The 75th annual Kiwanis Turkey Shoot will soon be underway in Kewaskum. The event starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26 at West Bend Barton Sportsman’s Club. The club is located at 3450 Trapshoot Lane, Kewaskum. The event will go on rain or shine.
Event stations that will be taking place are as follows:
Trap Shoot
Axe Throwing
Turkey Darts
Pistol Firing Line
Rifle Firing Line
Bow and Arrow
Golf Shoot
The cost will be $7 per event station on the day of the turkey shoot. Advance tickets may be purchased to use at event stations for $6. These will be available until Saturday, September 19th at 4 p.m. Advance tickets may be purchased at Station Kewaskum B/P, Kewaskum Dairy Queen, Laatsch’s Piggly Wiggly, Westbury Bank in Kewaskum, West Bend Elevator and Barton Small Engine.
Station winners will have a choice to take home a frozen turkey or a $15 Piggly Wiggly gift card.
There will be a 14 prize Mega Raffle with a chance to win a variety of gift cards, 36-inch gas grill, 18-inch chainsaw, 65-inch TV, several guns and a crossbow. A number of gun and meat raffles will also be held throughout the day. The turkey shoot is family friendly with a bounce house and face painting for the kids. Brats, hamburgers, soda and water will be available.
A long-standing tradition, the event used to boast flocks of people from all over Wisconsin. People would travel from Green Bay, Milwaukee and farther to take part in it or even just watch.
Kewaskum Kiwanis club member and chair for the event, Mark Yanke, said, “It’s just something that people enjoyed doing. There would be upwards of 700 or more people attending. It was a real family affair.”
Prior to the 1970’s, the event involved shooting live turkeys and catching trout. They would prep the birds and fish at the event so families could take them home to eat.
This is the Kewaskum Kiwanis Club’s largest fundraising event. Since its inception, it is estimated that the turkey shoot has raised over $350,000, with that money being given back to support the children of Kewaskum and surrounding area.
“Our motto is ‘serving the children of the world,’” Yanke mentioned. Kewaskum Kiwanis made a significant contribution for the establishment of Kiwanis Park, and have made a commitment to the Creekside Camp All Abilities playground. They sponsor six scholarships for graduating high school students, and the Kiwanis ‘n Cops ‘n Kids reading program, giving away almost 1,200 books so far.
They also participate in iPads for Autism, a program that gifts iPads with helpful software installed to children diagnosed with autism. They bring Missoula Children’s Theater to Kewaskum each year, and annually support Jake’s Fishing.
Another priority of the Kewaskum Kiwanis Club is fostering the development of leadership qualities and sense of service in the youth of the community. This is done by sponsoring the Builders Club at the middle school and the Key Club at the high school.
Students are able to learn the importance of giving back. These clubs typically have 30-35 members volunteering at the turkey shoot to help make it a success.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here