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Shooting Stars Shine
for Kids
 
The Hollywood Celebrity Shoot, the largest celebrity charity
shooting event in the country, returns for its eighth year with
a two-day program October 1st and 2nd. The event, which benefits
entities dedicated to preserving the shooting and hunting rights
of America, including the Hollywood Celebrity Shoot Kid's Camp,
will be held for the first time at the Desert Lake Country Club
in Las Vegas.
 "The
purpose of the Hollywood Celebrity Shoot is to preserve the shooting
and hunting traditions of America for our children and generations
to come by creating awareness and providing safety and training
education," said founder John Laughlin. "Through this
event we hope to steer popular public opinion to a better understanding
of the positive aspects of responsible firearms use, including
recreational shooting."
"The 2003 Hollywood Celebrity Shoot attracted a total
attendance of more than 1000 spectators and participants hailing
from 30 U.S. states and 15 foreign countries," said Laughlin.
"That represents a 20 percent increase from 2002 and a more
than 50 percent increase from 2001. Those numbers stand as a
testament to the strength of this event and the passion people
have for its cause on an international level."
The Hollywood Celebrity Shoot features more than 100 actors,
directors, producers, Hollywood insiders and stars from the professional
sports world participating in team trap, sporting clay, handgun
and rifle events. A highlight of the event is a crowd favorite
known as the "Celebrity Cluster Flush"-a furious five-stand
competition where 10 clay birds are thrown simultaneously from
12 different traps.
 Past
celebrity participants have included Priscilla Barnes, Leslie
Easterbrook, Erik Estrada, Dennis Franz, Erin Gray, Lee Horsley
and Geoffrey Lewis. Also participating have been Anne Lockhart,
Louise Mandrell, Joe Mantegna, Gerald McRaney, John Milius, Joe
Penny, Lee Purcell, John Ratzenberger and the late Robert Stack.
Among Laughlin's primary goals in producing the event was
to use the proceeds to create and support a youth camp, the Hollywood
Celebrity Shoot Kid's Camp, which offers children ages 7-14 hands-on
shooting instruction by certified instructors who focus on teaching
them how to safely and productively use firearms to enjoy shooting
sports. The camp also exposes children to classes on wildlife
management, conservation and safety both on field and off. In
2003, the camp played host to more than 70 children along with
many of their parents. The free camp was held on seven consecutive
Sundays leading up to the celebrity event.
"Much like any other activity, we need to cultivate new
generations of outdoor sports and shooting enthusiasts to ensure
the preservation of the sport," said Laughlin. "The
HCS Kid's Camp is an ideal way to teach children the joy of recreational
shooting and the responsibilities that go along with it. Our
safety and educational programs are geared to do exactly that."
Laughlin has lofty goals for the 2004 installment of the Hollywood
Celebrity Shoot. He views it as a pivotal year in the event's
long-term growth.
"We've made some amazing strides over the past two years
and we plan on using that momentum to take us to a whole new
level this year in terms of more sponsors, more celebrities and
more spectators," said Laughlin. "In 2003, we estimate
that more than 80 million people learned about our event via
the 21 magazine articles and four television programs that covered
us.
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