PLEASANT GROVE, UT – Utah Youth Education in Shooting Sports (UTYESS) has been awarded a $2,000 donation from the ACUI Clay Targets program. This donation will be made to the MidwayUSA Foundation’s Team endowment program, which provide funding in perpetuity to promote Utah’s youth shooting sports activities. Like all donations received from ACUI Clay Targets, this donation specifically helps grow the sport for Utah’s college clay target athletes. Since December 2018, the ACUI Clay Targets program has donated $87,000 to UTYESS teams.

These funds were made available from the ACUI Clay Target Team Endowment Match offered alongside the MidwayUSA Foundation’s Hometown Challenge during the month of August. Any collegiate team receiving at least one $400 donation to their Team Endowment account received a $400 match from the ACUI Clay Targets program.

The donation will be made to the following endowment accounts held at the MidwayUSA Foundation:

• $400 to the Cache Valley Crushers Team Endowment, Logan, Utah
• $400 to the Cedar Clay Breakers Team Endowment, Cedar City, Utah
• $400 to the Ogden Clay Dusters Team Endowment, Ogden, Utah
• $400 to the Skyline X Team Endowment, Spanish Fork, Utah
• $400 to the Wasatch Wing & Clays Youth Program Team Endowment, Cedar Fort, Utah

Through their affiliation with USAYESS, UTYESS partners with the ACUI Clay Target program, the largest college clay target program in the nation. All USAYESS state championships, including the UTYESS Youth State Championships in May, include a State Collegiate Championship open to all college students meeting ACUI Clay Target program eligibility criteria.

Each year, teams can apply for a grant for 5% of their team endowment balance at MidwayUSA Foundation, to use for expenses, such as range fees, travel, ammunition, uniforms, and more. ACUI Clay Targets and Cedar Clay Breakes, a UTYESS Team, announced today that because ACUI Clay Targets has donated enough to the Cedar Clay Breakers dedicated collegiate team endowment account, they are able to now use the 5% grant from MidwayUSA Foundation and provide any actively participating collegiate athlete in the UTYESS program with all of their competition ammunition for the 2022 season which will begin in February.

“This is huge for Utah’s collegiate shooters,” said Kyson Muhlestein, UTYESS Director of Collegiate Shooting Sports. “Thank you ACUI Clay Targets Program. Ammunition expenses and availability has been difficult for college athletes. Having competition ammunition made available to Utah’s collegiate shooters will ensure college participation can and will continue in our next season.”

“This is absolutely awesome!” Said Alyssa Drew, ACUI Educational Program Manager for Collegiate Recreation. “I’m so happy to hear that! It will absolutely make collegiate athletes SUPER happy; I know everyone is very concerned about ammo availability so this will be such a huge help!”

Much of the ammunition provided by ACUI Clay Targets has already been received and is not tied up in ammunition shortages. Utah collegiate athletes are asked to contact their UTYESS coach for additional details on how to claim their ammunition and for a list of competitions that will be included.

About ACUI
The ACUI Clay Target program is a non-profit, student-centered, campus-based community of student-athletes, volunteer and paid coaches, range facilities, sponsors, friends, families, and ACUI staff. This inclusive community provides a foundation for student development, leadership opportunities, and personal growth. For more information on ACUI Clay Targets, visit www.acui.org/claytargets.

About MidwayUSA Foundation
The MidwayUSA Foundation is a public charity working to sustain the shooting sports industry by providing long-term funding to youth shooting teams. Each year, teams can apply for a grant for 5% of their endowment balance to use for expenses, such as range fees, travel, ammunition, uniforms, and more. Every donation made to the MidwayUSA Foundation Team Endowment program is 100% tax-deductible and supports the mission to help communities and organizations raise funds to support their youth shooting team. For more information about the MidwayUSA Foundation and the Team Endowment Account Program, please visit midwayusafoundation.org or call (877) 375-4570.

About Utah Youth Education in Shooting Sports
Utah Youth Education in Shooting Sports is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to educating youth in Utah about wildlife conservation and firearm safety and promoting youth shooting sports on a competitive and scholastic level throughout the State of Utah. Our purpose is to provide training and guidance to the youth shooting programs of Utah, to develop self-confidence, self-esteem, self-reliance, respect, personal discipline, responsibility, citizenship, teamwork, and sportsmanship through regular practice and competition at local, state, and national events. For more information on the Utah Youth Education in Shooting Sports program or to find a team near you, visit www.utyess.org.