Randolph County 4-H shooting sports
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Boys and girls in the area are invited to be a part of an exciting new program in Randolph County 4-H. Nationally, the 4-H Shooting Sports program has been in existence since 1975 with more than 300,000 youth and 46,000 adult volunteer instructors enrolled in the program. The program provides a supportive adult supervised environment in which young people can experience fun, hands-on learning experiences. Youth participants learn self confidence, responsibility, teamwork, self esteem, decision-making and the identification of realistic personal goals. 4-H members in the national program have demonstrated high achievement in the field, in the classroom and on the target range-but personal development for young people and adult leaders is the real objective. The program will strive to make every child a winner and to adhere to the 4-H motto to "make the best better."
"The University of Illinois 4-H Shooting Sports program joined the national effort in the fall of 2009", say Dan Dawson, Coordinator for the Illinois 4-H Shooting Sports program. The Randolph County 4-H Shooting Sports Program began in the spring of 2010 and will resume trapshooting practice on Thursday, September 9. Area youth are invited to get involved. Practice will be held at 6:00 p.m. at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta. Practices will be held on the following Thursdays after that. 4-H trap shooters need to be at least 10 years of age as of September 1, 2010 in order to participate. Randolph County 4-H will be offering a rifle program later in the year.
The 4-H Shooting Sports Program also offers volunteer opportunities for adults to get involved in archery, rifle, or shotgun. The next scheduled adult Illinois certified training workshop will be held September 17, 18 and 19 at White Eagle Camp, Leaf River, Illinois - approximately 20 miles from Freeport. Adults or youth interested in learning more about the Randolph County 4-H Shooting Sports Program are asked to contact the University of Illinois Extension Office in Randolph County at 443-4364 or visit the office website at http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/randolph/.