By Staff Photographer Curran. Group of members of the Cumberland Rifle and Pistol Club at their range on the Blackstrap Road. Front, left to right, Clint Dyer, Gerald Copp, Don Stoddard, Mel Blanchard and Ed Humphries. Rear, Les Shaw, Paul Benner, Ralph Caravella and Fred Oliver.
Cumberland Center, Jan. 16. — You don’t have to be able to shoot the baking powder out of a biscuit to get into the Cumberland Rifle and Pistol Club.
Their appeal for new candidates says: “Membership open to all shooters — rifle, pistol and bull.”
The club has been operating on the same theory since 1935 and a lot of the charter members still like the recipe.
They first met in Anderson’s Garage on the Gray Road but in 1949, when the club had $2.85 in its treasury, it was decided to build a range and clubhouse. This was done on land donated by Cliff Copp on the Blackstrap Road. “The range has eight positions, a concrete firing point and is well decorated with pin-up girls,” the club historian writes. “It is heated slightly above the freezing point by two stoves and a plentiful sup-ply of local pine slabs.”
When the club joined the National Rifle Association in 1936, it had 30 members, many of whom went for the ’63’ and cribbage to the West Cumberland Community Hall. There were only two positions on the first range but the club added two more before moving into permanent quarters.
Among the charter members are George Emery, Lin Morrill, Walt Mumford, Norm Hulitt, Arthur Anderson, Doc Young, Cliff Copp, Howell Copp, Jerald Copp, Les Shaw, Ed Adams, Rod Wilson and Leigh White. Since things got underway Fred Oliver, Paul Benner, Reed Trefethen, Carl Hayden, Ralph Caravella, Mel Blanchard, Lymie Lamson, Thirle Thomas, Don Stoddard, Ken Maine, Clint Dyer and Lee Adams have joined the ranks.
Benner is president, Blanchard secretary and Oliver treasurer. Other officers are Caravella. executive officer; Hayden, range officer; Stoddard and Dyer, scorers; and Bob Maloney, statician and publicity officer.