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BOUNTIFUL - After a long, arduous and often contentious election season, many are more than willing to see campaign signs disappear.
But instead of tossing them in the trash, a Bountiful shooting range is providing a way to put them to good use and help charity at the same time.
"We would be more than happy to take the campaign sings up here," said Bountiful Lions Rifle, Shotgun and Pistol Range officer Mitch Dalby. "We could then utilize them and wouldn't have to buy them."
The plastic backing used for paper targets is the same material used to make all those campaign signs, which are quickly becoming an eyesore on street corners. The Bountiful Lions shooting range attracts about 20,000 shooters annually.
"We go through thousands of those backers every year," Dalby said.
At about 85 cents per target, that cost adds up. The Bountiful Lions organization raises money and donates around $25,000 to various local organizations to aid those with vision problems. Each donated campaign sign means they don't have to buy as many new ones.
"What that basically comes down to is we can put more of our monies back into the community and into the projects that we select," said Dalby.
This shooting range has received several hundred signs after previous elections and will take as many as campaign volunteers want to bring in. Here, all campaigns are treated equal - it doesn't matter whose name is on the sign.
"Democrats, Republicans and Independents will all be shot at with no regard to their political affiliation," laughed Dalby.
That being said, if any candidate is offended because someone is shooting at their sign, the range will not use it.
To donate your campaign signs, visit the Bountiful Lions website.
