Frigid temps find us cuddled up on the sofa or in some manner, tucked safely indoors. This time of year, it is a bit tough to get motivated to get outside and do anything – much less go shooting or hunting. As we moved through January, many of you no doubt wrote down resolutions. Some of those resolutions might have included giving back to the community or helping with a local charity. Why not combine that resolution with an incredible sport, shotgunning?
Charities are always looking for engaging and exciting ways to draw in the dollars they need to maintain their missions. Golf events and marathons are the normal “go-to” fundraisers, but why not really put the FUN in fundraising? Sporting clays tournaments for charities are quickly taking over the tee times and tennis shoes.
Why should you try to host a charity clay shoot? It’s rewarding, you share this amazing sport with a wider demographic, have another reason to shoot that phenomenal Syren and check off several of those new year’s resolutions!
Everyone loves to help puppies and kitties. There is certainly a bevy of fundraisers for cancer, human and canine. The police and military have a host of opportunities to support these important men and women in uniform. So, who do you partner up with to make a difference?
What are you passionate about? Think about what really gets you excited and swells your heart when you can assist that charity in some way? Is there a smaller, lesser-known organization that could really use an infusion of life-saving capital?
I have sat on several boards for sporting clay fundraisers and each one has consistently followed a formula. This formula can be tweaked here and there to offer a slightly different feel or engagement level. One tournament I’ve assisted in is for Reach Out For Life, a non-profit organization that offers health screenings for breast cancer for women and men and also offers additional resources to support those affected. The Pull for Pink clay shoot is going into its 9th year for 2025!
Another rewarding clay shoot is the Pull for PAL event. This event supports the Richmond Police Athletic League that mentors at-risk youth in Richmond, Virginia, and the surrounding areas. Police officers volunteer their time to help with sports camps and outings that offer a safe and nurturing respite for youth that are normally caught in violent and high crime environments. The league operates strictly on donations, so the clay shoot is a lifeline for their activities.
Other events that I have participated in have supported the Navy SEALs and their families, 4-H chapters, Boy Scouts of America, foxhunting clubs, free clinics, retired K9s that need extended healthcare in their lives after active duty, Quail Forever, Ducks Unlimited, politicians and literally any other reason you can think of to host a tournament. Find what drives your passion and pick a charity in that field that could really use help.
The daunting task of putting on any event is not for the faint of heart; however, well-organized and motivated people will relish an opportunity to shine. I’ve put together shoots in as little as six months and others I have planned almost immediately following that year’s event. For your first year, keep to the basics and always operate on striving to under promise and over deliver. Get everything in writing and make sure you have a hard commitment from sponsors, in the form of a check. It’s a long way between a CEO or business owner expressing enthusiastic interest and signing over a check. There is a bit of a model to follow when planning out your event.
The event will need a board or a committee to steer the ship all the way to the finish line. When working with a charity, you will want to involve at least two-to-three members of the organization, preferably a higher up and board members. These people are vested in the success of anything with their name/logo on it. A monthly board meeting is sufficient and while an in-person meeting is more effective and productive, Zoom or Teams will certainly suffice. Just be sure that everyone shows up and sticks to the agenda. Make certain that there is an agenda. Allowing a bunch of people to spitball may be fine for the first meeting, but you must have structure to get the event off the ground and stay on track.
In the final month, you will want to meet at least twice before the actual event. This will allow you to tie up loose ends, confirm catering, review weather forecast, etc.
It does no good to have an event if no one shows up. Start a Facebook page, share all over social media, make reels and stories and keep them short and engaging. Build the hype and get people excited and engaged. Don’t discount your own personal pages. Sharing is caring and you want to share this wonderful event all over the place. Hang flyers in your local sporting goods stores, feed stores and anywhere that is remotely connected back to the original charity.
Keep your marketing clean and easily understood. You need to list the name of the event, the location, date and time and include a QR code so people can easily click and register, or sponsor! Add in an eye-catching photo of what the person is supporting.
When you get right down to the ultimate goal, it’s raising money. You need money to help this great charity or organization.
Never be afraid to ask for money.
I’ve almost not asked and almost missed out on some significant checks. You can never assume to know what someone will or won’t support. The Pull for PAL shoot raises $25,000 net consistently every year and that was when people were openly hating on the police! The Navy SEAL’s benefit raises more than $100,000 net. At the end of the day, any money is money and it’s more money than you had at the beginning of the day.
It’s not the registration fees that make you money. Those just cover your operating costs. It’s the sponsorships that fill the coffers. Some events offer station sign sponsorships for as little as $100 and title sponsorships for $10,000. You know your audience and what the individual community market can bear. The general listing is between $1500 up to $5000. That’s usually the sweet spot. Give the sponsors some good stuff in there for their dollars. Offer the $5000 sponsor a free team spot to shoot the event, signage across all media, a free golf cart rental, etc. Spend those dollars wisely though; no sponsor wants to see wasteful expenditures on trinkets and junk.
Ask for donations for a raffle or silent auction. Any industry is fair game. We’ve given away spa days, beach rentals in Hatteras, pistols, dog gear, artwork from local artisans and we try to always have a “feature” gun raffle. That is a separate raffle, and tickets are normally $20 each or three tickets for $50. The gun is always a $2000+ gun, so it’s worth the investment for the purchaser to buy a couple tickets. We give it away at the event, along with all the other items. Sell 500 tickets and you can easily bring in $10,000.
There have been a few shoots that I’ve assisted with that insisted people wanted a bunch of stuff in their swag bags. Don’t waste the money. I don’t know a single one of us that needs another reusable bag, squirt water bottle, pack of Nabs or pen. Instead, reach out to a sponsor that has their own plastic/paper shopping bags and ask them if they would like more brand recognition. Use their bags! They’re free and the sponsor gets recognition.
Do spend money on a nice lunch, plenty of waters and nice trophies. Be creative and incorporate the charity into the trophy. You would be amazed at the difference between a $5 trophy and a $25 trophy. Spend the money. You want something nice enough people are proud to display it at home or in the office. That’s more FREE advertising for the next event!
Show people that you are genuinely thankful they took time out of their busy day to support your event. Whether they attend in person, offer to volunteer, purchase a raffle ticket or make a sponsorship donation, you should be appreciative.
Take care of your volunteers. Make sure they are comfortable and have a great time and they will spread that infectious love to everyone that comes to their station during the event. Some shoots will have trappers, some it’s just on your honor for scoring. No matter what, make the staff standout so the patrons can visibly see how many people are dedicated to a cause that they donated to and supported. For the police shoot, we use the cadets going through the academy. Free labor, the cadets get to rub shoulders with the brass in attendance and the shooters absolutely love it. They consistently remark how they enjoy being able to chat with the next generation of officers for their community. Talk about impactful!
Still not convinced you can do it? No worries, find someone that you convince to take it on. You won’t have to work hard, and you still get all of the satisfaction of being able to support something or someone that means the world to you. And, like I said earlier, you have another great reason to get out and get behind the barrel of your fabulous Syren shotgun!
Find out more about fundraising with Syren shotguns through these previously published stories: “Syren and the 2nd Annual ‘Guns, Girls & Pearls,” “How to Host a Charity Shooting Event,” (written by Syren pro-staffer Ashley Butcher) and “How to Host a Charity Shoot: Merry Miracles” (guest post by Erin Callahan).
Kate Ahnstrom, owner of Virginia Shooting Sports, is a certified, professional instructor of the Paragon School of Sporting. She has dedicated her life to sharing her passion for the outdoors and diversifying the dynamics on the clay course and the hunt field. Her tireless dedication to her students’ success is obvious in each and every lesson. Kate is on the pro staff for Syren, the resident pro at Orapax Hunting Preserve and the Preserve at Dundee, department editor for “Woods and Waters” magazine and field staff member of the Sisterhood of the Outdoors. She and her husband, Mike, enjoy their small farm in central Virginia where they have a menagerie of animals and plenty of room to train and work their beloved GSPs. Kate loves getting behind the barrel of her Syren Tempio Sporting in 20 gauge for all things clay and feathered. View all posts by Kate Ahnstrom
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