Members of the Boy Scouts of America’s Pony Express Council and a variety of community leaders have conducted a seven-week campaign, raising funds for a new shooting program and other improvements at Camp Geiger.

“We’ve hit on something needed for the Boy Scouts and this community,” said Dirck Clark, a council member.

Ken Siemens, a local attorney and council member, headed up the campaign that raised $700,000. Herzog Corp. put up the funds for a new educational lodge, and Fulton Construction, a local company, won the contract to build the structure. About 30 scout and community leaders were on hand for a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for the new lodge.

Work has already begun on the twin rifle and archery range. The range has the capacity to allow shooters to fire in two directions or can be reconfigured as a double-length range, said Alan Franks, chief executive of the council.

The Col. William Morgan Trust provided funds for new rifle and archery ranges. The local Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps will be able to use the range, too. Mr. Morgan was the director of the high school program for a number of years.

Hillyard Companies put up the funds for a new and improved COPE (Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience) program that will be handicapped accessible. “We were happy to do it for the community and scouts,” said J.R. Roth, Hillyard’s president.

The council also teamed up with CZ-USA, a hunting and sporting firearms company, to create the design for a national sporting clays competition course and other services.

The public can register to participate in an inaugural tournament on Nov. 7. This will be the Wes Remington Sporting Clays Charity Shoot. For more information about the tournament or to register for the event, call David Miller at (913) 558-3832 or Tom Bryon at (913) 385-5408.

Marshall White can be reached

at marshall@npgco.com.