The Shoot CF in the Butt project started back in February. Jody Foster of the Florenceville Kin Club thought of the idea and pitched it to the town council at the Kin Club’s annual update to the town of Florenceville monthly council meeting. With the town behind the idea, Jody pitched it to the Kin Club and had their blessing.

Florenceville, NB is the home of McCain Foods Canada and is prominently potato farming with most of the potato harvest going into making what McCain’s is known for, French fries. Florenceville is known to be the French Fry Capital of the world. On National French Fry Day, July 13th, the town and McCain Foods put on a festival every year. Activities include live entertainment, inflatables for children, potato printing, French fry and seed cutting demos, face painting, balloons and balloon tying, French fry art, Science East, artists and artisans, free self-guided tours through the Potato World Museum and of course the Kin Club of Florenceville CF Fundraiser.

It started with an idea to start an annual CF Fundraiser in our community to bring awareness of CF in our community and no better place than the venue that draws over 3000 people. It had to be potato and or French fry related so Jody thought that making potato cannons and shooting potatoes down range at targets for money seemed like a lot of fun; of course, ensuring it was safe and that it would appeal to all ages. Making Potato cannons is common in Carleton County where our primary farming is potatoes.
Jody called upon some friends who are engineers at his place of work and one engineer in particular who specializes in PVC and pressure. Working with his team of professionals, the potato launching device was designed, built, and tested.

Jody contacted Jodi O’Neill who has a son Colton with CF and has connections to potatoes for the cannons. Jody pitched his idea to Jodi and he was onboard, securing over 1000 sized 2″ potatoes for the day.

On the day of the festival, the Club had a Shoot CF in the Butt booth, and set up a range and targets at 50 yards and 100 yards out. in addition to the potato shoot, they sold cotton candy and had candy and freezies as prizes for kids. This fun Kin community event raised over $500 to support Cystic Fibrosis Canada and added a new activity to the National Fry Day celebrations.