Zerbe Rod and Gun plans open house to promote facilities

Feb. 14--TREVORTON -- For almost 60 years, The Zerbe Township Rod and Gun Club has been one of the area's top recreational sources. From open ice skating on the club's pond in years past, to the annual children's trout derby, firearms training, rifle and pistol ranges and hunter safety courses, the club has been an integral part of the Trevorton community and the region.

But current club members think what they have to offer isn't being utilized enough, and are actively pursuing new members. The club will hold an open house on Sunday, Feb. 23, from 1-6 p.m. in an effort to boost

membership to its former numbers.

Current membership is between 250 and 300 members, according to current financial secretary Dan Alexander. At its peak, membership "was way over 400," according to Alexander.

"We basically want to show people in the area what we have to offer and that we're still here," Alexander said during a tour of the club grounds and buildings. "You can become a member for basically seven cents a day. That's $25 a year."

The open house will include several outdoors vendors, including Bait, Barrels and Bows, Kahler's Gun Shop and Salmon King Services, which coordinates salmon fishing trips. In addition, there will be opportunities to use the club's indoor rifle and pistol, indoor archery and indoor air rifle/pistol, ranges.

"We'd have liked to get more vendors but a lot of them are booked up this time of year," Alexander said.

The club, which opened in 1955, has seen its ups and downs over the years, according to Alexander and John Taylor, club treasurer. Widely known for many years for its winter ice skating which was open to the public, the club had to abandon that offering because of rising liability insurance costs.

The club also suffered some financial problems, Alexander and Taylor said, and one of its top programs, the junior rifle program, was hurt when it lost its coaches. That program was so successful for awhile that some of its competitors went on to shoot for major college rifle teams.

Now, the club's most popular project is its annual children's trout derby, which takes place every spring, and attracts large numbers of area youths to introduce them to the sport of fishing. It is co-sponsored by the Fiddlers Run Sportsman's Association.

"We're not sure yet what the date will be this year," Alexander said. "It will be sometime in April or May. We're probably going to be talking about that at our meeting this week."

The club has also started a ladies' auxiliary, which it did not have before, and still sponsors chicken BBQs and black kettle bean soup dinners. The club would like to reinstate several programs, such as sporting clays, indoor archery and pistol leagues and junior rifle programs.

Members are soliciting ideas and suggestions from the public.

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