This Saturday, September 28, Jacqueline Braddock of Edward Jones and Cliff and Lisa Powers of Mernickle Custom Holsters are partnering up for the first time to host a cowboy shootout for Alzheimer’s.
With a variety of local vendors, food trucks, live musical entertainment, a raffle with tons of fantastic prizes and shooting ranges suited for the entire family, the much-anticipated event is sure to be a great time for an even better cause.
“I came to them (Cliff and Lisa) and asked if they wanted to get together for a fundraising event for Alzheimer’s,” Jacqueline said. “We started the Pampa’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s organization four years ago and we started with a walk and the next year we did a walk and a golf scramble, then we just did a scramble. This year we did the scramble, but I wanted to add something really fun for the community.”
While Mernickle Holsters holds a cowboy shootout annually that brings out hundreds of spectators a year, Cliff wants everyone to know that this particular event is all inclusive and everyone can join in on the fun.
“It’s a public shoot to let people see what it’s all about,” Cliff said. “I don’t want anyone to think that it’s just something to watch. All guns and ammo are provided so everyone can come out and shoot. We’ll have food trucks and vendors, extreme fast draw, live music, a fire truck. One of the bays is going to be strictly for kids. It’s a .22 shooting gallery bay. I just want people to see that this is something that they can actually participate in.”
“It is an introduction to what cowboy shooting is, and it’s also raising money for a good cause.”
The event has a ton of support behind it, with several businesses and organizations donating items for the raffle, such as seven high-quality guns and certificates for personalized gun engraving, as well as items for the shootout itself: generous donations that Cliff and Jacqueline are extremely grateful for.
“What’s really neat is everything has been donated,” Cliff said. “We had 10,000 rounds donated, the brass, all the guns for the raffle, the police are donating their time to come and secure the event. The port-o-potties were even donated. The range and the build up were donated. Everything.”
For those who wish to participate, it is $15 per shooting gallery with a special price of $35 for three galleries, the kids gallery at $5. All attendants do not have to participate and are more than welcome to come out, although donations are graciously accepted.
The raffle will be held during and two weeks after the event in hopes of raising more funds for the beloved Alzheimer’s organization.
The crowd-favorite golf scramble this year raised around $9,000 and Jacqueline and Cliff are hoping to raise double that with this particular event, the funds going towards not only certain Alzheimer’s associations and organizations, but for the nurses right here in the Texas panhandle as well who take care of Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients.
“We work through the Cody Owens Memorial Foundation and some funds will stay with them for our Alzheimer’s and Dementia Respite Care program that we’re creating,” Jacqueline said. “They’re like grants that will be provided to caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s or Dementia. A lot of our money will be able to stay here in the panhandle and the rest of the funds will be given to the Alzheimer’s Association.”
“Alzheimer’s Association and their research is so needed, but we also need money to stay because people right here in the panhandle are taking care of people with Alzheimer’s and Dementia and they need help. If we were to give all the money to the Association, we would still have a big problem here. That’s the thing-just being able to take care of our own community.”
Be sure to come out and join the fun this Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM at 13043 County Road C in Pampa. For more information about the event, call Jacqueline at 818-480-0251 or Mernickle at 806-665-0656.
