Among the targets were deer, hog, turkey, coyote and bear.
The aim was to help fund research to find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS.
Archers gathered Saturday, May 9 at Allen Brothers Outdoors to test their skills in the Bladen County Aim For A Cure ALS Benefit Archery Shoot.
The event has been held annually since 2017 except during the COVID pandemic in 2020 and raises money to honor and remember Bladen County’s Steven Davis, who died from ALS in November 2020 at age 43.
Davis was diagnosed with ALS on April 30, 2012, said his sister, Sandra Robbins.
“The disease is so devastating,” Robbins said. “You just can’t describe what all ALS does. It was a struggle in figuring out ways to help him retain, not gain, but retain, his independence because you’re steadily losing your independence.”
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease after the Hall of Fame baseball player who died from ALS, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of voluntary muscle control, according to the Mayo Clinic. As nerve cells die, muscles weaken, atrophy and eventually stop functioning, affecting a person’s ability to walk, talk, eat and breathe. The average survival after diagnosis is typically 2 to 4 years, although Davis lived almost nine years.
“We started doing (the archery fundraiser) and Steven just loved it,” Robbins said. “It was bringing awareness to ALS and the needs of other ALS people. Steven had one of the biggest hearts. He wanted to help everybody.”
The event is run by North Carolina AIM for a Cure co-founders Alex and Garrett Daniel, who organize 3D archery fundraisers. The Bladen County competition along with a few others have raised an estimated $125,000 for ALS research over the years.
“We wanted to bring 3D archery back to Bladen County,” Alex Daniel said. “There’s not any clubs around here anymore. Also, the fundraiser aspect of it and ALS are close to the family because of Steven. We have participants that drove two and three hours to be here today.”
There were 20 stations for the May 9 competition that took place along an outdoor trail at Allen Brothers Outdoors. Archers score points based on where their arrow hits the target.
The life-sized, three-dimensional foam animal targets, however, are not out in the open. They are set in wooded areas that simulate hunting scenarios that require archers to judge distance and account for the dense surroundings.
For more information, call 910-876-3071, search Bladen County Aim For A Cure on Facebook or visit ncaimforacure.com.
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