Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012

Sportmen's Club brings shooting sports to the area

Staff Report

The newly established Chowchilla Sportsmen's Club will soon be opening California's latest gun club and shooting range.

Believing there was a need to get the young people of the area interested and involved in the shooting sports again, a few of the Chowchilla area's hunters and sportsmen formed an organization and the idea was born.

The Sportsmen's Club will work closely with the National Rifle Association, following their guidelines and rules to establish the safest and most family-friendly facility possible. The range will be available for law enforcement training, as well as correctional officers' training.

The club plans to use the National Rifle Association's Eddie Eagle program where youth can be closely supervised and taught safe gun handling and shooting techniques by certified rangemasters.

The club will eventually be home to a first-class trap range, a 300-yard rifle range, a complete pistol range and an archery range. Future plans also include a banquet hall and meeting room facility to teach hunter safety courses by California Fish and Game instructors.

The club will be a 501-C3 non-profit organization.

"We look forward to working with the local service organizations to contribute back to the people of Chowchilla and the surrounding communities," said Gary Chapman, on of the founders of the Chowchilla Sportsmen's Club.

For more information about the Sportsmen's Club or to become a member, a fundraising dinner will be held on Friday, Feb. 24, at Eastman Hall located at the Chowchilla Fairgrounds. There will be a live and silent auction, as well as games for the kids.

For tickets are more information call Gary Chapman at (559) 871-5001 or Frank Pittz at (559) 706-3128 or Mike Eye at (559) 999-6277.