RAYMONDVILLE — Clay pigeons are ready to burst in the sky over Willacy County’s ranch country.
Today, the Raymondville Chamber of Commerce will hold its first Wild in Willacy’s Sporting Clay Shoot to raise money to help the agency reach out to local businesses amid the county’s financial crisis.
The competition will be held on the Nopalitos Ranch north of Raymondville.
Proceeds will help the chamber work with businesses in the wake of last year’s closure of the Willacy County Correctional Center, which slashed a third of the county’s $8.1 million budget while laying off 400 employees.
This year, Walmart’s closing led to 149 layoffs in Raymondville.
“Our community has been hit hard over the past 12 months with a couple of big employers closing their doors,” chamber Executive Director Elma Chavez wrote to the agency’s patrons. “This new fundraising idea has been created in an effort to assist the Raymondville Chamber of Commerce serving Willacy in continuing its efforts to promote, attract new businesses and assist existing businesses in expanding and growing.”
The competition will hold registration from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and will charge fees of $400 for four-man teams and $125 for individual contestants.
The event will feature 50 targets, food, fun and prizes.
To get to the ranch, drive 14.5 miles north of the Interstate 69 and State Highway 186 intersection before turning left to travel 4.5 miles to the event.
For more information, call Rob Tijerina at 956-457-3262 or contact him at [email protected].
