The McKays were active in trapshooting shortly after the turn of the century up to the present time. George C. McKay, father of George E. McKay, was treasurer of the Battle Creek Gun Club for a great many years.
George E. McKay started shooting trap at the age of 12 in 1932. At present, he spends his winters in Florida and summers at Gull Lake. George E. McKay went on the MTA board on July 7, 1967. He was also elected ATA delegate that same year and held that post for several years.
The McKays were very well known in the Battle Creek area, not only at the B.C. Gun Club, but for being active in civic activities and in banking circles. When it came to financing the MTA grounds, with the MTA having only $17,000 in the bank, it would not have been possible to buy the 228 acres of land, build trap fields, clubhouse, road, electrical costs, and other expenditures without good business policies along with use of some clout. Arthur Hickey came up with a plan for the land purchase and George McKay and Boyd Williams worked on other financing details. George McKay, as president of Security National Bank in Battle Creek, Art Hickey, as the owner of Hickey Oldsmobile in Saginaw, and Boyd Williams, as one of the principals of Williams Gun Sight Company, sat down to talk with Rolly Dart, president of Dart National Bank of Mason. The land cost for 228 acres was $60,000. Twenty thousand dollars was into a land mortgage. George, Art, and Boyd came up with $13,500 each in certified checks for a total of $40,500. Through the bank they picked up the land bank mortgage and set up a line of credit for $125,000. Actually, the three above mentioned men owned the land for a time and had formed a partnership to purchase the 228 acres. The MTA was to finance the difference of $40,500 and $60,000 including interest at 6 ½%. The three then were to re-assign to the MTA at completion of the contract. Obviously, this was done and it didn’t take too long for the MTA to take over, establish their own line of credit and build grounds that we are all proud of.
George E. McKay, known as Chief Battle Creek, also held the prestigious position of High Chief in the Okoboji Indians.
(* Deceased)
