship outreach effort of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, offering educational programs to residents of all of Illinois' 102 counties — and far beyond. Extension provides practical education you can trust to help people, businesses, and communities solve problems, develop skills, and build a better future. U of I Extension offers educational programs in five broad areas: energy and environmental stewardship, food safety and security, economic development and workforce preparedness, family health, financial security, and wellness, and youth development.
About 4-H: Illinois 4-H strives to help youth learn skills for living. University of Illinois Extension provides 4-H programs in every county in Illinois. Illinois 4-H aims to impact the lives of 200,000 youth each year through sustained learning clubs and groups and short-term programming.
Source: Krista Gray, University of Illinois Extension, 309-547-3711, kristakg@illinois.edu