Columnist Barb Henderson: Paralyzed veterans group has plenty of pull

Barb Henderson

Friday, Oct. 15, 2004 | 9:03 a.m.

Barb Henderson is an outdoors enthusiast, freelance writer and producer/host of outdoors radio television programming. Her column appears Friday in the Sun.

PULL!

This word is used by shotgunners to release clay targets during the sport of trapshooting.

There will be many of these clay targets broke this weekend during the 2005 Paralyzed Veterans of America Trap Shoot Circuit at the Las Vegas Gun Club 13 miles northwest of downtown Las Vegas at 9400 Tule Springs Road.

The trapshooting competition includes both wheelchair veterans as well as able-bodied persons who all compete individually. This was created to give individuals with disabilities a chance to participate in the recreational and competitive sport of trapshooting.

This will be the fourth year the veterans will enjoy the competition at this local gun range. The clay-breaking action actually started on Thursday and will conclude on Saturday.

"We are privileged and honored to be able to host the annual PVA trapshooting event at the Las Vegas Gun Club. To be able to provide a facility, for men that have given so much, seems to further emphasize a need to protect places such as ours, even though it is directly in the path of the valley's tremendous urban sprawl," said Steve Carmichael, owner of the Las Vegas Gun Club.

The Nevada Paralyzed Veterans Chapter is one of 34 chapters of PVA in America, with nearly 200 members and 150 Associate members.

The Nevada Paralyzed Veterans of America Inc. is dedicated to improving and ensuring the quality of life for American veterans who have suffered spinal cord injury or disease resulting in paralysis.

Their purpose is to assist in the fulfillment of the need for health and well being for all of our members through education, location of resources, medical research, physical and psychological therapy, co-operation with other corporations, groups and institutions engaged in similar activities and the advancement of wheelchair athletic participation for the purpose of improved health, medical prevention and a better quality of life.

The PVA members not only enjoy the sport of trapshooting, they also compete and participate in the following other wheelchair events throughout the year: fishing, hunting, basketball, bowling, softball and football.

The members enjoy the variety of sports and, the Trap Shoot Circuit presents an opportunity for each of them to showcase their remarkable marksmanship skills.

The participants will compete in 100 singles (shoot 100 single targets), 50 pair doubles (shoot 50 targets two at a time for a total of 100 shots) and 100 handicap (short medium and long yardage).

"We are proud and pleased to have the opportunity to sponsor paralyzed veterans in the sport of trapshooting. We hope the participants all have a safe shoot and a good time during the competition," said Kathleen Drennen executive director of Nevada Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Good luck to all the shooters who are participating.

"My entire staff looks forward to hosting this event, and do everything we can to make sure all the participants and families enjoy themselves," Carmichael said. "Chairs are removed from many of the clubhouse tables, so the wheelchair shooters can feel right at home, and care has been given to the shooting area itself to make sure that all can access them easily. "

The Nevada Paralyzed Veterans of America office is at 1630 Sunset Drive. For more information, contact them at: 646-0040 or check out the Nevada PVA website on the Internet at: www.nevadapva.org