Ainsley Peila, 9, of Burns eyes the hoop during the Eastern Oregon District round of the Elks Hoop Shoot at Grant Union High School on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024.

JOHN DAY — Some 37 children ages 8-13 from around Eastern Oregon convened in the gym at Grant Union High School on Sunday, Jan. 7, for the district round of the Elks Hoop Shoot, an annual free throw-shooting contest sponsored by the fraternal organization.

Participants competed to see who could make the most out of 25 attempts, with the top boy and girl in each of the three age divisions advancing to the state contest in Silverton on Feb. 10.

The winners there will move on to the regional competition in Pasco, Washington, on March 16. Regional champions receive an all-expenses-paid trip with their families to the national finals in Chicago on April 20.

Elks lodges from John Day, Heppner, Enterprise, Burns, Baker, Condon, Prineville, Ontario and Milton-Freewater sent contestants to John Day for the district shoot.

On the surface the Hoop Shoot is a way for kids to have fun, said Corey Sweeney, a member of the Heppner Elks Lodge who was in charge of the district event. But there’s more to it than that.

“Building character, grit and sportsmanship is what it’s for,” he said.

The winners of the district round, with their sponsoring lodges, are as follows:

8-9 boys: Sonny Matheny, Heppner

8-9 girls: Berkley Hanna, Heppner

10-11 boys: Wyatt Lieuallen, John Day

10-11 girls: Hayden Workman, John Day

12-13 boys: Jackson Peila, Burns

12-13 girls: Hallie Duncan, Enterprise