2019 Ladies’ Charity Skeet Classic in Covington, GA, will help Athens Area Habitat for Humanity build affordable homes for low-income residents

Every year, women from around the country gather together to shoot stuff up for a good cause. They’ve been doing it for a quarter century now, and they are really good at it!

The Ladies’ Charity Skeet Classic is an annual National Skeet Shooting Association event which is moving this year from Nashville to the South River Gun Club in Covington, GA. Women from across the USA will compete in a 500 target tournament over the weekend of April 12-14 as well as a variety of side events, including a “Frank Butler” shoot for men accompanying women to the tournament. There will also be a “Learn to Shoot” event on Friday morning, open to women who are new to the sport through a separate registration, as well as raffles and auctions.

The event organizers are Tami and Al Means, who are both accomplished shooters. Tami has been involved with the Ladies’ Charity Skeet Classic for a number of years and has managed tournaments across the country, but this is her first time hosting a benefit tournament like the LCSC. “As previous chairs passed the baton, I stood up and asked for the opportunity to host,” says Means. “It was important to me to see that this shoot continue, to promote shooting among ladies and to pay forward our abundant blessings. Perhaps I just wanted the challenge!”

The tournament is made possible through the generosity of corporate sponsors such as White Flyer Targets, Howell Shooting Supplies, and SGS Performance Eyewear, as well as private donors and event participants. Means say she is hoping to be able to raise enough funds to finance the construction of an entire home. Sue Huszai, a quilter and tournament participant from Ohio, has also begun a “Housewarming Shower” drive to raise additional funds to help a Habitat partner family furnish their new home.

“We’re so proud to be working with the Ladies’ Charity Skeet Classic,” says Spencer Frye, Executive Director of Athens Area Habitat. “We’ve just launched our latest project to build four high-efficiency ‘kinda tiny’ homes, the first of their kind in our area and the first homes on the market in our county to meet LEED standards for low environmental impact and high energy efficiency, which also helps our homeowners keep utility bills low. The organizers of this event really ‘get’ our mission to provide families with strength, stability, and self-reliance through housing, and it’s a real pleasure to be a part of what they’re doing.”

“We wanted this event to benefit a charity we can really be proud of,” said Means, “where our contribution could make a real difference. And with Habitat, every dollar we raise will go toward building a home for a family who otherwise could not afford one. That’s powerful stuff. Everyone deserves to live in a home they can call their own. ”

“We already have two of the four new homeowners selected and they’re already working on their sweat equity on other homes,” says Director Frye. “Nick Floyd is a young veteran, and Faye Hill is a single mom. We would love it if this event could raise enough dollars to fully fund one of their homes. In fact, we’ve already started calling it the ‘shotgun house’ around the office. Only this shotgun house will be a fully modern, high efficiency home.”

“Any lady can shoot in the registered event provided she is a member of the National Skeet Shooting Association,” says Means. “You can even join the day of the tournament. And any lady with an interest in shotgun can participate in the novice event — everything you need will be provided, including guns, ammo, targets, and instruction by well qualified coaches, and then lunch!”

The South River Gun Club is located just outside of Covington, GA, and hosts several skeet, trap, pistol, rifle, and cowboy tournaments every year. The club has been in operation for 51 years now and is currently owned by champion shooter Leonard L. Evans, III, who comes from a long line of renowned trap shooters. Anyone can visit the club for free during the tournament to watch, mingle with the shooters, and participate in the raffles and auctions.