For the fourth year, Clays for a Cause raised money for local charities.
This year’s event total was $21,000, more than half the amount of money raised from the first three years combined.
The annual sporting clay shoot is presented by local homebuilder MasterCraft Builder Group.
Clays for a Cause 2015 benefited St. Augustine Youth Services, the Cotta family, the Monique Burr Foundation for Children and a project by St. Johns Housing Partnership and a local church to help restore the home of a St. Johns veteran.
St. Augustine Youth Services will use its $10,475 to build six efficiency apartments for men 18 years of age who no longer qualify to be part of the foster care system and are ready to transition to independent living.
Also benefiting this year is Issac Cotta, whose father is a MasterCraft Builder Group trade partner. Cotta is battling an illness, which has required multiple brain surgeries. The family received $6,000.
The Monique Burr Foundation received $2,000. The organization is dedicated to protecting children from abuse and bullying through providing to all Florida elementary schools MBF Child Safety Matters.
It’s a prevention education program to provide elementary school students, personnel and adults with information and ways to prevent bullying, digital abuse and all forms of child abuse.
The St. Johns Housing Partnership and a church have raised money to help rehabilitate the home of a retired military veteran in St. Johns County. Proceeds from Clays for a Cause provided $2,550 toward the project.
Clays for a Cause began in 2012, which was MasterCraft Builder Group’s first full year in operation. In the first three years, it raised more than $30,000.
Instead of having a holiday party, the company invites their employees, trade partners, bankers and consultants to shoot sporting clays in exchange for the participants making donations, of which 100 percent is given to local charities.
In its first three years, the event raised more than $30,000.
“We are beyond thankful to the participants and sponsors,” said MasterCraft Builder Group partner Chris Shee. “Giving back to the community which has helped our business grow is a vital part of who we are as a company. There’s plenty of need right here in our own backyard.”