Fire departments stepped away from managing the event, but the Shootout still honors their legacy and the daily service they render around the Lake, by donating thousands of dollars every year to local fire districts. Raising money for a good cause has been at the heart of the race from the beginning, and in addition to fire departments, around two dozen local non-profits benefited in 2015 from what has become so much more than just a boat race.
In 2008, Shootout headquarters moved to Captain Ron’s Bar & Grill, where more than 60,000 fans watched. It was still primarily a series of fast-boat races plus a Poker Run, but that year marked the beginning of growth for the Shootout and the number of events available for people of all interests and needs.
Now the Shootout includes a personal watercraft dam run, a pontoon and small boat poker run in addition to the traditional poker run, a treasure hunt, golf and volleyball tournaments, a meet and greet party, an auction, raffles and Make a Wish Rides. These events span two weeks and require hundreds of volunteers.
In fact, for the 2015 Shootout, 575 volunteers were on hand to make the events safe and fun. Even more important than the number who volunteered is the fact that none of them worked for pay. They represented 31 organizations and together embodied the spirit of Lake of the Ozarks. Theirs was and is a labor of love for the entire Lake community — east and west sides, north and south shores.
The competitors don’t receive money either. They go to considerable expense to join other drivers at Lake of the Ozarks and bring their boats just for a chance to claim a certificate or trophy—and the associated bragging rights, of course. But there are no cash prizes at the Shootout.
Why, then, would men and women spend so much time and money to compete, and why would so many volunteers show up to give their time and energy? The answer is charity: the Shootout began as a charity event to raise money for worthy organizations and it still is. In 2015, the event raised a record amount of money for local organizations: $175,000.
Racers and volunteers want to see the Shootout succeed. It boosts the local economy, of course, but it also raises funds for good work by awarding a share of the revenues to organizations represented by volunteers according to the type of work performed and the number of hours donated.
The Lake of the Ozarks Shootout began in 1988 when several fire departments staged a boat race with a dual purpose: to determine who had the fastest boat on the Lake, and to raise funds for rescue equipment and training. As the Shootout grew, so did the demand for manpower until fire departments could no longer devote enough staff and still be available for their primary mission: to protect citizens and render assistance.
photo by Nathan Bechtold
The Mid-County Fire Department, for example, received $14,951 last year. The district did so by not only providing manpower, but also by making its dive team and water rescue equipment available. Even smaller, volunteer-only districts receive money from the race: in 2015 Northwest Fire District got a check for $1,355.
The Make a Wish foundation also received a large donation in 2015. A sizable amount was the result of one man’s generosity. He flew from Texas to be present for the Wishing on a Ride event, a couple of days before the race. There, he wrote a check for $12,500, stipulated that those dollars be earmarked for Make a Wish, and flew home the next day, even before the boats raced.
The Wishing On A Ride event, by the Make A Wish Foundation®, gives a powerboat ride to chronically or terminally ill children every year during Shootout week.
photo by Jim Rogers
Such generosity isn’t unusual for Make a Wish, but it isn’t unusual for Shootout donors either. Anyone can donate directly through the Shootout, and earmark the donation for a specific charity. Those earmarked dollars are in addition to dollars earned by volunteer work.
What funds the Shootout is a cadre of volunteers for an event that attracts people from all four corners of the United States as well as other nations. These people buy t-shirts and pay to register and play in events from a poker run to the Shootout itself, but sponsors are equally important in creating such a large-scale destination event. Performance Boat Center, Captain Ron’s, Showcase Publishing (the publisher of Second Home Living Magazine), and Budweiser were four of the largest sponsors who supported the 2015 Shootout. Showcase also works with the staff of local news site LakeExpo.com to produce the perfect-bound, visually stunning Official Shootout Guide. In its pages are stories of Shootout excitement, racer profiles, and behind-the-scenes examinations of how such a monumental event comes together. Local businesses who choose to advertise in that guide are also part of Shootout charity, as that ad revenue makes up a significant portion of Shootout donations each year.
Mid-County Fire Chief Scott Frandsen says that today’s Shootout matches the original intent: to enhance safety around the Lake. With annual funds from the Shootout, his department has been able to pay for training by which firefighters become certified for water rescue using efficient, life-saving equipment, also paid for with Shootout dollars. Only with Shootout funds could his department field a dive team and deploy state-of-the-art equipment on and under the water. Shootout dollars have paid for it all. Taxpayer dollars pay for the department’s rescue and medical efforts on land.
Sunrise Beach’s fire department is equally involved. The boundary dividing the two fire departments runs across the middle of the course, so both departments volunteer and serve, and both benefit, as do the Boy Scouts who help pick up trash and organizations such as Morgan County’s Community Leaders Educating About Resistance (CLEAR) who helped hundreds of drivers find a parking place.
The goal in 2016 for dollars raised through charitable donations made by volunteers and proceeds is $200,000, according to Captain Ron. He also hopes to add a rowing event to the schedule. Such an addition will bring in more people with varied interests and help the Shootout continue to be a destination for thousands.
Read more about the Shootout
Shootout Events Schedule -- Event Details
Top Gun: An American Dream At The Shootout
A Shootout For All Seasons: How A Boat Race Boosts The Lake Year-Round
Insurance Go-Fast Boats? Local Agent Leads The Way
V-Hull vs. Catamaran: Boaters Debate
Lil' Boat & Pontoon Poker Run Photos
Patrol Expands Shootout No-Wake Zone
