Allen Rooney originally started the target shooting competition 11 years ago as part of the annual July 4 celebration — and he wanted everyone to have fun. But his primary motivation has always been gun safety.

This year’s event, scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon on Thursday, July 2, will see Rooney hand out as many as 75 gift cards to Wrangell businesses, worth $25 each, to youth ages 8 to 18 who can recite the four gun safety rules.

“The primary focus for me has always been firearm safety,” he said. “I want everyone to recognize safe gun-handling for themselves and the people they’re around. No matter what the situation is, recognize whether or not it’s a safe situation and react accordingly.”

And youngsters don’t need to participate in the competition to win a gift card. They can come to the event, recite the safety rules, and go home a winner.

“If they don’t get it right the first time, they can come back when they are ready,” Rooney said in a Facebook post of the event.

The competition will take place at the outdoor shooting range on the Spur Road, past the golf course. Rooney will provide the ammunition and firearm — a 9 mm carbine, 16-inch-barrel long gun.

“The competition will involve reactive steel targets and stationary and moving paper targets,” he said. “They’ll be set out around 10 to 14 yards, which is well into the safe range for firing at steel targets.”

There will be cash prizes for winners in four different categories: boys, girls, men and women.

“The prizes are usually between $50 and $100 for first place,” he said. “It really depends on the amount of money collected. The bulk of the money I collect goes into the purchase of all the gift cards that will be given out.”

In addition to the $25 gift cards, Rooney said the first 50 kids to correctly recite the gun safety rules will also receive a free drink from the Stik Café.

“I’m a competitive shooter myself, and I have very strict safety standards,” he said. “That’s why I have always run the event. Because I want to ensure safety above all else.”

Rooney doesn’t have a projection for how many competitors might participate, but he said the number has steadily grown from year to year. He anticipates there could be as many as 80 or 90 shooters.

“My advice would be to get there as early as you can,” he said. “Because the line could get backed up and push things beyond noon. The earlier you get there, the more likely it will be that you can compete.”

There is no registration fee or advance sign-up; competitors will take their turn on a first-come, first-served basis.