6th Annual Charity Sporting Clay Tournament Honors Members Lost; Care for Families

A bell rang after each name was read. Seventeen Local 49 members have passed away since last September, and at this year’s Bereavement Fund Shoot, we paused to remember every one of them.

That moment gave the day its purpose. When a member dies, Local 49 gives $1,000 from its Bereavement Fund to the member’s beneficiary. The check cannot take away a family’s loss, but it is a way for the Local to offer support when it is needed. The fund also lets Local 49 provide that support without relying on a collection at a union meeting.

“Compassion can become action,” Local 49 President Richard Stolenburgh Jr. told those gathered for the event. “We make sure no one stands alone.”

A Stronger Fund, Thanks to Our Community

This year’s shoot raised more than $21,000, up from more than $14,000 at last year’s event. Twenty-one teams took part, with 99 people shooting at Tinnin Hunt Club located in Bosque, NM. Proper range safety, eye and ear protection, and a controlled shooting environment were part of the day.

Local 49 thanks its signatory contractors for their support, along with Trane Corporation, the New Mexico Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, New Mexico Building Trades, SMACNA of New Mexico, and Albuquerque Area Firefighters IAFF Local 244. A special shoutout goes to Southland, Yearout, Native Air, and E, B & I for each bringing two teams; Trane Corporation and SMART Local 49 each brought three.

The event recognized the first, second, and third-place individual shooters and teams with trophies. Each shooter on a winning team received a trophy.

Individual Winners

• First Place: Luis Saavedra, IAFF Local 244 member
• Second Place: Aaron Whiting, Local 49 member
• Third Place: Rey Calderon, Local 49 member

Team Winners

• First Place: Native Air “Monkey Dust”
• Second Place: MBI “Claymigos”
• Third Place: IAFF Local 244

In addition to individual and team awards, multiple attendees won prizes donated by our sponsors.

Thank you to the 21 teams, our two sponsors, Tinnin Hunt Club, and everyone who helped make the sixth annual shoot possible. Because of you, Local 49 can continue showing up for members’ families when they need us most.