IST Bill Creeden (left) takes aim as Kyle Evenson releases the clay.
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Continuing a longtime streak as the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance top annual fundraising shoot, 176 Boilermakers and friends met up for the 2022 USA Boilermakers Kansas City Sporting Clays Shoot at Powder Creek Shooting Park in Lenexa, Kansas, on September 17 to compete for bragging rights and prizes.
This was the 13th year for the fundraiser, which brought in $176,545 to support USA’s mission to “unite the union community through conservation to preserve North America’s outdoor heritage.” International staff contributed $12,610 toward the total.
Thirty-eight teams competed, each firing 100 rounds per person along the course’s stations. As in past years, teams included Boilermakers local lodges, other union lodges, Boilermaker partners and vendors, a sponsored military veterans’ team and a team composed of Kansas’ Piper High School sporting clays team members, which was sponsored by the Boilermakers Great Lakes Section. Stations and prizes were sponsored by a variety of local lodges and organizations.
“We are once again grateful for the generosity of all our sponsors, supporters, participants and volunteers who make it possible for us to host our successful event year after year,” said International Secretary-Treasurer Bill Creeden. “Our 13th Annual Clays Shoot raised nearly $180,000 for the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance—the highest grossing shoot in 2022. And, with 176 shooters—the second largest event. We look forward to your participation next year and it is my personal hope to see the event continue to grow in the years to come.”
Boilermakers L-363 (East St. Louis, Illinois) nabbed the highest overall team score. Winning teams in each class category were: Callendar Printing Team A, Class A; OPCMIA L-518, Class B; and UA L-533 Team A, Class C. Individual winners were: Eric Myers, top overall shooter; Clinton Ship, top senior; Noah Beach, top youth (two years running) and Renee Adams, top female.
New this year, the day after the competition, USA hosted 24 kids for the USA Inaugural Boilermakers Get Youth Outdoors Day at Powder Creek. USA, the Boilermakers union and the Kansas City Building and Construction Trades Council partnered to provide the free event, during which youth got one-on-one lessons in archery and shooting sporting clays, as well as goodie bags, prizes and lunch. Boilermaker volunteers at the youth day included IST Creeden, Director of Special Projects Ryan Creeden, and retired staff Kyle Evenson, Gary Evenson and Gene Forkin.
“Most of the kids and adults had never held a gun in their hands, and we went over gun safety with each of them,” said IST Creeden. “I invited the parents to try shooting and several did. I think everyone had a great time—all the kids were smiling when they left.”
The Boilermakers union is a charter member of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance. Free membership is available to all Boilermaker members.
Learn more about membership at www.myusamembership.com/union
