Michael Conces was one of the numerous clay shooters that came out to help the West Texas Food Bank’s fundraiser.
It may have been his first time shooting clays in five years but he said he was satisfied with how he was doing in the early rounds Thursday morning.
The West Texas Food Bank’s second annual Aim to End Hunger Shoot took place Thursday at the Midland Shooters Association Shotgun Range.
The proceeds benefited the West Texas Food Bank.
Conces was happy to help out for the cause.
“It’s a great cause, especially with the way inflation is going up and costs are increasing,” Conces said. “People are needing help more than ever. We get to come out here and help support them and that’s all we want.”
Just like last year, the event was sponsored by ConocoPhillips.
“With COVID and everything that we’ve been though in the last couple of years, not just the West Texas Food Bank but our entire West Texas communities, we’ve been trying to get back to some things that are normal and one of the things that are normal is doing charity clay shoots,” West Texas Food Bank Executive Director Libby Campbell said. “We’re happy to have Conoco Phillips agree to help out for a second year this year and be able to bring this back again. We’re really excited to do this again. We had more shooters this year. We almost ran out of carts this morning. That tells you everyone’s out here, supporting a great cause.”
Last year, the event had about 130 participants.
This year’s clay shoot had more as there were about 139 participants. The fundraiser had an afternoon shoot as well.
“We’re excited to have that many people who are interested in coming out to shoot,” West Texas Food Bank Director of Communications Craig Stoker said. “We are happy to be back out here. Conoco Phillips was very generous to help underwrite the shoot for us this year. We’re happy to work with MSA to make sure that everyone is set up and has fun.”
Baylor Mitchell was another clay shooter who was out Thursday morning.
“It’s awesome,” Mitchell said. “We’re still getting warmed up but we have a lot of rounds left to go … It feels great to help out the community. We’re glad to be out here helping out.”
The cost for each individual team was $900.
Even though the event was still going on Thursday morning, Stoker was confident that they would raise a decent amount for the food bank.
“We’re hoping to raise as much as we can,” Stoker said. “I know these events can be big money makers and that’s something that makes it attractive to do. Our goal is to bring the community together and have an event that someone may not otherwise know about the food bank. We’re happy to have the crowd out here and we’ll worry about the money later.”
Inflation and gas prices have been on the rise this year with no end in sight. Because of that, the West Texas Food Bank has seen its traffic increase.
“Our need is up at the West Texas Food Bank,” Campbell said. “We did start to see a decrease earlier in the year but we have seen a steady climb in people needing help right now in West Texas. Sadly, with 10 percent inflation rate, we truly do have families that are struggling. The clients we’re seeing have never needed any form of public assistance before.”
Campbell said on Wednesday, the West Texas Food Bank had 530 cars wrapped around the location in Odessa needing resources.
“Our neighbors are needing help right now,” Campbell said. “A lot of them are needing jobs right now.”
The fundraiser also comes at a time when kids are getting out of school for the summer and no longer have access to breakfast and lunch at their schools.
“We’re at the busiest that we’re at all year,” Stoker said. “That transition between school and summer, where the kids go from receiving two meals at school to none can place a strain on so many family budgets. Our numbers have picked back up.”
Campbell was thankful for the partnership with ConocoPhillips.
“One thing that’s really great about the West Texas Food Bank is I feel like we have some great corporate partnerships and great corporate citizens that really help out the community,” Campbell said. “Phillips stepped up this year. To have that kind of commitment from them is truly amazing and it does help the neighbors that we’re serving every day.”
