The Nashua Lodge of Elks will hosting the 40th Greater Nashua Elks’ Hoop Shoot free throw contest Dec. 10 in the Elm Street Middle School Gymnasium on Chestnut Street, beginning at 8 a.m. There is no charge or fees to participate.

The competition is open to all interested boys and girls, from ages 8-13, from Hudson, Litchfield, Nashua, Hollis, Brookline, Amherst, Milford, Wilton and Merrimack. A child’s age on April 1, 2012, determines his/her age division.

There will be six age divisions: three for boys and three for girls each, 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13. Trophies will be presented to the top three boys and girls in each division.

Contestants will shoot five warm-ups, before shooting 25 free throws for score, and must wear basketball or tennis shoes to compete. T-shirts, slacks or pants may be worn, but basketball uniforms are preferred but not necessary. As each age category is completed, contestants may leave. The entire contest usually lasts about two hours enabling anyone to make any scheduled league games elsewhere.

More than 3 million youngsters competed last year in the Elks National Hoop Shoot free throw contest, starting with the local level, district, state, regional and national levels. Winners will have their names inscribed in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

The Nashua Elks have sent 10 youngsters to the Elks National Hoop Shoot Finals: Steven Piwowoski, Melissa Ayotte, Debra Killmon, Ellen Tipping, Ryan Robinson, Ryan Sullivan, Michael Panagoulias, Caleb Donnelly, of Hudson; Max Coleman of Londonderry; and Tom O’Hearn of Hudson. In 2006, Caleb Donnelly was the first Greater Nashua Area Champion to win the Elks National Hoop Shoot free throw championship.

Elks Youth Chairman Al Savage is in charge of the local contest. Local winners will compete in the State Elks Southern New Hampshire District free throw contest in Nashua on Jan. 7. For more information, call Savage at 888-0064.