The Elks National Foundation's 42nd National Hoop Shoot free-throw contest is under way. Anita and Larry Denny of the Covington Elks visited Newton County elementary schools to pass out information about the program. Ten schools had active programs.

The Covington Elks hosted all the contestants at the new Newton High School gym on Jan. 19 for the "lodge level'' of competition, with Ray Edwards as chairman.

The next level, the Northeast District contest, will be Jan. 25, also at Newton High School, with Jack Wheeler as director. Local first-place winners, both boys and girls, will compete against winners from three other
districts in Georgia. Following the competition, a lunch and awards presentation will be held at the Covington Elks Lodge, and trophies will be awarded to first- and second-place winners in each division and age group.

For boys and girls, the age divisions are: 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13.

Local winners competing are: boys 8-9, Ja'Fari B. Law, Rocky Plains Elementary, first place, and Andre Williams, Live Oak Elementary, second; girls 8-9. Bailey Love, East Newton Elementary, first, and Kendyl Maddox, Live Oak, second; boys 10-11, Cade Sadler, Livingston Elementary, first, and Trevon Scott, Live Oak, second; girls 10-11, Iynesna Chapman, Live Oak, first, and Jashanti Collins, Livington, second; and boys 12-13, Christian Davis, Flint Hill Elementary, champion, and Antonio Jenkins, Porterdale Elementary, second.

The Covington Elks appreciate and acknowledge the help of local elementary schools and Gary Roberts, who opened the gym for the competition.

National champions and their parents will receive free trips to the Elks National Convention in July in New Orleans.