Gov. Dunleavy, state and local legislators attend 7th Summit groundbreaking

Gov. Mike Dunleavy, along with State Senators David Wilson, Mike Shower, and other elected officials from the Mat-Su Assembly were all on hand for the groundbreaking of the 7th Summit Shooting Park & Outdoor Experiences.

When completed, 7th Summit will be the largest facility of its kind in the state, with 200 acres of land that will facilitate training youth primarily in clay target shooting sports, but will also include archery, biathlon, camping, among other various outdoor activities.

With a focus on youth clay target sports, 7th Summit aims provide training for local athletes and competition for teams from all over the state.

“When it’s completed, we can have 300 kids here training and practicing,” said Lorinda “Lindy” Moss, who serves as the AlaskaYESS (Youth Education in Shooting Sports) state administrator, and along with her husband Neil, have worked for the past seven years to make 7th Summit a reality.

During the groundbreaking, Moss told the crowd that the need for this type of facility is overwhelming, saying that they have had to turn away 100 kids because currently, the facility can only accommodate 45 kids a week.

“I can accommodate 200 kids when it’s developed. I have seven combo trap and skeet fields that I can put 70 kids a day through,” Moss said.

The project is no small undertaking, with a price tag of roughly $3.5 million for the non-profit Alaska SCTP (Scholastic Clay Target Program).

The groundbreaking is a result of years of the Moss’ hard work and dedication to develop youth shooting programs in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

“This is focused on the kids,” said Moss, who along with her husband had visited other facilities and finding that they were simply not cost effective or even convenient for youth and teams to use for practice.

“This isn’t a shooting range. This is a youth training facility for clay target sports, biathlon, and more. Youth will always have the priority here,” she said.

“This facility is about so much more than a shooting sport; it’s about cultural development for our kids,” said AlaskaYESS Vice President Frank Monfree during his remarks at the groundbreaking.

“What we provide takes and creates fantastic citizens of the state, with a solid mind and solid focus. This vision couldn’t have been possible without the intense effort and hours Lindy Moss has put into this,” he went on to say.

The facility will not open to the public until it is fully developed, and even then it will be one day a week for the public.

Along with Gov. Dunleavy, State Senators David Wilson and Mike Shower, also on hand were Representatives Kevin McCabe and Cathy Tilton, Mat-Su Borough Mayor Edna DeVries and Manager Mike Brown, Wasilla Mayor Glenda Ledford, and several Mat-Su Borough Assembly Members were among the list of local dignitaries that came out for the ceremony, all speaking on behalf of the need for youth shooting facilities and development of skills and education.

“Responsible gun ownership starts with training and practice,” said Dunleavy.

“I have a shooting range in my backyard; a lot of people don’t, so this is going to be special for a lot of folks, hopefully for generations to come,” the Governor added. “This is important for kids in the borough.”

“I think it’s great because they have really been involved with the kids for a lot of years, and they do a great job,” said Mayor Ledford, who was on hand to commemorate the groundbreaking.

While the bulk of attendees were those who’ve worked on legislation, fundraising, and/or strong supporters of AlaskaYESS and sport shooting, there were also plenty of kids, for whom which the facility is meant. Among them Emily Frye, who has only been shooting for two years.

“She’s excited to have something new, I’m excited too. This is great,” said mother Sarah.

After the groundbreaking, the Moss’ were surprised when Caleb Martin of the Alaska Outdoor Council presented them with a check for $25,000 to assist in the ongoing project.

Dunleavy and others were also able to mark the occasion with some clay shooting of their own.

For more information, visit www.akyess.org, or Alaska YESS and 7th Summit Shooting Park Facebook pages. 7th Summit is located at the end of Carmel Road off Knik-Goose Bay Road.