Media Sporting Clay Shoot
By: KSAN News - Jason Calder
Updated: June 7, 2007
Local media members set their sights on Clay birds Thursday morning to help out Shannon's medical helicopter. KSAN Chief Meteorologist Jacob Rankin was just one participant. However it was another KSAN member who won one of the events. KSAN's Jason Calder has more.
Media members gathered Thursday morning for a Claybird Shoot to benefit Shannon Medical Center's Air-Med services.
Wendy Keel, Air-Med 1 Program Director, said, "Without this you would be facing areas of extreme long ground transports. We did a flight the other day with a scene call that would have taken an ambulance an hour and a half to get to."
Shannon has had aerial medical transportation since 1994 and the services cost around $2 million dollars just for operating costs. Keel said it's very expensive.
She said, "Shannon has been very committed to the program and helping us stay viable and stay afloat. We have, every year, lost money as Air-Med, but they're committed to the service."
That brings us back to the event held at the San Angelo Claybird Association. Two participants from KSAN were in the Sporting Clay Shoot, Chief Meteorologist Jacob Rankin and Production Assistant Jody Smith.
Smith said, "Like they told us, Midland is too far for them to come over here if they need air support so they had the claybird shoot to help them out."
Rankin and Smith are experienced shooters but Smith says he hasn't picked up a gun in two years. So both Jacob and Jody practiced days before the event.
Smith said, "At the practice my score was 3 out of 30, we kept totals, and at the competition I hit 24 out of 25 in the individuals."
That 24 out of 25 was the best score in the trap competition beating out other media participants including Jacob Rankin.
"Oh yeah. He'll probably sit over there in the weather lab and pout a little bit.You know Jacob. I think I'm going to go in there and do a victory dance here in a little while," said Smith.
All kidding aside, Jacob and Jody said it was a fun event that will hopefully raise more money to continue this much needed service. If you would like to help out Air-Med 1, there will be another claybird shoot July 6-7. The entry fee is $150. For more information call 657-8343.
