President’s Message

(April 2024)

We now have running water in the club house bathrooms and kitchen coming ‘from a tank located in the parking lot near the club house. A deep well will be drilled mid to late June and will be our permanent source of supply of clean potable water.

As of May1 rounds for all of our venues has increased from $5 to $6 starting May 1

As previously reported, the board has approved and has purchased a target management system for all of our shotgun venues. Basically, credit or debit cards will be required to purchase rounds using a kiosk that is located in club house. Purchased rounds will be added to a rounds card that will be used to scan the receivers located on each field. The roll out date is scheduled for Saturday June 1. Therefore, the club will be closed on May 30 & 31 for transitioning to this system. Target cards will be loaded with each member’s prepaid rounds by members of the board and will be available starting on June 1. Training to use the system will also be held on June 1, 2, & 8. Please plan on being at the club on one of these dates to get your target card and to be trained.

Our annual club cleanup day is Saturday May 18 starting at 8 am. Please bring your trimmers, chain saws, blowers, etc. No shooting will be allowed until all of the work is done. Your help is needed in order to keep our club house and grounds looking beautiful. Lunch will be provided.

Rockford Skeet Club will be hosting a club fun day on June 8, 2024 starting at 9 am until around 1 pm. We have invited NIRPC members to join us. All venues will be open. There will be attendance drawings for ammo, a raffle for $1.00 per ticket for10 rounds, and a free lunch. Also, if you break a pink target, you will receive an extra attendance drawing ticket. Please check in at the club house to receive your attendance ticket before shooting. Come on out and join the fun. If you bring a guest, please let me know by emailing me at sam.valenza@att.net so that I can order enough food. NIRPC will have their long-range rifle range open on that day and all attendees are invited to bring their rifles and shoot at their range.

Adjusting or repairing machines is not to be done by any member that has not been authorized. If any machine needs to be adjusted or repaired contact me at sam.valenza@att.net or any board member.

This is a reminder that club badges must be worn when on club property.

The Cathedral Baptist High School trap team will be shooting at our club on Tuesday’s starting April 2 through May 28 and on Thursdays starting April 18 through May 30 from 4 to 6 pm. Therefore, the trap fields will not be available to club members on these dates and times.

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact Milt Schwanke at

815-988-2278, George Ketter at 815-631-9366, Caleb Davis at 815-243-1483, or Dan Gengo at 815-572-1423. You will need to bring a handgun, ammo, eye and ear protection and a $25.00 annual fee.

 2024 Projects

• Install card readers
• Repair skeet houses

2024 Events

• Cleanup day – 5/18/2024
• Fun days – 6/8/2024, 9/7/2024
• Tutorial – trap 6/15/24, skeet 7/13/2024, 5 stand 8/17/24
• Landfill appreciation lunch – 9/20/24

Remember gun safety is our number 1 priority.

Rockford Skeet Club Mission Statement

The Rockford Skeet Club’s mission is to promote clay target shooting and complementary shooting sports. The objectives are to promote those characteristics of honesty, good fellowship, self-discipline, team-play, and self-reliance which are the essentials of good sportsmanship. It is the duty of all members to contribute to the wellbeing, to protect, to grow, and to enhance the club and its membership.

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

President’s Message

(April 2024)

As previously reported, a work crew along Lindenwood Road has broken the water line to the club house. The company has installed porta potties and a hand washing station. One station is located near the club house and the other is located by the storage barn. Please do not use the club house bathrooms until water service is restored. An interim water tank will be installed in the next couple of weeks which will allow us to use the toilets and sinks. This water is not to be used for drinking or cooking. We will have bottled water and our water dispenser for drinking and cooking. This system will be in place until the deep well is drilled sometime in the May/June time frame.

As announced at the annual meeting, the board has voted to increase the price of rounds from $5 to $6 starting May 1, 2024. This decision was not an easy one but had to be made. Targets have increased 12%, insurance has increased 38%, and utilities have increased along with various other expenses. The club has absorbed the target price increases for the last two year and cannot continue to do it anymore. Targets can be purchased before May 1 at $5 per round.

The board has voted for and has purchased a target management system for all of our shotgun venues. By installing this system, it is estimated that we can save around 20% of our target costs. Basically, credit or debit cards will be required to purchase rounds using a kiosk that will be in the club house. Purchased rounds will be added to a rounds card that will be used to scan the receivers located on each field. I will provide more details, instructions, and we will have training sessions on how to use the system. The plan is to have this system in place in May of this year. The benefits include eliminating the log books, reduced accounting/banking effort, automated reports, and target accountability (target cost control). This will be a very easy user-friendly system.

A 5-stand/sporting clays league between our club and Rock Ridge is being formed by Bill Shold. See below for information and schedule.

Rock Ridge and Rockford Skeet Sporting Clays and 5-Stand League $225, includes 10 weeks of shooting, dinner at our last shoot, and a weekly shell raffle.

Rockford Skeet – 50 5 Stand: 5/15, 5/29, 6/12, 6/26, 7/10

Rock Ridge – 50 Sporting: 5/22, 6/5, 6/19, 7/3, 7/17

Rock Ridge: 14755 E Edson Road, Davis Junction

Rockford Skeet: 8104 Lindenwood Rd, Rockford

Top 8 scores will be taken, allowing for 2 missed weeks or 2 throwaway scores. Shooting every Wednesday night beginning at 5 from May until July. We will have a random drawing of 50 shells for shooters in attendance each week. To sign up, contact Andrew (815-382-1232) at Rock Ridge or Bill (815-978-8686) at Rockford Skeet

The 5-stand venue will be setup for summer time usage on Sunday April 7. This means that the machines will be on all the time. Just sign out the remote and have fun. When done shooting, load the machines with targets but first turn off and release the arms. When loaded, turn the machines back on, breakdown the boxes and put them in the burn barrel. If full, light the burn barrel on fire. Report any mechanical failure by telling a board member or posting a note on the club house bulletin board. DO NOT attempt to repair.

Twilight Tuesday skeet will start April 16 at 7 pm. Come out and enjoy a couple of casual rounds of skeet under the lights. Low key and open to all ability levels. All shooting ends by 9 pm. Invite your friends for the first and third Tuesday of the month. Heck, why not invite a prospective new member?

This is a reminder that club badges must be worn when on club property.

It is with heavy heart that I have to report that club member Dan Gengo suddenly passed. Dan was instrumental in maintaining the 5-stand venue. He set and repaired the machines, mowed the grass, and did general maintenance. He will be sorely missed. Dan’s funeral service is April 12 at James A. O’Connor Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Huntley, Illinois.

The Safety Rules Procedure has been amended as follows:

• Only firearms manufactured by a federally licensed Manufacturer or Importer, and are fit for the intended use may be used on club property.  Intended use for club purposes, and this safety rule, is clays target shooting with respect to Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays, (including 5-Stand), shooting norms.

The Guest Procedure has been amended as follows:

9. Membership termination: Upon membership termination, whether by member request, non-renewal, or by RSC Board determination, the member is required to return all badges, keys, and any club property in the member’s possession, to the club Secretary.  The Club Secretary shall notify the Treasurer of the completeness of these returns. 

Refunds of prepaid rounds shall be done only upon written request and issued only upon verification by club secretary that all items identified above have been satisfactorily returned.  Additionally, any refund shall be netted against any outstanding member liabilities.  The written request must be made within 30 days of the notice of termination or by March 30 of the year of non-renewal.  If a written request is not received within this time frame, the prepaid funds will be considered forfeit and used to support High School Shooting teams, marketing efforts or at the Boards discretion.

The Cathedral Baptist High School trap team will be shooting at our club on Tuesday’s starting April 2 through May 28 and on Thursdays starting April 18 through May 30 from 4 to 6 pm. Therefore, the trap fields will not be available to club members on these dates and times.

As a reminder, please turn the furnace thermostat down to 60 degrees if you are the last to leave the club house.

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact Milt Schwanke at

815-988-2278, George Ketter at 815-631-9366, Caleb Davis at 815-243-1483, or Dan Gengo at 815-572-1423. You will need to bring a handgun, ammo, eye and ear protection and a $25.00 annual fee.

2024 Projects

• Install card readers
• Repair skeet houses

2024 Events

• Cleanup day – 5/18/2024
• Fun days – 6/8/2024, 9/7/2024
• Tutorial – trap 6/15/24, skeet 7/13/2024, 5 stand 8/17/24
• Landfill appreciation lunch – 9/20/24

Remember gun safety is our number 1 priority.

Rockford Skeet Club Mission Statement

The Rockford Skeet Club’s mission is to promote clay target shooting and complementary shooting sports. The objectives are to promote those characteristics of honesty, good fellowship, self-discipline, team-play, and self-reliance which are the essentials of good sportsmanship. It is the duty of all members to contribute to the wellbeing, to protect, to grow, and to enhance the club and its membership.

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

RCS BOD, April 2^nd, 2024                                                                                                     

• PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Al Perry, Steve Wiltgen, Caleb Davis, Dave Zierke
   Todd Hendreys

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30 by President Sam Valenza

2.     Minutes of March 2024 – Approved, 4-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approved, 4-0

4.    2024 budget – Passed   4-0

New Business:

1. Club hats – yes 4-0  
2. Gun raffle in spring.    Getting tickets made
3. Water supply –  o be fixed in about a week
4. Target price increase – getting quotes
5. Club ammo for events – Purchased
6. Club badges to be worn on club property

Projects for 2023

• Card reader systems – Approved 4-0
• Repair skeet houses – Jay Schaack

2023 Events

• Spring cleanup – 5/18
• Fun days – 6/8 and 9/7
• Landfill lunch – 9/20     
• Venue Tutorials, Trap 6/15, Skeet 7/13, 5stand 8/17
• Annual meeting – Completed

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting May 7^th    2024                                                                     

Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary       

Rockford Skeet Club Annual Meeting
3/23/2024

President Sam Valenza called the meeting to order at 9 am.

The minutes from the 2023 annual meeting were reviewed and approved by the
members present.

Dave Zierke , treasurer presented the financial position of the club for 2023.
As of 12/31 /2023 the cash assets totaled $69,455.
Gross income for 2023 was $65,393 while expenses were $75,805.*
Net income showed a deficit of $10,413. This included maintenance cost to the parking
lot and repair from storm damage to trees on the property of approximately $8,000.
● Increases were highlighted in the following expenditures last year
● Targets up by 12%, Insurance up by 38%, Accounting up by 14%

Accordingly, the 2024 budget was presented as approved by the board. It provides for
expenditures based on 2023 actual expenses as well as installation of a target
management system discussed below.

The current cash assets of RSC are $97,103 as of 3/23/2024

Club Projects were discussed.
A card reader target management system will be installed at a general cost of $15,000.
A committee has researched the systems available and would expect about a 20%
savings in unaccounted for targets thrown. The system will allow for each member to
have a unique digital card with a running total of paid for rounds. Systems were
discussed to allow for broken targets and malfunctions.

The chair solicited input and comments from the members present. A consensus was
reached that implementation of a system was in the club’s best interest, and that the
technology as used by members at other locations they shoot at is not difficult to use.

The skeet houses are in need of repair from water damage to the siding. This is
pending and scheduled as weather permits.

The website update is in progress.

2024 events were presented.
Spring cleanup day: 5/28/24
Fun Days: 6/8/24 and 9/7/24 will include invitations to NIRPC and Cathedral Baptist
Venue tutorials: Trap 6/15/24 Skeet 7/13/24 5 stand 8/17/24
Landfill lunch date is 9/20/24

New Business
2024 election results: Sam Valenza elected to 2 year presidency
Caleb Davis elected secretary
Mike Buckman, Steve Wiltgen, Bill Shold board members

Rounds price will increase from $5 to $6 beginning May 1, 2024. Discussion ensued
highlighting two consecutive years of cost increases absorbed by the club prompting the
increase. Competitive bids are used for purchasing targets.

Water supply to the club was accidentally severed by work crews along Lindenwood
Road. The club has been furnished portable toilets, hand wash stations, and will get a
temporary water tank provided as a result. The club will also be provided with a new
850 foot well in the May 2024 timeframe. NIRPC as landowner is finishing the legal
documents. The club has not incurred any expense from the interruption of water
supply.

Cathedral Baptist trap team will again use the club facilities for the spring competitive
season. A sign identifying RSC as their home range will be displayed. The club has
donated money to be used for team jerseys. Members at large are encouraged to make
voluntary donations to the youth shooting sports.

Dave Zierke has contacted several other area high schools who may be interested in scholastic shooting teams. Rockford University has also been contacted. President Valenza noted that the youth demographic as well as their parents is a focus of membership efforts.

The club will be offering club hats and club shirts for sale during 2024.

Leagues are being offered in pistol (Starting 3/30) and 5 stand/sporting clays (Starting
5/15) George Ketter and Bill Shold are heading up the leagues respectively.

The meeting was opened for general discussion and questions.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:52 am.

Respectfully submitted,
Bill Shold as acting secretary

President’s Message

(March 2024)

A work crew along Lindenwood road has broken our water line to the club house. Therefore, we will not have a working water line to our club for 2-3 weeks. The company has installed porta potties and hand washing stations. One station is located near the club house and the other is located by the storage barn. Please do not use the club house bathroom until water service is restored.

The remote for skeet field 2 is still missing. If you were out to the club on February 29 and/or March 1 and shot on skeet field 2, please check your shooting bags, shell pouches, and vehicles for the missing remote. If found, return it to the club ASAP and notify me at 815-721-1417 or email me at sam.valenza@att.net. A spare remote is now functional on skeet field 2.

A handgun league will start on Saturday March 30. If you have any interest in participating, please contact George Ketter at geosueket@gmail.com.

Also, a 5-stand/sporting clays league between our club and Rock Ridge is being formed by Bill Shold. See below for information and schedule.

Rock Ridge and Rockford Skeet Sporting Clays and 5-Stand League $225, includes 10 weeks of shooting, dinner at our last shoot, and a weekly shell raffle.

Rockford Skeet – 50 5 Stand: 5/15, 5/29, 6/12, 6/26, 7/10

Rock Ridge – 50 Sporting: 5/22, 6/5, 6/19, 7/3, 7/17

Rock Ridge: 14755 E Edson Road, Davis Junction

Rockford Skeet: 8104 Lindenwood Rd, Rockford

Top 8 scores will be taken, allowing for 2 missed weeks or 2 throwaway scores. Shooting every Wednesday night beginning at 5 from May until July. We will have a random drawing of 50 shells for shooters in attendance each week. To sign up, contact Andrew (815-382-1232) at Rock Ridge or Bill (815-978-8686) at Rockford Skeet

At this time, we don’t have any volunteers to run a trap league. If you are interested in running a trap league, contact me at sam.valenza@att.net.

Twilight Tuesday skeet will start April 16 at 7 pm. Come out and enjoy a couple of casual rounds of skeet under the lights. Low key and open to all ability levels. All shooting ends by 9 pm. Invite your friends for the first and third Tuesday of the month. Heck, why not invite a prospective new member?

The Cathedral Baptist High School trap team will be shooting at our club on Tuesday’s starting April 2 through May 28 and on Thursdays starting April 18 through May 30 from 4 to 6 pm. Therefore, the trap fields will not be available to club members on these dates and times.

Our lawn crew is in need of a couple more helpers, if you are interested in joining this team, contact Steve Wiltgen at 815-761-3531 for more information. Please consider as we need the help.

Since my last message regarding bringing in professional shooting instructors for our various venues, very little interest has been shown. Therefore, we will not pursue this any further at this time.  

The annual meeting is rescheduled for March 23 at the club starting at 9 am. No shooting will be allowed until the meeting is adjourned.

As a reminder, please turn the furnace down to 60 degrees if you are the last to leave the club.

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact Milt Schwanke at

815-988-2278, George Ketter at 815-631-9366, Caleb Davis at 815-243-1483, or Dan Gengo at 815-572-1423. You will need to bring a handgun, ammo, eye and ear protection and a $25.00 annual fee.

2024 Projects

• Install card readers
• Repair skeet houses

2024 Events

• Annual meeting – 3/23/2024
• Cleanup day – 5/18/2024
• Fun days – 6/8/2024, 9/7/2024
• Tutorial – trap 6/15/24, skeet 7/13/2024, 5 stand 8/17/24
• Landfill appreciation lunch – 9/20/24

Remember gun safety is our number 1 priority.

Rockford Skeet Club Mission Statement

The Rockford Skeet Club’s mission is to promote clay target shooting and complementary shooting sports. The objectives are to promote those characteristics of honesty, good fellowship, self-discipline, team-play, and self-reliance which are the essentials of good sportsmanship. It is the duty of all members to contribute to the wellbeing, to protect, to grow, and to enhance the club and its membership.

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

RCS BOD, March 5th, 2024                                                                                                     

• PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Al Perry, Bill Shold, Steve Wiltgen, Caleb Davis, Mike Buckman, Dave Zierke
   Todd Hendreys

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30 by President Sam Valenza

2.     Minutes of February 2024 – Approved, 6-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approved, 6-0

4.    2024 budget – Passed as changed 6-0

New Business:

1. Club hats – yes 6-0  
2. Gun raffle in spring.    Getting tickets made
3. Shooting lessons – No
4. Target price increase – getting quotes
5. Club ammo for events – yes 4 cases

Projects for 2023

• Card reader systems – In the budget for 2024
• Repair skeet houses – Jay Schaack

2023 Events

• Spring cleanup – 5/18
• Fun days – 6/8 and 9/7
• Landfill lunch – 9/20     
• Venue Tutorials, Trap 6/16, Skeet 7/13, 5stand 8/17
• Annual meeting – 3/23

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting April 2   2024                                                                     

Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary       

President’s Message

(February 2024)

A handgun league will start in March. If you have any interest in participating, please contact George Ketter at geosueket@gmail.com. Also, a 5-stand/sporting clays league between our club and Rock Ridge is being formed by Bill Shold. If you are interested, contact Bill at williamshold@gmail.com. There is also some discussion on forming a trap league. I will provide more information when available.

The Cathedral Baptist High School trap team will begin shooting in the state trap league at our club in late March through early June. This will be their third year at our club. If you would like to make a donation to help cover their costs, please contact me at sam.valenza@att.net. The club will be donating towards the purchase of team jerseys. Welcome back Cathedral Baptist shooters and coaches.

The board is discussing bringing in professional shooting instructors for our various venues. But first, we need to know if anyone is interested in attending these sessions. There will be a cost to the members. If you have any interest, please contact Dave Zierke at dzierke@comcast.net.  

The annual meeting has been rescheduled from March 9 to March 23.

Some of our houses are rotting at the base and will be repaired in the late spring. Member Jay Schaack has volunteered to take on this project. Thanks Jay.

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact Milt Schwanke at 815-988-2278, George Ketter at 815-631-9366, Caleb Davis at 815-243-1483, or Dan Gengo at 815-572-1423. You will need to bring a handgun, ammo, eye and ear protection and a $25.00 annual fee.

2024 Projects

• Install card readers
• Repair skeet houses

2024 Events

• Annual meeting – 3/23/2024
• Cleanup day – 5/18/2024
• Fun days – 6/8/2024, 9/7/2024
• Tutorial – trap 6/15/24, skeet 7/13/2024, 5 stand 8/17/24
• Landfill appreciation lunch – 9/20/24

Remember gun safety is our number 1 priority.

Rockford Skeet Club Mission Statement

The Rockford Skeet Club’s mission is to promote clay target shooting and complementary shooting sports. The objectives are to promote those characteristics of honesty, good fellowship, self-discipline, team-play, and self-reliance which are the essentials of good sportsmanship. It is the duty of all members to contribute to the wellbeing, to protect, to grow, and to enhance the club and its membership.

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

President’s Message

(January 2024)

A new club house phone service has been installed. The phone number remains the same.

A committee will be formed to visit local private high schools this spring to investigate the possibility of any interest in forming trap, skeet, or 5 stand teams to participate in the Illinois high school shooting leagues. These teams will be modeled on the Cathedral Baptist High School team that currently uses our club as their home base. If you have any suggestions or contacts for area schools, please let me know.

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact Milt Schwanke at

815-988-2278, George Ketter at 815-631-9366, Caleb Davis at 815-243-1483, or Dan Gengo at 815-572-1423. You will need to bring a handgun, ammo, eye and ear protection and a $25.00 annual fee.

2024 Projects

• Install card readers
• Repair skeet houses

2024 Events

• Annual meeting – 3/9/2024
• Cleanup day – 5/18/2024
• Fun days – 6/8/2024, 9/7/2024
• Tutorial – trap 6/15/24, skeet 7/13/2024, 5 stand 8/17/24
• Landfill appreciation lunch – 9/20/24

Remember gun safety is our number 1 priority.

Rockford Skeet Club Mission Statement

The Rockford Skeet Club’s mission is to promote clay target shooting and complementary shooting sports. The objectives are to promote those characteristics of honesty, good fellowship, self-discipline, team-play, and self-reliance which are the essentials of good sportsmanship. It is the duty of all members to contribute to the wellbeing, to protect, to grow, and to enhance the club and its membership.

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

RCS BOD, January 16, 2024                                                                                                     

• PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Al Perry, Bill Shold, Steve Wiltgen, Caleb Davis, Mike Buckman, Dave Zierke
   Todd Hendreys

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30 by President Sam Valenza

2.     Minutes of December 2023 – Approved, 6-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approved, 6-0

New Business:

1. Change phone to VOIP – Completed  
2. Gun raffle in spring
3. Shooting lessons – TBD  

Projects for 2023

• Card reader systems – TBD
• Repair skeet houses

2023 Events

• Spring cleanup – 5/18
• Fun days – 6/8 and 9/7
• Landfill lunch – 9/20     
• Venue Tutorials, Trap 6/16, Skeet 7/13, 5stand 8/17
• Annual meeting – 3/9

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting February 13^th   2024                                                                     

Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary       

RCS BOD, October 5, 2023                                                                                                      

• PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Al Perry, Bill Shold, Steve Wiltgen, Caleb Davis, Mike Buckman , Dave Zierke
   Todd Hendreys

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30 by President Sam Valenza

2.     Minutes of November 2023 – Approved, 6-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approved, 6-0

New Business:

1. Combine waiver with guest logbook.   Completed
2. Membership committee, working on new ideas
3. New member orientation, 1^st and 3^rd Saturday of the month
4. Tree removal – Completed 
5. gutter guards – Completed
6. Increase dues for 2024 – Yes 6-0
7. Change phone to VOIP – 6-0
8. Update application – yes
9. Gun raffle in spring  

Projects for 2023

• Card reader systems, looking into for next year
• Seal coat parking lot – 6-0      Completed
• Handgun heater fixed

2023 Events

           Spring cleanup – Completed

• Fun days – Completed
• Landfill lunch – Completed     
• Venue Tutorials, Completed

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting January 9, 2023                                                                       

Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary