Weather not a downer for Jaffa Sports Show

On a rainy Saturday as temperatures kept going down, attendance kept going up at the Jaffa Shrine Center, where sportsmen and the families were welcomed in droves in mid-afternoon.

The weather, with a forecast of rain through the evening hours, rendered no competition for the second day of the Jaffa 2019 Sports Show with dozens of vendors, including ones asking patrons to sign up for a blue-sky fishing trip to Canada and a dry-weather hunting trip in Illinois.

The show, which continues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, also offered activities for youth.

"I think I did OK," 11-year-old Tucker Morning­star of Saxton said as he looked over the holes he created in a target by shooting a Daisy BB gun inside an inflatable gun shooting range.

A closer look at the target showed one of Tucker's shots went through the right side edge of the pictured turkey's neck. When asked if his success could be a promising sign of a turkey dinner, Tucker's mother, Heidi Morningstar, was hopeful.

"Maybe someday," she said.

"I think I need a little more practice," Tucker added.

Members of the Jaffa Shrine Concert Band said they enjoy staffing the inflatable gun shooting range where they help lots of youngsters shoot a BB gun, some for the first time.

"It's a way to get them interested," Shrine member Bob Salyards said.

"And a way to give them some instruction in safety, " said fellow Shriner Dave Haas.

When Nate, an 11-year-old boy from Nanty Glo, showed no problem with shooting the BB gun, Salyards moved the target a little farther away, then a lot farther away. Nate didn't hit the bull's-eye, but his shots were very close.

"Something tells me this turkey didn't make it," Salyards said as he recovered the target.

Proceeds from this year's show benefit the Jaffa Shrine operations.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.