March this year marked the end of the tenure of Ken Kenchington, the long-serving president of the Sporting Shooters Association Goulburn and District Branch.
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At the recent Sporting Shooters Association NSW Annual General Meeting, Kenchington was awarded a Gold Meritorious Service award by State President Lance Miller.
“This was in recognition of both his service to the local branch and to the State association as a delegate and in support of State initiatives,” current president Bill Irvine said in a statement.
“In this for many years he was supported by his late wife Sam, who we all miss as well.”
After 12 years, Kenchington decided to resign his post, however the 82-year-old will remain a part of the committee and maintain an active role within the club according Irvine.
“We certainly haven’t lost him in the sense that he’s quite active in terms of going to the range and supporting the current committee,” Irvine said.
“Certainly he’s been very willing to continue to help out, just not with the responsibility of a specific office.”
Throughout his years in office, Kenchington achieved many noteworthy things for the association, however he said that the increased numbers of women in the club was a particular point of pride.
“Some of them are bloody good,” Kenchington said.
“They scare the pants off some of the blokes. It’s a pleasure to see them come, and a lot of these women, they’ve never picked up a rifle before in their life.
“But it’s attractive to them because the shooting sports are completely age-neutral, gender neutral, physical fitness-neutral, and it’s a really fun thing and a very safe thing to do that all the family can join in.
“We’ve got families where the kids compete against their father and all sorts of stuff, it’s so much fun.”
While his role in the club has been reduced, Irvine has ensured that Kenchington will remain in charge of one integral aspect of the club’s get-togethers.
“He does have a sort of a post, and that’s Master of the Barbecue,” Irvine said.
“[He did it] before he stepped down, but also since, he’s been the main driver and coordinator of that.”