LUMBERTON, Texas —Approximately 60 youths and their families gathered to learn about firearms safety, shooting sports, archery, fishing and conservation at the 5th Annual Provost Umphrey Get Youth Outdoors Day on April 26 in Lumberton, Texas.
The free community event was a cooperative effort between the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) and national partner Provost Umphrey Law Firm designed to provide hands-on, outdoor experiences for kids.
“The purpose of the event is to teach youths gun safety and responsibility as well as to enjoy the outdoors and all that it offers,” said Joe Fisher, managing partner of Provost Umphrey Law Firm, who describes the event as “his favorite day of the year.”
Coaches and shooters from the Jefferson County 4-H Sporting Clays Club, union volunteers from Roofers International and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 716, and members of Provost Umphrey Law Firm instructed youths on shooting shotguns and bows as well as casting for catfish and bluegill in the pond at One in One Hundred Gun Club.
“This was my son’s first time trying archery, and he loved it so much,” said Heather Veazey. “Now he wants us to buy him a bow. We appreciated the event so much—it was a great way to get kids outdoors and away from their devices.”
Another parent of 11-year-old twins said that her “indoor kid fell in love with archery,” while her other son “was asked by four people to join the shooting team” when he excelled at the sporting clays station.
All supplies were provided to youths at no charge, and each child received a goody bag containing free gifts. Youths and their families also enjoyed a free lunch, and participants were entered in drawings for a variety of outdoor gear. The most coveted prizes included a guided whitetail hunt, a guided hog and dove hunt, two fishing trips and a lifetime Texas hunting license, donated by Provost Umphrey Law Firm.
“We had some of the biggest smiles at this event. More than half of the participants were first-timers, and many of them were quite good,” said USA Conservation Manager Cody Campbell. “We also had an excess of volunteers, so all the kids got plenty of assistance to build confidence and have a terrific experience.”
The Provost Umphrey Get Youth Outdoors Day was part of a series of free, community-based youth outreach activities organized under Work Boots on the Ground—the USA’s flagship conservation program. Saturday’s event was also supported by national partners Union Plus and Humana, as well as USA founding partners UIG, ULLICO, Bank of Labor, AFL-CIO Investment Trust Corporation and Buck Knives.
“Our outdoor heritage depends on recruiting new participants. Busting a clay, catching a fish or hitting an archery target for the first time are very exciting for kids and can spark an interest in the outdoors that lasts a lifetime, “said USA CEO & Executive Director Walt Ingram. “We are proud to provide opportunities for young people and their families to have these rewarding experiences and thankful for partners like Provost Umphrey Law Firm that help make them possible.”
Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA): The USA is a union-dedicated, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose members hunt, fish, shoot and volunteer their skills for conservation. The USA is uniting the union community through conservation to preserve North America’s outdoor heritage. For more information, visit www.unionsportsmen.org or connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Work Boots on the Ground (WBG): WBG is the USA’s flagship conservation program that brings together union members willing to volunteer their time and expertise to conservation projects that improve and enhance public access to the outdoors, conserve wildlife habitat, restore America’s parks and mentor youth in the outdoors. The USA’s Work Boots on the Ground program works closely with federal, state and local agencies and other conservation groups to provide manpower needed to complete critical projects that may otherwise go undone.
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