By Beth Christian Broschart
The Parsons Advocate
PARSONS – Youth gathered at the Izaak Walton League in Parsons Saturday morning to learn about outdoor activities during the Tucker County Longbeards Chapter 30 of the National Wild Turkey Federation J.A.K.E.S. Day.
J.A.K.E.S. Day is an event held yearly where volunteers help juniors learn knowledge, ethics and sportsmanship while giving them the opportunity to participate in these sports. This is the ninth year for the event in Parsons and the organizers said they want the participants to stay interested in shooting, being outdoors and being safe.
George Wilfong is president of the Tucker County Longbeards Chapter 30. He said stations during the event include a trapping display, a .22 shooting station, turkey calling station, skeet shooting and archery.
“After the kids go through all the stations we have a dinner,” Wilfong said. “We have prizes for the kids. We fill the balloons up with coins, and the kids get the coins from the balloons they break shooting the .22s.”
Wilfong said J.A.K.E.S. hopes to get kids interested in being out of doors instead of just playing video games.
“It offers an alternative to just sitting around the house,” he said. “Hopefully, it will get them interested in hunting or trapping. It’s part of our heritage. Kids need to learn to grow up and be responsible while enjoying the outdoors. It’s good for the kids to learn about guns and not be afraid of them and to know how to use them.”
Wilfong said guns are like tools. “You can use them to hunt or to target shoot. You can join shooting events across the state.”
“If you touch one kid, it is worth it and it may keep them out of trouble,” Wilfong said.
More than 20 kids participated in Saturday’s J.A.K.E.S. Day.