With fall—and more importantly, hunting season—on the horizon, one of the biggest annual fundraisers for Fort Dale Academy is nearly underway.

The Fort Dale Athletic Club’s popular 30/30 gun raffle is back for its third year, and the club has its sights set on another record fundraising season.

According to Fort Dale Athletic Club member Brandy Daniels, the 30/30 gun raffle is easily one of the most profitable fundraisers for the club.

“One ticket at $30 gets you 30 chances at a gun,” Daniels said.

“We give one gun away every day in November.”

A variety of different shotguns, rifles and more will be available for hunters of all ages, including the 12-gauge Browning BPS Hunter Pump-Action Shotgun, the .308 caliber Ruger American Bolt-Action Rifle and the .22 Ruger 10/22 Carbine.

Drawings will be held daily beginning on Nov. 1, with winners being notified by telephone.  Each ticket entitles a purchaser to one chance in up to 30 daily drawings, though winning tickets will be removed from future drawings.  One must be 18 years of 18 to purchase a ticket.

On top of the enthusiasm for hunting in the Camellia City, Daniels added that the timing of the giveaway also coincides with the holiday season.

“A lot of people have won them and given them away as Christmas gifts, so that’s what we try to sell them for,” Daniels said.

In the program’s second year, each of the 1,000 tickets available for purchase was sold to the tune of a $17,000 profit.

“It is a great fundraiser,” Daniels said. “We sell a total of 1,000 tickets, and the benefit to this is it goes to support all athletic programs, but also if an athlete sells a book of tickets, it helps pay for their shoes for any fall or winter sport.   They have to buy their shoes at Fort Dale, but they get credit if they sell a book of tickets.  It helps the athlete out in that respect, and then anything above that goes to the general Fort Dale Athletic Club. “

Those interested in purchasing tickets are asked to call the Fort Dale Academy school office at 334-382-2606.  Interested participants can also visit the Fort Dale Athletic Club webpage, where is a complete listing of the 30 different guns that will be given away throughout the month of November.

The deadline for raffle purchases is Oct. 15.