We had a enjoyable day of shooting, with both crossbow and 300 m service rifle competitions. A total of 16 participants took part, competing for bragging rights and some amazing prizes.
A heartfelt thank you to Colette and Doug Knight for once again generously sponsoring this year’s Founders Cup. We would also like to thank Thomas and Cecilia for preparing and serving lunch.
For dinner, we welcomed more than 38 people. A big thank you to Doug, Colette, Dan, Roger, and all the helpers who prepared and served a delicious barbecue dinner featuring ribs and salmon.
Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this year’s Founders Cup a memorable and enjoyable event!
This year, we are privileged to have Gerhard Hirsig join us as we celebrate his lifetime of service. We are honoured to recognize Gerhard’s many contributions, dedication, and longstanding commitment to our club. His years of service have helped strengthen our community and support the organization through decades of growth.
Gerhard Hirsig – A Lifetime of Service
Gerhard joined the SCMRA in 1975.
Gerhard has dedicated an extraordinary amount of his life to our club. He served on the Executive Committee for 35 years, helping to guide and support the organization through decades of growth and change.
I clearly remember the first time I met Gerhard. It was around 1977 when I heard that the Swiss Club had a 300-metre shooting range in Coquitlam. I decided to drive out there and have a look.
As I passed the caretaker’s house, I was stopped by the caretaker who was at the time, Rene Brugger. Standing beside him was Gerhard Hirsig, who I also did not know. I was asked where I was going, and I explained that I had heard about the range and simply wanted to have a look around.
The answer was short and direct: “This is private property, and you’ll have to turn around.”
I asked once more if I could at least see the 300-metre range, but once again, the answer was no. So, I turned my car around and drove away, saying to myself, “Typical Swiss!”
As fate would have it, about a year or so later, I had new kitchen cupboards installed in my home. The cabinetmaker happened to be Swiss and while we were talking, we discovered that we both enjoyed shooting. He told me that he belonged to the Swiss Club in Coquitlam and invited me to come along the following Sunday.
I accepted the invitation; – I immediately liked the atmosphere; the friendly spirit of the club and I became a member.
When I look back, I realize that my first encounter with Gerhard and Rene Brugger was certainly not the most welcoming introduction. What started with, I being told to turn my car around and leave eventually became a friendship that that is still active today.
The three of us made many trips to Tacoma, Washington, to participate in their annual shooting festival. Those weekends were always filled with good competition, plenty of laughs, and great memories that I will never forget.
I had the privilege of working with Gerhard for many years. When I was elected President, he was my Vice-President and from 1996 to 2000, he served as President of the SCMRA.
Throughout those years, and long after his presidency, Gerhard’s commitment to the Swiss Canadian Mountain Range Association went far beyond the titles he held. He gave countless hours of volunteer service, helped preserve our Swiss shooting traditions, and played an important role in making our club what it is today.
I sincerely thank Gerhard for his many years of dedication, friendship, and service to the SCMRA. His contribution to our club and to our Swiss shooting traditions will always be remembered and greatly appreciated.
Thank you, Gerhard, for everything you have done and for the many great memories along the way. ” — Rene Zollinger
Dinner
Results
