For more information, contact Darnell Holopirek, 620-792-9367, holopirekd@bartonccc.edu.

May 4, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Story by: Michael Dawes
dawesm@bartonccc.edu

Thanks to a record number of clay-shoot participants, nearly 40 sponsors and the efforts of volunteers, Barton Community College’s Foundation will be able to offer mini grants to Barton faculty. The Third Annual Sporting Clay Shoot, held April 18, at LaSada Sporting Clays and Hunting Service, located south of Russell, had 160 participants, seven more than last year’s previous record.

Barton’s Executive Director of Institutional Advancement Darnell Holopirek said proceeds from the clay shoot are still being finalized, but all proceeds from the shoot will go toward Barton faculty mini grants this fall. The grants will be selected by the Foundation Board of Directors this fall, based upon applications received by the Foundation Office.

Mini grants allow faculty to make special purchases, which make a difference in their teaching efforts, Holopirek explained. Twelve mini grants last fall were funded by last year’s clay shoot, totaling more than $6,500, Holopirek reported. Last year’s funding went toward purchases that benefited the Music, Math, Business Administration, Nursing, Medical Assistant, Forensics and Science Departments.

Besides record involvement by participants in the annual shoots, Holopirek said the key to the successful event are the sponsors that provide funding and in-kind services. “Without them, this event couldn’t go on,” she said. Major sponsors were Butterfly Supply Inc. and Smith Supply LLC. Other sponsors were: President’s Honor Roll - CPI Qualified Plan Consultants Inc., Farmers Bank and Trust NA, M&M Equipment. Dean’s Honor Roll - Dakota Dirt Inc., Great Bend Tribune, Montana Mike’s Steakhouse. Academic Honor Roll - Wally and Deanna Eldridge, Golden Belt Telephone, L&M Contractors Inc., LaSada Sporting Clays and Hunting, 10th Street EyeCare Center. Great Bend Farm Equipment and Alliance Insurance Group offered an opportunity to win a John Deere Gator ATV, for anyone who shot a perfect score. Additionally, 22 sponsors represented each shooting station. Fort Hays State’s shooting team members served as officials for the competition.

The John Deere Gator ATV was safe for another year as the top shooter, Brody Sikes, hit 94 clays out of 100. The top female shooter was Eileene Duryee with a score of 82. John Allen hit 80 clays to take the top youth award. The three-man team of Sikes, Jacob Hueftle and Mark Nollette took top honors with a score of 266 out of 300 clays. Category winners based upon the Lewis Class System were: Class 1, Sikes; Class 2, Chad Irvin; Class 3, Travis Lovelady; Class 4, Tim Hammeke; Class 5, Clifford Atkerson; Class 6, Eric Kuhn; Class 7, Don Houston; Class 8, Dustin Brown; Class 9, Christy Atkerson; Class 10, Ryan Kohnman; Class 11, Andrew McVey; Class 12, Diane Engle; Class 13, Angeline Wornkey. Three-Person Flurry winners were Ross Fisher, Isaac Spare and A.J. Lanier. Complete results can be found at http://bartonccfoundation.org .

While organizers were happy to hand out awards, Holopirek said the event represents much more, with more women and children and families participating in the competition. For the second straight year, a group of youth and fathers from Cimarron took part in the event.

“We even had a team of a father, son and grandson,” said Holopirek. “Our clay shoot has truly evolved into a friend and family affair and we are excited that we have grown in strength of youth and female participants. It’s interesting, people are competitive, but they love seeing other people do well.”

Three Amigos – Doug Kaiser, Brett Middleton and Allan Crowther pose for a picture after finishing their team’s clay-shoot competition.

She Shoots – Tiffany Lovelady shoots at a clay pigeon during the Third Annual Sporting Clay Shoot. Lovelady hit 81 of 100 clays. This year’s competition had 11women, and 18 participants under the age of 21 – record numbers for each category.