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Ashland Gun Club cancels raffle of AR-15 By Morgan Rothborne Updated: Jun 03, 2022 04:13 PM A A Used shooting target close up view for background The Ashland Gun & Archery Club has canceled plans to raffle off an AR-15 rifle Saturday, the same style of weapon used in so many mass shootings across the U.S. in recent years. The gun club is celebrating its 111th anniversary from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday by opening its doors for an open house event, where attendees can expect a free hot dog and raffle ticket, with prizes ranging from gear to weapons donated by local vendors. “We decided, given all the discussion that’s going on lately, we decided not to do that,” event organizer Dennis Toohey said, referring to the AR-15 giveaway. The raffle item stirred a lively social media debate in Ashland Friday — not all of it opposed to the AR-15 raffle. City Councilor Tonya Graham said she had received messages from citizens opposed to the AR-15 giveaway, so she placed a call to the gun club. “I reached out to the gun club president (Jackson County Commissioner Dave Dotterrer) and encouraged them to choose a different raffle item, and I know Mayor (Julie) Akins did as well,” Graham said. The event is being billed as Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, and officers from the Ashland Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and members of the National Guard are expected to attend. Ashland police Chief Tighe O’Meara said Friday he had heard from people about the AR-15 raffle as well, and most of the local response was negative. O’Meara said some people accused the gun club of choosing to raffle off the AR-15 because of the recent shootings, or in spite of them. “This event has been in the works for around six months,” O’Meara said, “I think it was maybe four, five, six months ago that the owner of the gun club approached me.” The gun club event will feature demonstrations of various firearms, including modern police and military guns, as well as historical guns dating back to the 1850s. Toohey said the club also features archery ranges, and there will be opportunities for archery enthusiasts at the event. Event attendees are asked to leave their guns at home, said Toohey. Firearms and archery equipment will be provided by the club and vendors at the event. O’Meara said Portland Police Department has attended the event in the past and plans to attend this year. The Ashland Gun Club property is owned by the City of Ashland, and the lease requires the range to be a free and guaranteed place for Ashland police to train with their firearms. The Ashland Gun Club, 555 Emigrant Creek Road, has about 800 members, and Toohey estimated 150 of them are archery enthusiasts. The range offers a variety of shooting options on any given day, including field and hunting archery, and 10 different firearms ranges for rifles and pistols, plus a shotgun range for clay pigeon shooting. The range prohibits automatic firearms and bump stocks. Toohey said the event gives the shooting sports community an opportunity to get together and not only support law enforcement, but get to know them. “Really the idea is just to have time to meet, see Ashland police — what exactly do they do? What does the sheriff do? I think it’s really a benefit for people to get to see law enforcement and get to know each other as neighbors.” Reach Mail Tribune reporter Morgan Rothborne at [email protected] or 541-776-4487. Follow her on Twitter @MRothborne.