November 10, 2026 | By Waterbury Roundabout
The club is looking to upgrade to a new voice-activated trap machine for shooting practice. Courtesy photo
The Waterbury-Stowe Fish and Game Foundation has launched a fundraiser to support two key upgrades at the Waterbury-Stowe Fish and Game Club in Waterbury Center.
The nonprofit supports the club, which runs a variety of hunting and fishing education programs each year as well as numerous gatherings for community groups of all ages.
The fundraiser’s goal is $55,000 by Dec. 31.
Most of that – $50,000 – would be used to replace the original 40-year-old clubhouse roof that has leaks and significant shingle deterioration. The clubhouse is available at no cost for hunter education and youth programs. Groups including the American Legion, Rotary, Scouts, and the Senior Center are regular users of the facility for meetings and activities.
Another $5,000 would cover replacing the club’s trap machine that launches clay shooting targets.
The club is a place where new shooters try clay targets for the first time. The equipment now in use is an aging push-button machine that is no longer dependable. When it fails, training sessions are canceled, which often means new trainees don’t return.
The Fish & Game Club's building roof is in need of replacement. Courtesy photo
The club would like to purchase a new MEC 100E Wobble machine that would let one field run both standard trap and wobble practice. The machine has a voice-activated release, allowing the shooter to call “pull,” so one person can shoot alone without a second person to work the release.
The foundation has applied for an NRA grant for the purchase, with fundraising covering the balance. Club leaders say having reliable equipment will improve program scheduling that includes public hours, learn-to-shoot days, youth and women’s clinics, general practice times, etc.
The Waterbury–Stowe Fish & Game Club Foundation is a separate 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that supports the club by raising funds for educational programs, community events, and land conservation. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Donations to the fundraiser may be made online via Zeffy or by check payable to WSF&GC Foundation and mailed to P.O. Box 3464, Stowe, VT 05676.
Funds from this drive will be used for the two main projects. Should fundraising exceed the goal, the foundation would use the additional support for its ongoing charitable and educational programs.