Patch Aims to Raise Money for Marines

The Patch news websites in south Orange County and Camp Pendleton Friday teamed up with Socks for Heroes' Marine charity to raise money for the 2nd Batallion, 4th Marines.

The unit is scheduled to come home from their Afghan tour in April.

to help supply Marines in the field and help pay for a welcome home celebration for the 2/4.

As of 5:30 p.m., dozens of shooters were lining up at the front desk of to compete--first prize was a 9mm pistol.

The competition includes firing eight rounds each from a .22, a 9mm and a .45. A perfect score is 240.

Woolfolk scored a 163, while Townsend scored a disappointing 129--suprisingly close to his typical disappointing bowling score.

The men's winner was Staff Sgt. Joe Brooks with a score of 218, and the top woman scorer was Becky Valdez with 202. Brooks went home with a 9mm pistol as first prize and Chris DeRose won a .22 pistol in the raffle.

The event hosted 116 shooters and raised enough cash to send 10,000 fresh pairs of socks to Marines overseas--socks are a simple but vital commodity to men and women who spend days marching in often brutal conditions.

You can donate to Socks for Heroes here.