Keep your eye on the target and shoot straight

The career of a volunteer 4-H shooting sports leader came to an absurd ending last week when David Rutledge left this life experience. He told me that he was going to discontinue being the Vernon County 4-H shooting sports coordinator. He felt it was time for someone else to pick it up. It is understandable that a person after serving as long and in a dedicated manner as he did would be ready to retire.

While I could understand why he would discontinue, it did not seem right for him not to be in that position. Neither he nor I realized that he might not have a choice, as his tenure came to an end without retirement.

It has been my pleasure to have known David most of his life. One of the first experiences with the Rutledge boys was on a junior leaders outing over at Fort Scott. That was among my first years of working in Vernon County with the 4-H program. At that time we had an active county junior leader's organization -- with officers and a complete organization for those enrolled in the junior leadership project.

The group had gone to Fort Scott for swimming on a Sunday afternoon, then to Gunn Park -- perhaps to eat watermelon or for a picnic. The Rutledge boys were members of the Rinehart 4-H Club. I think all three of the brothers were there. We took them home from the outing.

It was a natural for David to have an interest in shooting sports. His father, the late Marvin Rutledge was proud of what David was doing in shooting sports. He talked about his own experiences in shooting. When he was young he shot rabbits and squirrels with a rifle. When he went to the U.S. Army, they were surprised that he was so accurate in shooting and he received special recognition and honor while he was in the service.

David began his 4-H leadership in the mid-1980s, when the numbers of members enrolled were relatively small. The project has come a long ways since then. Last year, David was proud of the fact that there were more members in the shooting sports projects than any other projects in the county.

He worked hard in promotioning the shooting sports projects. For several years he had a special display at the youth fair, where he had a shooting range with BB guns, where he promoted the projects. The dedicated volunteer had promotional exhibits at the home show and at Bushwhacker Days several times. He not only promoted the shooting projects, but he also promoted 4-H and University Extension. He was on the Vernon County Extension Council and had served previous terms.

His efforts were not only with shooting sports on the local level, but also on the state level. He served on the state committee for several years, being an advisor and by helping in many other ways. David helped to get a large grant from the NRA to assist with the 4-H shooting sports projects.

Not only did David serve as a volunteer 4-H leader, but he also served as a hunter safety instructor for the Missouri Department of Conservation. During the funeral services, Shawn Pennington, conservation agent, on behalf of himself and the department, gave tribute to David for what he had done with the hunter education program.

He started with the hunter education programs in about 1991. He has been in charge of 57 classes. There are many more when he helped with the instruction in some way where he was not in charge. Shawn said that there is no way of knowing, but David most likely has saved several lives as a result of his hunter safety instruction. David had been working with the agent in an effort to get a shooting range in Vernon County.

One of the special honors David received was by the Department of Conservation, as the Hunter Education Instructor of the Year for the state. This was not only voted upon by those employed with the state, but also all instructors.

Shawn told me this week that before he moved here about a year ago he'd known David. He was well known in the state and Shawn has heard many good things about David in the state.

During the services one of the tributes that elder Tom Pyle made about David was, "He never met a stranger and was always willing to help. When he saw a need, he was there."

One of the greatest joys David had was to see a kid hit the bullseye the first time. One of his expressions was, "Keep your eye on the target and shoot straight."

Tom said that David was a straight shooter in life.

Carol Parmenter, extension youth specialist, said, "He was a wonderful volunteer, we will miss him very much. Hopefully we can do something to perpetuate the shooting sport program in his honor."

A dream that David had is a shooting range in Vernon County. It is something needed for the benefit of those in shooting sports. May his dream become a reality?

Deepest sympathy is extended to his family, loved ones and friends. May you find comfort in many pleasant memories.

David, thank you for all of the valuable services you have rendered and the impact you had on a great number of kids. Goodbye, until we meet again.