Baptist church throws a party … and a handful of axes
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- Patrick Barbato Jr. of Saranac Lake throws an ax on Sunday at the Brighton Memorial Park in Gabriels during the Saranac Lake Baptist Church’s ax-throwing contest. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)
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- The Rev. Ryan Schneider, pastor of the Saranac Lake Baptist Church, explains the rules of the church’s first-ever ax-throwing contest Sunday at the Brighton Memorial Park. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)
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- The Rev. Ryan Schneider, pastor of the Saranac Lake Baptist Church, at right, watches Will Chamberlin, of Saranac Lake, demonstrate how to throw an ax Sunday at the Brighton Memorial Park. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)
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- Competitors practice throwing axes Sunday at the Brighton Memorial Park in Gabriels during an ax-throwing competition sponsored by the Saranac Lake Baptist Church. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)
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- McKenna Verhagen is a Paul Smith’s College student from Rochester.(Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)
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- Allison Howald is a Paul Smith’s College student from Newport, New Hampshire. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)
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- Erik Van Yserloo of Saranac Lake throws an ax on Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)
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- Elijah Schenk of Vermontville throws an ax on Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)
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- Competitors practice throwing axes Sunday at the Brighton Memorial Park in Gabriels during an ax-throwing competition sponsored by the Saranac Lake Baptist Church. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)
GABRIELS — On Sunday afternoon, the Saranac Lake Baptist Church held an ax-throwing competition at the Brighton Memorial Park, with more than 60 participants taking part in this first-ever event.
After an hour or so of practice and eating a barbecue lunch donated by Hoof & Horn Butcher and Eatery in Potsdam, the church’s pastor, Rev. Ryan Schneider, went over the rules, shared the gospel and prayed before the competition.
The event was free and open to the public and was sponsored by Hoof & Horn, Sturdy Supply in Bloomingdale and Bye-Bye Black Fly, a locally made insect repellent. The first 50 people who signed up received a goodie bag with North Country essentials like Bye-Bye Black Fly, beef jerky, maple syrup, a balsam pillow and Band-Aids.
The contest followed World Axe Throwing League rules, and there were five targets, made this past week from lumber donated by Bloomingdale-based Specialty Lumber Products.
