Patch Sponsors Shooting Match for Marines' Benefit

Most of our shooting here at Patch involves a camera, but come March 16, San Clemente Patch Editor Adam Townsend and Camp Pendleton Patch Editor Dan Woolfolk will be using firearms in their course of duty.

Journalists are not known for their marksmanship -- though Woolfolk has a military background -- but this is gunplay for a purpose. Patch has sponsored a lane at On-Target Indoor Shooting Range in Laguna Niguel, where Socks for Heroes will hold its Warrior Night competitive shooting contest to support our Camp Pendleton Marines.

Patch will also be providing a gift basket full of goodies donated by local businesses for auction at the event.

Socks for Heroes is the brainchild of Jim and Carla Hogan, whose son, Lance Cpl. Donald J. Hogan, was posthumously awarded the prestigious Navy Cross last month for his bravery and selflessness in the field.

Jim Hogan said the money raised will go mostly toward sending socks to Marines in Afghanistan -- a simple but vital commodity for men and women marching sometimes days at a time through harsh environments.

Some of the money, however, will go to help pay for a Las Vegas celebration for Camp Pendleton's 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines when they return from Afghanistan in April.

The 2/4 is the city of San Clemente's adopted unit, and they recently held a car wash to raise money as well.

Also at the event will be San Juan Capistrano Patch Editor Penny Arévalo, Laguna Niguel Patch Editor Debbie Sklar and Patch Ad Manager Megan Silkman.

The competition is open to spectators and competitors alike. The rounds will feature a .22 Ruger target pistol, a Glock17 9mm and a 1911 .45mm ACP. Each competitor fires eight rounds.

Each pistol cycle will be timed at 20 seconds, and scores will be based on the combined scoring of all three pistols.

But that's not all -- there's no cover for spectators, and we'll be writing about the event live on all four Patch sites. We'll take your picture and you can become a south Orange County celebrity overnight.

Well ... maybe that's promising too much, but you can at least post the link to your photo on your Facebook page.

The event will run from 5 to 9 p.m. Entry fees are $25, $15 for active-duty military. Visit scmsg.org to pre-register; the contest is limited to the first 200.

Pistols and ammunition are provided.

The first prize is an XD tactical pistol, the caliber of the winner's choice.

Or, you can sponsor a wounded warrior for $25.

Patch's fellow lane sponsors include On Point Engineering, ABM Engineering and The Law Offices of WTHF.

There are still three lane sponsorships left at $250-per and two prize sponsorships at $500-per.

For more information, call 310-728-9166 or email Jim Hogan at socks4heroes@hotmail.com.

The range is at 27692 Camino Capistrano, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677.