Operation 300 raises money for children of those killed in action
By From staff reports
Published in News on October 13, 2014 1:46 PM
More than 100 shooting enthusiasts got a chance Saturday to hone their marksmanship while raising money for the children of servicemen killed in action.
Organizers of the Operation 300 shoot held at the Eastern North Carolina Firing Range south of Goldsboro said they hope to turn it into an annual event.
Operation 300 is a national non-profit organization formed in honor and memory of SOC Aaron Vaughn, who was killed in action in 2011 while serving as a member of Navy SEAL Team 6. It provides adventure experiences for children who have lost their fathers as a result of service to our country.
Present at Saturday's fundraiser was Aaron's father, Billy Vaughn, who helped found the organization and who attends bike rides and other events across the country to raise money for the cause. His son left behind two children, he said, and to see so many people involved in helping children who have lost their fathers in similar fashion is an inspiring sight.
"It's just overwhelming," Vaughn said, as gunfire crackled in the background. "This is helping Aaron live on. This is exactly the kind of thing he loved."
The charity operates on donations alone and 100 percent of the proceeds from events like Saturday's shoot go directly to supporting the camps, where boys are paired with individual mentors who take them fishing, camping and boating and to other activities they might not otherwise experience with a father figure.
"We do things that are hard for a mom, a lot of outdoor activities," he said.
The United States has lost about 7,000 servicemen in its wars in the Middle East, leaving thousands of children without a father. Operation 300 is an attempt to fill that void, said Vaughn, who lives in Florida. He and his wife, Karen, started the organization in 2012 and opened their first camp for boys in 2013.
John Zaczek is a member of the shooting group, the Zombie Shooters Association, and was one of the organizers of Saturday's event.
"We just want to do something for these kids," he said. "This is all about those kids who have lost their fathers while they were fighting for us. We're tickled to death to be part of this.
"This is about the sacrifices they're making and the children they're leaving behind," Zaczek said.