St. Charles Sportsmen's Club gets national award

The St. Charles Sportsmen's Club has been given the gun club of the year award by the Amateur Trapshooting Association. The 400-member club is on Keslinger Road just west of Route 47 in Elburn and offers an 80-acre shooting sports and recreation facility with trapshooting and sporting clays ranges that are open to the public.

The award recognizes the club's leadership in promoting shotgun sports through its extensive league shooting program. It also recognizes the club for its free public safety programs, including participating with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in offering seminars on wingshooting, the hunting of birds such as pheasants and quail.

"We didn't get the award for being the biggest club around," said Cle Rector of Wheaton, vice president of the club and a member for 10 years. "I think we were recognized for our community involvement and outreach. If Dad wants to learn about hunting, he calls us. We get many calls asking if we give clinics. We offer free seminars in response to these calls."

According to Rector, members of the St. Charles Sportsmen's Club work as instructors with the Department of Natural Resources.

Rector said the club sponsors a "day at the range" for area police and fire personnel, supports the Kaneland Boosters and local youth baseball, and gives turkeys and hams to local food pantries.

In addition to offering trapshooting and skeetshooting, the club has a rifle and pistol range, archery, a fishing pond, a children's playground and a Scout campground.

The Amateur Trapshooting Association is headquartered in Vandalia, Ohio, and has more than 50,000 members.

For information on the club, visit www.scsconline.org.