Busting Clays and Building (Bird) Houses
For 11 years, the Minnesota Get Youth Outdoors Day has been a smashing success. And this year’s event was another record-breaker.
by PJ DelHomme
When volunteer Mark Conroy heard the man speak, he couldn’t quite place the accent. “I finally had to ask him where he was from, and the guy was from Australia,” says Conroy, Roofers Local 96 Business Manager. The man had just moved to Minnesota, saw the event on Facebook and brought his two teenage daughters to the 11th Annual Twin Cities Get Youth Outdoors Day at Wild Marsh Sporting Clays. Neither daughter had ever shot a shotgun or bow and arrow. By the end of the event, they wanted to shoot in a trap league.
Conroy was one of dozens of volunteers from the Roofers International, Roofers Local 96, Iron Workers International, Iron Workers Local 512 and Cigna who spent their Sunday helping youth learn about the outdoors—from firearm safety to shooting .22 rifles to archery to building and painting birdhouses.
“I didn’t realize how much of an effect the youth event had on these kids until I brought my grandson,” says Conroy. “The first thing he did when I brought him home from the event was hang up his target in his room. This year my granddaughter also participated. The smiles and excitement were a testament to the event’s impact, especially when the kids were asked if they broke any clays. And they did!”
The event broke last year’s attendance record with nearly 100 youth aged 9-17, and the stoke was off the charts. “The energy was very high. It was great to see the excitement,” says TJ Delaney, a member of Sheet Metal Workers Local 10 and volunteer team leader for the event.
The sporting clays are always a popular attraction because many of the youth come from the inner city and don’t have a place to shoot. To ensure a safe and educational event, union members volunteer alongside shooting coaches from the community and local high schools to help the rookies and veteran shooters alike.
USA Board Chairman and Roofers International president emeritus, Kinsey Robinson, and his wife Mona have been volunteers at the event since getting it off the ground 11 years ago. “This is such a great event and a great program,” Robinson says. “Part of our (USA’s) mission is to get kids involved in the outdoors. This is an extension of that mission. We talk to them about gun safety, the trades and conservation. These kids walk out of here understanding that if we take care of the environment, it’s going to be there for future generations.”
Kinsey and Mona Robinson assist youth at sporting clays station.
After lunch at the end of the event, every kid went home with a raffle prize, thanks largely to Minnesota native and USA Events Coordinator Eric Bakken. “I take a lot of pride in events in my home state, so I figured if I was leading this one, I was going to do it big,” he says.
Apparently, the event was a hit with the parents, too. One mom posted on Facebook: “I can’t thank you enough for putting this on for the kids. Our kiddos had a blast! What a great family event!!! Thank you!”
Minnesota’s event is USA’s longest running Get Youth Outdoors Day. Since 2012, USA has hosted Get Youth Outdoors Days in seven other states.
“We had the biggest turnout ever for this year’s Minnesota Get Youth Outdoors Day event,” says USA CEO and Executive Director Walt Ingram. “That alone is a testament to the devotion that our union volunteers and staff have to make this event fun and safe. Investing in the next generation of hunters and anglers is the best way to ensure that our wildlife resource will be there for many generations to come.”
SEE ALL PHOTOS
