Fundraising opening new doors for Dusty Acres Shooting Society

By Heather Cameron

Taber Times

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Dusty Acres Shooting Society recently raised approximately $6,000 for equipment that they are using to help construct an indoor range for their activities. The money was raised through a raffle for a Henry Golden Boy Lever Action .22 cal. rifle, a raffle that was won by Dale Ypma.

Kevin O’Grady, president of the Dusty Acres Shooting Society, says that $1,200 of that will go towards paying for a new electrical generator that will power up the trailer where the society currently meets. 

Dusty Acres, O’Grady says, meets at the trailer on the MD of Taber shooting range on the third Tuesday of every month, but that may change as the demand increases. 

“The purpose of our club is to teach smallbore firearm safety and awareness,” O’Grady said. “We exist because there is a need to teach our youth the fun and safe activities in the sport of firearms. Our participants learn about firearm safety and get to enjoy the fun of the sport of shooting while being shown proper shooting techniques.”

O’Grady states that although the official society was only formed in 2021, the youth club was organized by himself and Mark Ross in the spring of 2018 and February 2019. They did this, O’Grady says, to provide youth with an opportunity to learn firearm safety. 

“I arranged for Canada’s International, which included representing Canada at the Olympics, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games, athlete in the ten and 25 meter air pistol shooter and Gold and Bronze medalist Lynda Kiejko to visit with high school students in Taber,” O’Grady said. “Prior to COVID, we had 35 youth involved with our club, but like everything else, we took a hit from COVID restrictions.” 

The society, O’Grady says, is associated with the Alberta Handguns Association and Alberta Smallbore Rifle Association and also draws advice from the significant number of marksmen and shooting clubs in Taber.   

“As a society we are very lucky for our affiliation and relationship to the provincial association, as their guidance and leadership is extremely appreciated,” O’Grady said.

O’Grady says that the only prerequisites the society has for joining are that people have to be 10 years old or older and they have to have an interest in learning firearm safety and proper competitive shooting of smallbore rifles and handguns. The society also has a membership fee of $60 per year.

“People that have been involved in the past and present have a very positive outlook on the sport of firearms and its fun activities,” O’Grady said. “We are very pleased when a past member comes up and thanks us for teaching them to love the sport of shooting.”

O’Grady says that anyone who is interested in getting involved in the Dusty Acres Shooting Society can contact them through their Facebook page or at dustyacres2021@gmail.com.

“I highly recommend all shooters to come out to the MD of Taber shooting range and see the great job the Taber Shooting Foundation has done, creating one of Alberta’s best shooting ranges,” O’Grady said.