Marseilles Laborers 393 to again sponsor hunter safety courses

If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well … and often.

For the 30th consecutive year, Laborers Local 393 in Marseilles will again be sponsoring a pair of hunter safety courses, and this time it will receive a little recognition along the way.

The course this year will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14, at the Labor Union Hall 393, 322 Main St., Marseilles, and at one point during the classes Local 393 will be awarded a certificate of recognition from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for its continued support of hunter education and firearms safety.

“We’ve been so fortunate that our members have believed in, invested in and supported this program every year,” said Local 393 spokesman David Raikes. “It costs a few hundred dollars to put this on and we get no money from the state, so the members have been very generous over the years. They want to give back because a lot of them came up through this program and know how valuable it is.

“And the kids are very energetic about it, getting a hunting license and learning all the values of being a good sportsman.”

According to Raikes, the program started in 1994, by the Marseilles American Legion through the Legion and VFW’s Larry Shehorn. However, when it was unable to continue sponsoring, the Laborers picked up the ball and ran with it, now for 30 years.

This year, there will be four volunteer instructors – Bob Skutt of Marseilles, Rick Bryant from Seneca, Dan Jackson and Dale Long, each with the program for over 20 years – handling the instruction in archery and the use of shotguns, rifles and handguns. They will also cover the basics of duck hunting, deer hunting, squirrel hunting and more, basically everything the rookies need to know to become a good, safe, ethical hunter and to treat the wild game with respect.

Because there are only four instructors, enrollment has top be measured, averaging 60 people for the group in recent years. Those participants, both girls and boys, range from age 9 to young adult and come from all over the Midwest, including Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri and Iowa.

Participants in the classes will receive a continental breakfast each of the two days and lunch on the first day. As of Friday, there are still openings that can be reserved by calling the Local 393 hall at 815-795-2829.

“We couldn’t have this program without these instructors, their time, their efforts,” Raikes said. “They’re die-hards, they cover every base and they believe in what they’re doing. They know how important it is that these kids start out on the right track in regard to safety in handling of firearms.

“The (laborers) understand what this means to the community and have kept it going all these years. It’s been a great program for everyone.”