The 33rd annual Yorkton Gun and Collectibles Show was held at the Yorkton Exhibition Agri-pavilion over the weekend.
Yorkton Gun Club president Merv Wasylenchuk says the show was a success with a good turnout of exhibitors and people coming through the door. There was lots to see including both long guns and hand guns, all sorts of collectibles, antiques, pots and pans and tupperware. "Everybody has something to look at." Wasylenchuk claims.
Show coordinator Eugene Duchnitski echoes Waslyenchuk regarding the success of the event which was started by Ernie Anuik and Orville Pedde 33 years ago. The event has changed venues over the years as it grew. It was held originally at the Royal Canadian Legion Hall, moved to the Ukrainian Orthodox Auditorium before moving to its present venue at the Agripavilion, he reports.
The show started as the main fund raising event for the Yorkton Gun Club to raise money to look after and build the shooting range, says club vice-president Greg Apland. The original range was an outdoor range. The club rented a range facility at the Yorkton Regional High School at one time. Since that time the club has constructed and maintains an indoor range at York Lake, Apland continues. "The club bought the lumber and Merv and the crew built it themselves," Apland recalls.
The gun club's indoor range isn't limited to hand gun shooting. The gun club supports the local youth archery program. As a result the range is also used by the local archery club for archery practice. It is also used to present hunter education courses as well as the federal possession and acquisition licensing course, Duchnitski points out.
The next sessions of hunter safety courses for youth, including both federal and provincial courses, will take place March 3 and 4 as well as March 17 and 18. "We're welcoming the adults, the moms and dads, aunties and uncles and even some of the grampas. We like to have the adults because the kids behave then," Duchnitski says.
Currently the Yorkton Gun Club has about 110 members, Duchnitski reports.
