'Shoot 7 Taste' fundraiser

ANDOVER — On Sunday, October 1, the “Harvest Shoot & Taste of Autumn Gourmet Gathering” to benefit Project Self-Sufficiency will take place at the Hudson Farm Club, on Stanhope Sparta Road in Andover. The event will feature a 100 sporting clay shoot on the 3,800 acre hunting preserve, followed by a multi-course dinner prepared by renowned chefs Kirk Avondoglio, Brad Boyle, Andre de Waal and Rich Hashway. Patrons have the option of participating in the all-day event, or just the dinner alone. All proceeds will benefit Project Self-Sufficiency, a local non-profit agency which specializes in services for low-income families in Sussex, Warren and Hunterdon Counties.
The Hudson Farm Club has hosted a Sporting Clay Outing on behalf of Project Self-Sufficiency for fifteen consecutive years. The “Taste of Autumn Gourmet Gathering” was added several years ago to allow more patrons to participate in the event. The Sporting Clay Outing, which is similar to a golf outing, allows participants to shoot at an assortment of clay targets available at 20 different locations throughout the sprawling grounds. Each shooting station offers a different presentation of targets, allowing participants to simulate game shooting in a variety of ways. Teams will have the opportunity to take aim at 100 clays over the course of 3 ½ hours. A special clinic for novice shooters will be held in the afternoon.
“Project Self-Sufficiency is a self-supported, not-for profit agency whose mission is to help individuals achieve family stability and economic self-sufficiency without direct government assistance. More importantly, Project Self-Sufficiency provides the tools and training to continue the success of the individual,” describes Project Self-Sufficiency Board Member Kathy Esposito. “Project Self-Sufficiency only holds about four major fundraisers a year. The importance of fundraising such as the Harvest Shoot and Autumn Gourmet Gathering at Hudson Farm is critical to the success of not only Project Self-Sufficiency, but of every individual involved with the agency.”
The novice shooting school was established at the Harvest Shoot several years ago to ensure that new participants learned safe techniques. “There is no pressure. There is always an instructor with us so it’s very safe. We laugh and have a lot of fun, and we’re raising money for a worthy cause,” continues Kathy. “At the end of the day we join back up with all of our friends and enjoy a fabulous meal. What could be better than that?”
Event participants will enjoy a light lunch, take part in the clay shoot throughout the extensive Hudson Farm Club grounds, and return to a gourmet dinner. The Hudson Farm Club will provide cartridges, ear and eye protection, and instruction and guidance tailored to each participant’s experience level. With 20 different electronic stations, the Hudson Farm Club provides one of the most extensive shooting layouts in the country. While guests are asked to bring their own break-open shotguns, rentals may be arranged for those who don’t own a gun and/or who may have limited shooting experience.
“The Harvest Shoot & Taste of Autumn Gourmet Gathering is an important component of Project Self-Sufficiency’s annual fundraising campaign. We rely on the funds raised with this event to assist low-income families in northwestern New Jersey to attain economic self-sufficiency and family stability,” commented Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency. “We are particularly grateful to the membership of the Hudson Farm Club for their support of this endeavor year after year.”
The Sporting Clay Outing is open to all skill levels. Participation in the full day event is $500 per person, or $2,000 for a foursome and a station sign; tickets for the dinner only are $250 per person. Station sponsorships are available for $200. Lunch and registration will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m., with the outing scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. Cocktails will begin at 5:00 p.m. with the dinner served at 6:00 p.m.
Event sponsors include Beverly and Bruce Gordon; Henry O. Baker Insurance Group; the Hudson Farm Club; Legacy Studios; and Selective Insurance Company of America.
All proceeds will benefit Project Self-Sufficiency, a private non-profit community-based organization which is celebrating its thirtieth year of serving low-income families in northwestern New Jersey. The agency’s mission is to provide a broad spectrum of holistic, respectful, and comprehensive services enabling low-income single parents, teen parents, two-parent families, and displaced homemakers to achieve personal and economic self-sufficiency, family stability, and to improve their lives and the lives of their children. Since 1986 Project Self-Sufficiency has served more than 25,000 families.
To register for the event, visit www.projectselfsufficiency.org and click on Harvest Shoot. To find out more about the programs and services available at the non-profit agency, call 973-940-3500 or 844-807-3500, or visit www.projectselfsufficency.org.