By Taylor Hale
STEVENS POINT – The Wisconsin Computer Club hosted their second event on Nov. 20 at the Stevens Point branch of the Portage County Public Library.

The open house event gave guests and club members a chance to check out over 24 retro computers and pieces of gaming tech ranging in age from 1976 to 2006.

“It’s a great place to show what you are working on, what you have in your collection, and to share it with the community,” said club leader and retro gear enthusiast Alex Macomber.

The club hosted the city Robo-Cup competition last May, playing off the city’s attempt to bring a now-notorious sculpture of 1987’s RoboCop to Stevens Point, home of the actor who played the mechanical police officer. The group is focused on not only the preservation of retro-tech but also education. Macomber hopes that open house events pique the public’s interest in computers and retro gear, widening the general public’s interest and giving more people a productive hobby.

Stevens Point Mayor Mike Wiza stopped by the event to try his hand at retro gaming.

“The crazy thing is, I had a lot of this stuff when I was younger,” Wiza joked. “But things like this are something fun for people to get out and do, and if they like it, they can learn more.”

Mayor Mike Wiza playing a classic computer game.

The turnout for the open house was good. But Macomber hopes to keep growing the group and their events.

“We are planning to do more work with the library and hope to do something like this at least quarterly,” Macomber noted.

To learn more about the Wisconsin Computer Club visit: wisconsincomputerclub.com, or check out the group on Facebook.