Thursday, September 30, 2010

Woodinville Lions Host Fall Flight for Sight Pigeon race.

Woodinville Lions Flight for Sight hosted the Puget Sound Futurity race this past weekend, turning the final race of the season into a community fundraiser as well as a fun event. Two hundred and thirty birds competed from 25 regional lofts with one hundred and eighty eight birds were sponsored with a $5.00 donation for the Lions clubs local Sight and hearing programs.

The birds were released Saturday, September 26th. at 8:00 am from Tri-cities, OR, a distance of 355 miles from Woodinville. The winning bird, a Blue hen, sponsored by Kelly-Power-Ellis, was clocked at 2:17:08 PM at the loft of 90 year old Elwin Anderson of Everett. The pigeon, having flown the 347 miles distance in just over 6 hours, at an average speed of 1621.781 YPM, (Yards per minute), just over 55 MPH!

The second place bird, sponsored by Mike Strevel of Clinton, WA which clocked at 2:23:33 flying a distance of 348 miles, and at a speed of 1600.080 YPM.

Of the 230 birds sent, 85 made the flight in less than 7 hours to finish in the points.

Five regional racing pigeon clubs, Sno-King; Greater Seattle; Everett, Stilly; and the Top Gun clubs supplied birds for the race.

The Flight for Sight raised $940.00, with proceeds going to the Woodinville Lions club’s Sight and Hearing program, which will be used locally to provide glasses, eye exams and hearing aids to those who otherwise would not be able to afford them. The lions also accept old glasses and hearing aids at recycling locations at the Woodinville/cottage Lake Library; Kingsgate Library; Woodinville Pharmacy, Low Vision Clinic, Redwood Eye Clinic or at the Woodinville Lions Club located across for Leoita Jr. High at 19008 168th Ave. NE

For more information regarding the Woodinville Lions club or the Flight for Sight race contact Herb Cartmell at 425-486-4725 or visit their website at http://woodinvillewa.lionwap.org