Shooting For Kids
Fire a shot for a good cause.

By James A. Swan, “Media Watch” columnist for North American Hunter magazine
April 7-8, 2001

here's been a lot of negative publicity about kids and guns recently. Every school shooting seems to launch a new wave of anti-gun efforts. Couple that with the bloodlust and shooting-spree theme so popular in Hollywood, and it's little wonder that many people fear gun owners.

Those fears are unfounded. The fact is that shooting sports are some of the safest of all sports, but the media seem to want to avoid covering that story. The problem for those who want to keep and use their guns is, "How do you get out a positive message about guns?" One answer is to show some positive role models via celebrity shooting events.

Actor Robert Stack, a former U.S. skeet-shooting champion and an ardent supporter of celebrity shooting events, believes that "a good shot is a good man." From April 20-22, a group of good shots and great people will assemble at Markham Park just outside of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for the 5th Annual Irlene Mandrell Celebrity Shoot. They will fire thousands of shots with shotguns, handguns, rifles, crossbows, and bows and arrows. And all for a good cause — kids.

The beneficiary of the Irlene Mandrell Shoot is Wish-Upon-A-Star, Inc. a nonprofit charity dedicated to granting wishes to children primarily in Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois with terminal and life-threatening illnesses. Wish-Upon-A-Star was founded in 1986 and has granted wishes for over 150 children over the years. (Yes, they do grant hunting wishes, unlike Make-A-Wish.)

Five years ago, the multi-talented singer/actress/race-car driver Irlene Mandrell stepped forward with the idea that the shooting sports could help Wish-Upon-A-Star and could promote a better image for shooters by holding a benefit celebrity shooting event. The directors of Wish-Upon-A-Star, Inc. considered her proposal and welcomed her. The rest is history.

In the last four years, Mandrell's shoot has grown every year, clearing close to $100,000, which is close to 90% of Wish-Upon-A-Star's annual wish-granting funds. This year's shoot promises to be bigger and better than ever. At press time they had over 150 shooters signed up to shoot in teams with celebrities from Hollywood and Nashville in events including trap, sporting clays, 5 stand, crossbow, archery, rifle, and handgun rapid fire.

Participants can win some fabulous prizes worth over $25,000 in 25 categories. And, at the festive evening auction, where comedians seem to be everywhere, they will have a chance to bid on a wide variety of extraordinary donated items including: an African safari, big-game hunting trips, custom-made knives, artwork, engraved firearms, sports equipment, and celebrity memorabilia.

Okay, so who will be there? Three weeks out, those confirmed include Irlene Mandrell and her big sister Barbara, plus actors Leslie Easterbrook (Police Academy), Thyme Lewis (Days Of Our Lives), John D'Aquino (new role on That's My Bush on Comedy Central), Jim and Jon Hager (Hee Haw), Johnny DiSanti (NYPD Blue), Jamey Dudney (As The World Turns), and Airic Kim (Drawn To Kill); plus Nashville musician T.J. Klay (bands MR-ULTRA and Radio Flyer), Rodeo champion Nikki Pelley, director/writer Tom Greene (Thunder In Paradise), editor Michael Stern (The X-Files), Top Gun pilot Bill Venz, and custom-knife makers Chuck Stapel and Ross Tyser. Oh yah, and a writer named Swan.

Hot Shots
If you would like to come join the shoot in Fort Lauderdale, there is still time to register. For details contact: Wish-Upon-A-Star, Inc. Info. 544 Nashville Pike, Suite 244, Gallatin, TN 37066 fax 615-230-7031 or e-mail bmagazine@aol.com .

Celebrity shoots are a great way to meet some nice people, support a good cause, and help improve the image of shooting sports. Some other upcoming shoots that benefit worthy causes include:

April 28-29 — 14th Annual Missouri Invitational Celebrity Turkey Hunt, Warsaw, Mo. Beneficiary: Children's Mercy Hospital and local charities. MICTH, P.O. Box 613, Warsaw, Mo., 65355. 660-438-5258.

May 4-5 — Sugar Bugs Celebrity Shoot (formerly Senator Fred Thompson Celebrity Shoot), Nashville, Tenn. Beneficiary: Sugarbugs, Inc. (children with diabetes). P.O. Box 23162, Nashville, Tenn., 37202 615-327-4074.

August 4 — Hollywood Celebrity Shoot at Triple B Sporting Clays Range in S. El Monte, Calif. Beneficiary: National Firearms Museum. Celebrity Productions, 1540 East First St., Suite 128, Santa Ana, Calif., 92701 714-560-9833

September 6-8, — 1st Quail Unlimited Celebrity Dove Hunt, Edgefield, S.C. and Albany, Ga. Beneficiary: Quail Unlimited. Info. QU, 31 Quail Run, Edgefield, S.C., 29824, 803-637-5731.

Sept. 2000 — Louise Mandrell Celebrity Shoot, Nashville, Tenn., benefits Boy Scouts of America, Nashville Gun Club 615-742-5297.

October 26, 27, 28 — 5th Annual Ducks Unlimited Celebrity Shoot, Hawaii. (previous hosts have included Tom Selleck, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Stack and Irlene Mandrell) Contact information: 808-280-2267 or e-mail: geigerj@earthlink.net.

Early November — Celebrity Pheasant Hunt, Yankton, S.D., 605-665-7811

Early December — 12th Annual Waterfowl U.S.A. Celebrity Hunt, N. Little Rock, Ark., 501-758-1424 www.waterfowlusa.org

December 12,13 — Ted Nugent YO Ranch Safari. Benefits Ted's "Kamp for Kids" program. Ted Nugent United Sportsmen of America, 4133 West Michigan Avenue, Jackson, Mich., 1-800-343-hunt.