Monroe-Chester Sportsman's Club sponsors youth day

CHESTER-Kylie Gnehm, 15, a resident of nearby Ringwood, N.J., hardly ever misses a shot when she's shooting skeet. That's probably because she's been knocking clay pigeons out of the sky with a 20-gauge shotgun since she was 12. And she's been target shooting since she was only seven. Kylie's grandfather, Mark Olley, is a member of the Monroe-Chester Sportsmen's Club and on Sunday, May 1, he invited Kylie and her friend Megan Walsh, also 15, to "Youth Day." Kylie and Megan, who is new to skeet, were just two of the many youngsters invited for a day of supervised shooting sports. The club sponsors the event twice each year, Spring and Fall, as a free community service. Local businesses also contribute. Any interested boy or girl from the area is invited to participate. However, a parent or guardian must accompany them. Each participant is required to follow strict safety guidelines, obey the instructor's orders and wear appropriate protective devices such as earplugs and safety glasses. On Sunday, Kylie improved her skills under the watchful eyes of Diane Bramich, a certified National Rifle Association (NRA) instructor who also happens to be chairman of the club's Skeet and Trap Shooting Committee. She's married to Warwick Police Officer Fred Bramich, the department's firearms instructor. He is also vice president of the Monroe-Chester Sportsmen's Club. Other youngsters spent the day honing their skills in a variety of supervised shooting sports including archery, .22 cal. Rifle, air riffle, trap shooting and black powder. And everyone was served lunch. The 138-acre Monroe-Chester Sportsmen's Club, established in 1935, is located on Gibson Hill Road in the Town of Chester. Although the private club is limited to 600 members, it hosts numerous shooting events throughout the year that are open to the public. "We believe in firearm safety through education," said Fred Bramich. "There are fewer accidents in supervised shooting sports than in any other competitive sport." For information on "Youth Day" or other upcoming events call 477-8755.