Trap Shoot Benefits Local Hospice Efforts

(FROM LEFT HSHS ST. ANTHONY'S DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY MICHAEL WALL, HSHS HOSPICE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS MANAGER JENI COOPER, JEFF GALLAGHER, DENISE GALLAGHER AND STAN BROWN, REPRESENTING TWIN OAKS SPORTING CLAYS HOSPICE TEAM)

Twin Oaks Sporting Clays located in Mode held their fourth annual Hospice Shoot this past fall for local Hospice organizations. HSHS Hospice Southern Illinois was one of the fortunate non-for-profit organizations to benefit from this fund raiser the past four years.

Twin Oaks Sporting Clays is owned by Jeff and Denise Gallagher. Three years ago, the Gallagher’s, along with help from Stan Brown and Charlie Kellogg, started one of the most popular and profitable types of charity events. The day is full of adults and young adults sharpening their skills shooting sporting clays, trap, and skeet. The sporting clays course is set up similarly to a golf course and consists of 100 total shots. Comprised of 18 separate shooting platforms with a different challenge at each platform, it provides a unique shooting experience. Shooter Ethan Beck, also a colleague of HSHS Hospice, said “This is a very fun way to sharpen your shooting skills while helping a worthwhile cause.” He also added, “My favorite part of the day was shooting the sporting clays course because it provides a different experience outside of shooting traditional trap.”

This year there were 70 shooters, many of who participated in unlimited rounds on the sporting clays course. There were 15 local businesses that were sponsors of the event including major sponsors Midland States Bank, IBEW Local Union 702, and Twin Oaks Sporting Clays.  Raffle items donated by local businesses and supporters of the event ranged from a room rental at a local winery to an automatic deer feeder. Over 70 door prizes were also donated from local businesses and were given to every shooter that signed up, ensuring that no one goes home empty handed. Lunch was also provided to each shooter at no additional cost.

Michael Wall, Director of Philanthropy, shared his appreciation to all involved with this event. “My appreciation to Jeff and Denise, Stan, Charlie, the sponsors, participants and volunteers for their active involvement with this Hospice Shoot. Through their generosity our patients and their families have additional resources available to them from our care team.”

The Gallagher’s have been able to donate over $40,000 to local Hospice organizations in the past, and this year alone were able to raise $8,952 for HSHS Hospice Southern Illinois. The Gallagher’s and their committee members Stan Brown and Charlie Kellogg are already strategizing for next year’s Twin Oaks Hospice Shoot.

HSHS Hospice Southern Illinois covers 27 counties in southern Illinois and is a health care service focused on caring for the whole person and that person’s family, as they face their most vulnerable time: the end of a life. Hospice uses an interdisciplinary approach to caring for terminally ill individuals that stresses palliative (comfort) care as opposed to curative care. Hospice care may take place wherever a person lives, including in their homes, assisted living facilities, or nursing homes.  For questions or more information about HSHS Hospice Southern Illinois program, call HSHS Hospice Southern Illinois at (800) 551-6566, or visit www.hshshospice.org.

HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital is part of the Southern Illinois Division of Hospital Sisters Health System, which also includes HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville, HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Breese, HSHS Holy Family Hospital in Greenville, and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Highland.