$30,000 has been awarded to one local school district for its trap team.
The Moravia Central School District has received the funding through a grant from the Cayuga County Youth Bureau. Youth Bureau Director Debbie Dennis told Finger Lakes News Radio that the funding is a great boost for the rural community.
“They hit that mark with a lot of the things we’re trying to do in the county with getting youth involved in more recreational and social programs in their communities, said Dennis. “I know a lot of times in the rural communities it’s harder. They don’t often have a lot of different programs for the youth to participate in and it was a good fit.”
She added that trap shooting allows kids to have fun in a nontraditional sports setting, providing opportunities for those not interested in traditional sports to socialize and build relationships in a safe and structured environment.
“Not all youth are into sports and things of that nature,” Dennis continued. “This is still a sport but it’s not your typical athletic program that you think students would be interested in.”
The money will be used to make improvements to the Salmon Creek Sportsmen’s Club where the team practices and competes. Changes will include the construction of a trap house, lighting improvements, and making a handicap-accessible entrance to the club’s main building.
The district said in a release that the district was notified in December it would be awarded the funding.
“Through a little bit of luck and some divine intervention, we ended up with this grant. It’s really like hitting the lottery for us,” said team coach Mark Strong.
The money that the Youth Bureau used to provide this grant comes from the American Rescue Plan Act.
