Helena brothers Charlie and Christopher Gray shot a gun for the first time Saturday afternoon at the Atticus Finch Ol' One Shot Sharpshooter contest at the Lewis and Clark Fairgrounds.

"It was lots of fun," Christopher, 12, said. "Mainly because I was really good at it and I didn't know I was good at it."

The Gray brothers were among more than 30 young people and adults who visited the Lewis and Clark Fairground for the sharpshooting event sponsored by the Lewis and Clark Library as part of its Big Read Under the Big Sky program.

In Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird," Atticus Finch, a lawyer, resident of Maycomb County, Ala., and the father of Jem and Scout, never shot a gun in front of his children -- until he protected his family from a rabid dog one day and the children found out his childhood nickname was "Ol' One Shot."

Padraic McCracken, teen services librarian, said the real mission of the Big Read is to get people involved with the book as much as possible.

He hoped the shooting event would get some individuals involved that wouldn't necessarily have been otherwise.

"It's a way of giving a lot of avenues of connection into the book as possible," McCracken said.

Library director Judy Hart said the point in the story where Atticus shot the dog was life-changing for the children as they gained new respect for their father.

Whether it was for the love of the timeless classic about human dignity or the desire to learn about and shoot a firearm, those who participated in Saturday's event appeared to be enjoying themselves.

Thomas Larson, a Capital High School junior, has been participating in the 4-H shooting sports program since he was 12 years old. He spent Saturday helping visitors first learn about safety and proper technique of using a firearm and then aided them in target practice with air riffles.

Guy Rainville, county coordinator for 4-H shooting sports, said he wasn't surprised the Gray brothers and others shot so well on their first attempts.

"Kids are generally a better shot than adults," Rainville said. "They don't have the strength, so they use proper technique."

Rainville said many adults make the mistake of using muscle when they should use bones for support.

The library received a $20,000 national grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Service and Arts Midwest. The grant allowed the library the purchase 2,000 copies of "To Kill a Mockingbird" to distribute to the Helena Community.

The library has given all but 200 copies of the book and has events scheduled through Nov. 15. Hart said all the Big Read events were organized by a planning committee last fall. The goal, she said, was to reach out to the community and touch new audiences.

The next Big Read event is a free screening of the documentary "To Towns of Jasper" at Fort Harrison in the Harrison Auditorium on Monday, Oct. 29. On Tuesday, Oct. 30, a mock trial is scheduled at the Fort Harrison Chapel. Students from Helena High School will put the book "To Kill a Mockingbird" on trial.

Reporter Alana Listoe: 447-4081 or alana.listoe@helenair.com