The eighth annual Clays for a Cause sporting clay shoot, presented by St. Johns home builder MasterCraft Builder Group, was held on Thursday, Dec. 10, at Saltwaters Shooting Club in St. Augustine.
It was the largest to date with more than 420 registered participants raising $207,000 for dozens of North Florida charities, including St. Augustine Youth Services, Seamark Ranch, American Legion Post 194’s Kids Safe Zone, Reathreaded, HorsePlay Therapy Center, Alpha-Omega Miracle Home and Port in the Storm.
“Year after year, I’m blown away by the generosity and willingness to serve those in need here at home,” said MasterCraft Builder Group CEO and founder Chris Shee. “Clays for a Cause started as a fun, end-of-year activity for my employees and a few trade partners and has turned into a communitywide event focused on community, camaraderie and charity.”
Over the past nine years, Clays for a Cause has raised more than $640,000 for North Florida charities benefiting a variety of important causes. For example, St. Augustine Youth Services is a local nonprofit that helps shape the future of Florida’s at-risk youth by providing coaching, counseling and care in family-style therapeutic group homes and outpatient community services. American Legion Post 194 runs Kids Safe Zone, a program where veterans volunteer their time to help underprivileged and at-risk kids in the community.
“This event is such a blessing,” said Derry Green, commander of American Legion Post 194. “Our Kids Safe Zone helps 40 kids in our afterschool program in West Augustine, and we are able to do it for free because of people like Chris. At last year’s Clays for a Cause, we were given $25,000 and then another $10,000 this year. We will now be able to break ground in January on our American Legion Centennial Park and continue to serve the kids in our afterschool and summer programs.”
