Kids, seniors and everyone else invited to try out archery in Elgin
The Elgin chapter of the Izaak Walton League and Hanover Township want to spread the word about an archery range open to people of all ages, from kids to seniors.
The Ikes - as members of the Izaak Walton League call themselves - hosted a free archery introduction for seniors Friday afternoon attended by nine people, some of them novices, others familiar with archery from their younger days.
Bartlett residents Lynne and Ken Schiller said they never held a bow and arrow before and found the exercise really enjoyable.
"I had a very good instructor," she said. "It's not hard. You just have to think through it."
Bobbi Van Leare of Streamwood said she used to frequent an amusement center that offered archery in her early 20s.
"I liked the archery, but that was the last time I did it. I was surprised to find out about it (in Elgin)," Van Leare said. "It's really nice."
The Elgin archery range opened last August in a wooded area that belongs to Hanover Township, which has an office at Izaak Walton Center nearby at 899 Jay St. The land and the office building used to belong to the Ikes chapter, which gave it to the township five years ago, chapter president Bill Jones said.
The Ikes collaborated with the township to open the archery range and provide the instructors. The equipment, including six targets, bows and arrows, was purchased with a $5,000 grant from Cabela's.
The Ikes also are spreading the word about archery among Boy Scout troops, who are welcome to hold programs there, archery instructor John Ziegler said.
Archery instructor Cate Murschel said her youngest student was 4 years old, which proved a little tough because the boy didn't know the difference between his shoulder and elbow. But starting in elementary school, archery truly is for everyone, she said.
"The thing about archery is that as long as you have some upper body strength and balance, it's just a great activity for seniors," she said. "It keeps you sharp, it's fun and it's a little bit of exercise."
The archery range is open 1 to 3 p.m. Sundays and 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. The cost is $5 per session plus $5 to rent equipment. Jones said newcomers can use the range for free for their first couple of visits.
The range is located in the woods off Kirk Avenue between Getty and Houston avenues in Elgin. For more information, call Jones at (847) 867-9393.