Last month, Churchill County Commissioners approved a $2,500 community support donation for the non-profit Lahontan Valley Claybreakers, a local organization that educates youth about gun safety, the sport of trapshooting, teaches life skills to be carried into adulthood, and provides coaches with Shotgun Level 1 Instructor training.
The organization formed in 2006 when local trap shooters recognized a need to teach youth about the sport of trapshooting and gun safety. It seeks to provide a safe and positive experience with firearms and shooting sports for youth ages elementary school through college.
While Lahontan Valley Claybreakers focuses on Churchill County youth, it also accepts several children from Washoe and Lyon Counties, neither of which has a youth shooting program. Due to the popularity of the program, a waiting list started this year to accommodate children wanting to join.
The season runs through July, with 35 returning program participants and more than a dozen on the waiting list.
Current ammunition shortages have stymied efforts to get all the kids through the program and what ammunition is available has risen dramatically in price. Thus, the request for county community support funding.
Donated funding also helps send coaches to Level 1 coaches training in neighboring states.
The Fallon Trap Club provides the facilities needed to practice.
Shooters will occasionally participate in California Youth Shooting Sports Association events and the Claybreakers belong to the Nevada Youth Shooting Sports Association, the Pacific International Trapshooting Association, and the Amateur Trapshooting Association.
Each shooter pays membership fees and the Lahontan Valley Claybreakers provide ammunition, target fees, t-shirts, hats, safety equipment, and registration fees to attend the Nevada state competition scheduled later this year in Las Vegas.
For more information on the Lahontan Valley Claybreakers, contact Pat Whitten at (775)427-6827.
Photo: Commissioners present a check for $2500 to representatives of the Lahontan Valley Claybreakers.