(CARTHAGE, N.Y.) – The Carthage Rod and Gun Club hosted the 11th Annual Shootin’ Trap for Trips fundraiser for the Volunteer Transportation Center Foundation on July 22, 2023. This year’s 50 Bird Shoot saw 97 participants and raised more than $4,500 to benefit transportation of Volunteer Transportation Center clients in Jefferson and Lewis Counties.
“This was our best year yet,” said VTC Foundation Director and Director of Communications Jeremiah S. Papineau. “We had an amazing turnout and it was great to again see more younger shooters compete, thanks to the support of local high school teams and local clubs, including the Carthage Rod and Gun Club.”
“Every year, the Carthage Rod and Gun Club puts on a great shoot,” he continued, “with many clubs in the Northern Tier Trap League showing up to compete and support the shoot. We’re very proud to see how this event has grown.”
Top Gun of this year’s 50 Bird Shoot was Terry Zimmer with a score of 50. Other winners of the shoot were: Sub-Junior Class – Remington Rupert (47), Junior Class – Joseph Schrodt (43), Veteran Class – John Bach (48), Senior Veteran Class – Pat Putman (49), Ladies Class – Charity Rupert (46), D Class – Jason Lesperance (43), C Class – Joel Dindl (45), B Class – Nate Arndt (48), A Class – Dennis Jackson (49), and AA Class – Declan McFall (49).
Mr. Papineau credited the Carthage Rod and Gun Club with their hard work behind the scenes to get this year’s event off the ground, including club president Justin Bach, trap team captain Alan Arndt, and kitchen manager Valda Arndt. He further credited the support of several volunteers who worked the event, including Billie Brown, Dana Brown, Brandon Brown, Jennifer McFall, Tim McFall, Penny Covey, David Covey, Nettie Mothersell, Julia Purington, Ryan Reed, Aimee Reed, Ruth Soules, and Terra Thompson.
This year’s Shootin’ Trap for Trips was underwritten by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Watertown Savings Bank, Stewart’s Shops, and the Glenn & Carol Pearsall Adirondack Foundation. Additional sponsors included Croghan Meat Market, i2i Fabrications, St. Louis Trash Service, Knowlton Technologies, and Dibble & Gellert Family Dentistry, with additional support from W.B. Payne Insurance, The Roz Bed and Breakfast, and Advanced Business Systems. Raffle items were donated by A To Z Liquors, Advantage Auto, Akin’s Sales & Services, Aubuchon Hardware, Bill’s Feed, Bowman’s Gun Shop, Buckingham Hardware & Great Outdoors, Carthage Tire, Cedars Golf Course, Croghan Meat Market, Dolhof True Value, Dunkin’, Eddie’s Meat Market, Farney’s Home & Building Center, Gillee’s Auto Truck & Marine, Jeb’s Restaurant, Journal & Republican, JRECK Subs, Kathy’s Barber Shop, Keystone Lumber & Building Supply, Kinney Drugs, Lisk’s Florals, Lowville Farmers Co-Op, Lowville Producers Dairy Cooperative, Lowville Sport & Farm, Maple Ridge Center Snow Park, Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology, Monnat & Nortz, Pete’s Guns and Sporting Goods, Pizza Hut, Price Chopper, Roggie’s Flooring, Sherwin Williams, Shultz Family Cheese, Silver Bench Jewelry, Squishy’s BBQ and Catering, State Street Hardware, Steele’s Ace Home Center, Stefano’s Pizzeria & Restaurant, Stump’s Liquor and Video, Tim Fralick Custom Calls, Tops Friendly Markets, Walmart Supercenter, Wicked Wench Saloon, Yancey’s Sugarbush, Donna Barnhart, Judy Carpenter, Nettie Mothersell, Sam Purington, and Charles Reay in memory of his wife, Patricia Reay.
Those who missed the event but who would still like to make a contribution to the VTC Foundation may do so by contacting Mr. Papineau at 315-303-2590 or email jeremiah@volunteertransportation.org.
ABOUT THE VOLUNTEER TRANSPORTATION CENTER
The Volunteer Transportation Center, Inc. (VTC), established in 1991, drives thousands of miles each year assisting community members in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties and beyond. Over the last 30 years, this essential non-profit organization has provided rides to health care appointments, food sources and other critical needs destinations for residents.
In 2022, volunteer drivers provided 26,487 charitable trips over 878,240 miles in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties. Of those miles, 376,604 helped those in Jefferson County, 137,743 in Lewis County, and 363,893 in St. Lawrence County. That equated to approximately $439,120 in mileage reimbursement for our volunteers.
The staff, boards of directors and volunteer drivers look forward to a time when transportation to community activities and services is accessible to all North Country residents regardless of economic or specialized needs. But for now the mission drives on — striving to provide transportation to health, wellness and critical needs destinations utilizing volunteers and mobility management for anyone who has barriers to transportation. For more information about how you can help the Volunteer Transportation Center, about its upcoming events, or to become a volunteer driver, contact the agency in Jefferson and Lewis Counties at 315-788-0422, in St. Lawrence County at 315-714-2034, or Western New York at 585-250-5030. Volunteers drive their own cars, set their own hours and receive mileage reimbursement but, more importantly, make a difference in the community. To learn more, visit www.volunteertransportationcenter.org.