Youths invited to free throw event Jan. 19
All boys and girls ages 10 to 14 are invited to participate in the local level of competition for the 2008 Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship, sponsored by the Howell-Jackson Council No. 6201.

The local competition will be held on Jan. 19 at the St. Veronica School gymnasium, Route 9 north, Howell. On-site registration will begin at noon and the competition will begin at 1 p.m.

The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship is sponsored annually, with winners progressing through local, district and state competition. International champions are announced by the Knights of Columbus international headquarters based on scores from the state-level competitions.

All boys and girls 10 to 14 years old are eligible to participate and will compete in appropriate age groups. Last year more than 179,000 sharpshooters participated in more than 3,000 local competitions, according to a press release.

All contestants on the local level are recognized for their participation in the event. Participants are required to furnish proof of age and written parental consent.

The Knights of Columbus is an international Catholic family fraternal service organization with nearly 1.7 million members in more than 12,500 local councils. Last year Knights donated 60 million volunteer hours and $130 million to charitable and benevolent causes, sponsoring projects to benefit their church, councils, communities, families and youth, according to the press release.