Iron County youth test marksmanship at annual memorial shoot

Iron County youth spent June 6 testing marksmanship, discipline and patience at the Alpha Rifle and Pistol Club Range on Mastodon Road in Alpha, where the annual Savannah Marcell Memorial Silhouette Shoot gave children ages 6 through 17 a free place to compete under close supervision. The event ran from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and included free .22 caliber rifles and ammunition, a free lunch and prizes for young shooters who could show consistency, not just participation.

The heart of the competition was the certification round. Youth who qualified had to put all three shots into the red paper target at 50 yards before earning a certificate and medal for “3 in the Red!” That format turned the shoot into a lesson in safe gun handling, concentration and follow-through, with experienced club members, firearms instructors and Iron County 4-H Sharpshooters helping as junior instructors and scorekeepers.

Club member James Koch said the day drew strong turnout and good weather, and he noted that two of his sons took part. All youth shooters were entered into a drawing for one of three prize rifles, and the club’s community feel was reinforced by lunch from Bump’s Burgers. The shoot also reflected a familiar local pattern in rural Iron County, where club programs often serve as both recreation and training ground for young people learning responsibility in an outdoor setting.

The memorial shoot has become an established tradition. In 2024, the club hosted the eighth annual Savannah Marcell Memorial Silhouette Shoot, which drew 33 shooters, including 13 adults who came to watch or help. Ten shooters earned certificates and medals, 18 prizes were awarded and James Erickson won a .22 rifle. The event has stayed free for youth and continued to provide rifles, ammunition and supervision so families could bring children without taking on added cost.

The shoot carries Savannah Joy Marcell’s name for a reason. Marcell, of Crystal Falls, died March 23, 2017, at age 20. Her obituary said she loved the outdoors, including hunting and fishing, and volunteered at Lake Ellen Bible Camp. That connection gives the shoot more than a competitive edge. It serves as a yearly reminder that a supervised club range can honor community memory while teaching the next generation how to shoot safely, compete fairly and respect the outdoors.