L-92 BM-ST Luis Miramontes fires at a clay released by lodge vice president Lalo Cervantez.
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After taking a hiatus due to the pandemic, the USA Boilermakers Kansas City Sporting Clays Shoot was back for its 12th year on September 18. The event raised $192,455 to support USA’s mission to unite the union community through conservation to preserve North America’s outdoor heritage. International staff donated $12,080 toward the total.
Over 170 participants gathered at Powder Creek Shooting Park in Lenexa, Kansas, where teams competed, firing a total of 100 rounds per person. Among the 37 teams was a group that included members from Local 92 who traveled all the way from the Los Angeles area.
“We just want to be as involved as we can. We’d heard about this event, and we’d never been part of it,” said L-92 BM-ST Luis Miramontes. “It’s been fun and different—good to see Boilermakers from all over.”
Miramontes had never been to Kansas City before, and no one on the team, which also included Lalo Cervantez, Nick Garcia and Jay Rojo, had ever shot sporting clays. They got a crash course just a day earlier.
Despite most of the team being completely new to sporting clays, the Los Angeles team—joined by IBB staffer Justin Moravec and son Alex—pulled off a respectable third place in Class C, scoring 260 points. Winning teams in each class category were: Boilermakers L-363 (East St. Louis, Illinois), Class A; IBEW L-53 Team D, Class B; and Boilermakers Guests, Class C. Callendar Printing Company won overall top team honors. Individual winners were: Jay Reno, top overall shooter; Kinsey Robinson, president of Roofers International, top senior; Noah Beach, top youth and Brianna Lancaster, top female.
“This event brings everyone together,” said Miramontes. “I’m a big believer that whether we’re on the job site or wherever it might be, camaraderie is key. Morale is key.”
As in past years, the event included teams representing Boilermaker local lodges, other union lodges, veterans and the local Piper High School sporting clays team, which the Boilermakers union sponsors. Stations and prizes were sponsored by a variety of local lodges and organizations.
“We are grateful to all our sponsors and supporters who made it possible for us to bring this event back with such a great turnout,” said International Secretary-Treasurer Bill Creeden. “Once again, the Boilermakers Kansas City shoot was the USA’s largest fundraiser, generating nearly $200,000.
“This was a welcome day of friendly competition and fun and reignited organized labor’s tradition of supporting the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance through our popular Kansas City shoot.”
The Boilermakers union is a charter member of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance. Free membership is available to all Boilermaker members.
Learn about membership at https://www.myusamembership.com/union.
