Sharpshooters take aim for charity in Carol Stream
The sun beat down on the grounds of American Legion Post 76 in Carol Stream Sunday as the cracks of rifles split the air.
Twenty-five targets stood parallel to a fence lining a baseball diamond.
Every 10 minutes, a new round began.
It was all part of the legion post's twice-annual ham shoot, a fundraiser that pits some of the area's top sharpshooters against one another for a prize ham or turkey.
Aldo Bon, a Plainfield resident and legion member since 1971, has participated in the shoot for almost as long as it has existed. On Sunday, he joined his nephew, Scott Kalkis, who has been competing in the event for 20 years — since he was a little kid coming with his uncle.
“This is our family get-together,” Kalkis said.
About 200 people participated Sunday, with one more weekend to go for the spring fundraiser. Then targets will be stored until the three weekends before Thanksgiving, when the 50th anniversary of the ham shoot will raise money to stock food baskets for local families in need.
Whoever shoots closest to the bull's-eye during the competition gets the choice of a ham or turkey, while the next closest gets whichever is left. Shooters, who pay to compete in each round, also compete for cash prizes.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will be split among various youth programs and sports, including scholarship programs, Boy Scout Troop 32, Venture Crew 32 and the Legion-sponsored baseball team. The boy scouts helped run the fundraiser, picking up fallen shotgun shells and replacing the targets between rounds.
“We try our best for our community and our veterans,” said Frank Fagel, commander for post 76.
The event draws kids as young as 5 years old to adults in their 70s.
Brett Scheithe, 16, of Bartlett has been shooting in the competition for 10 years, taking after his father and grandfather before him.
“It's pretty much a family tradition,” Scheithe said.
Jim Goepel, a legion member helping to run Sunday's ham shoot, said the events are safe. The ammunition doesn't make it past the pitcher's mound on the ball field and everyone keeps an eye out for stray kids or community members on the property.
The first round will begin again at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, April 17, at Legion Post 76, 570 S. Gary Ave., in Carol Stream. The plan is for 50 rounds but, depending on the turnout, the event could run until dark.