Hunters for the Hungry Holds First Annual Spring Lake Archery Park Benefit Shoot

            The Hunters for the Hungry program held its first annual Benefit Archery Shoot Fundraiser on Saturday July 30^th at the beautiful Spring Lake Archery Park in Moneta Virginia.

 The event was a success with nearly 40 shooters of all ages who came out despite the hot weather to enjoy a day of fun, food, fellowship, and friendly competition. Thanks to all those who participated in this first event the program was able to raise $1,447.00. This amount of monies will allow the Hunters for the Hungry to process and distribute 7,235 quarter pound servings of venison for those in need in the Bedford, Smith Mountain Lake, and surrounding areas and all across our state this year. During a period when things are difficult for everyone and the demand for venison increasing almost daily, this event was a blessing toward helping the funding efforts of the Hunters for the Hungry program.

As previously noted approximately 40 shooters participated in the event, which included a round of 26 targets being shot. The course provided the challenge of a variety of animal targets at varied unknown distances challenging the shooters judgement and accuracy. Trophies were presented for First, Second, and Third place in each of 8 classes that were made up as follows; Cubs, Youth, Seniors, Ladies, Hunter, Open, Traditional, and Unlimited.  The following is a list of winners in the various categories, but as one shooter put it, "Everyone was a winner who helped raise these monies to provide for those in need."

Awards were presented to the following in the various classes based on participation: Cub Class: First Place – Shelby Lanier, Second Place –  Jacob Blackwell; Senior Class: First Place – Roger Goff; Ladies Class: First Place – Melanie Riley, Second Place – Jennifer Billings, Third Place – Nikki Bennett; Hunter Class: First Place – Ian Rigney, Second Place – Jim Burns, Third Place – Randy Briggs; Open Class: First Place – Bo Dunsmore, Second Place – Jeremy Smith, Third Place – Dusty East; Unlimited Class:  First Place – David Merritt

Special thanks go to Mr. David Merritt and his family for allowing the use of his Spring Lake Archery facility and for his overall support of this event. We also want to recognize and thank the following event volunteers, Jim Stanley, Jim Burns, Shearl and Joyce Scott, Dick Turpin, Johnny Lanier, Jason Lewia, and Kent Nesselrotte. Additionally, we want to thank the following sponsors and donors who helped make this year's event such a success: James River Chapter of the NWTF, Bedford, VA; Blue Stone Block Supermarket, Inc., Roanoke, VA;  Line-X of Central Virginia, Kent Nesselrotte, Lynchburg, VA; Support Systems. LLC, Roanoke, VA; T. J.’s Sporting Goods, Moneta, VA; Smith Mountain Archery, Moneta, VA; Mr. Jim Stanley, Bedford, VA; Carolina Cords; Quaker Boy Game Calls;  Bays Trash Removal, Inc, Bedford, VA, and Whitetail Outfitters, Christiansburg, VA

 For more information about this and other Hunters for the Hungry events or about how one can help this charitable program, please contact Hunters for the Hungry at P.O. Box 304, Big Island, VA  24526 or call 1-800-352-4868.