News:

We need volunteers in sales, marketing, PR, IT, and general "running of an organization." 
Maximize your Appleseed energy to make this program grow, and help fill the empty spots
on the firing line!  An hour of time spent at this level can have the impact of ten or a
hundred hours on the firing line.  Want to help? Send a PM to Monkey!

Main Menu

AAR: Wears Valley Ranch, Sevierville, TN 27-28MAY16

Started by Guardian, May 29, 2016, 11:20:20 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Guardian

We had a SOLD OUT (plus some) event at the Wears Valley Ranch (WVR)!  ..:..

Twenty-seven shooters arrived Friday morning to learn the fundamentals of marksmanship, our unique Heritage, and Liberty! Pastor Jim Wood welcomed us to WVR and explained the mission of WVR, including the mutual principle of LIBERTY. After a prayer for our event, he turned it over the Project Appleseed and we got to it!

After an explanation of the event and expectations, a safety briefing, and getting our equipment set up; we posted our first RedCoat target to establish a baseline of proficiency. We discovered that we had room for improvement.

With that knowledge, we delved into the steady hold factors for the prone, sitting/kneeling, and standing/offhand positions; the six steps of firing the shot; natural point of aim; Rifleman's cadence; and other pertinent topics. Between periods of instruction, we implemented the skills and observed our progress on the targets. After getting respectable groups, we learned how to analyze them and move them to the point of aim  We also heard the 3 Strikes of the Match, learning about the events that occurred on April 19, 1775. Specifically, we heard how common people took it upon themselves to take on the mighty British Empire to secure Liberty for themselves and their posterity (us). We concluded the day with another RedCoat to check our progress and were rewarded with much improvement over the morning!

Finally, we recognized the youth participants with the Luther Blanchard patch. It was a passel of them, which the Instructors were proud to see! We also heard a call to arms.....this one asking us to engage our brain housing groups in an effort to avoid the need to repeat the actions of our Founders, who had to employ their trigger groups. It was a late evening, but well worth the effort.

The late work on Friday paid off Saturday! The Instructors were pleasantly surprised when all 27 of the shooters returned for the second day of the event! This may be the first time I've witnessed such.  :bow:

We repeated the safety orientation and talked about adjustments that needed to be made to the day's activities, got our equipment out, and went right back to work! Another RedCoat indicated rest had a positive effect on our targets, but we still needed to polish our skills. After reviewing the fundamentals of marksmanship and practicing a bit, we broke out the AQTs to apply our skills. By the end of the day, we had one Rifleman emerge, Ben W. with a score of 212!!  ^:)^ HUZZAH!!

We heard about individuals who took it upon themselves to make a difference on April 19, 1775 and the remainder of the Revolutionary War. We heard evidence that we can do the same and never know the affect we may have, just as those people didn't. DrJohn presented us the Philosophy of Liberty through the Founders' own words and then helped us understand what those words meant in their time.

Our final RedCoat indicated dramatic improvement across the board! We closed out the event with a brief review of the points made in Saturday's benediction. Remember to 7th Step!!!

You were a great group and I hope to see each of you again. All of you showed improvement and it was obvious you wanted to learn. You were very attentive and engaged, which motivated your Instructors more than you know.

The youth shooters, in particular, were GREAT! I really appreciate the parents stepping in to help with safety, when necessary, yet not interfering with the Instructors. You have no idea how rare that is! I am proud of each of the youth shooters for the improvement. Progressing from never firing a rifle to the ability to operate it entirely on their own in a safe manner is wonderful and worthy of much praise. All of the youth exhibited maturity beyond what your ages would indicate and I'm proud to know that you are going to be taking all of this over one day! O0

Most of all, I appreciate your zeal for LIBERTY!!! It was apparent.

I apologize for the lack of photos. I didn't take a single one :-[. If you've got 'em, feel free to post 'em. I'd love to see the pic of all the youth, in particular (even if the Shoot Boss did get asked to get out of the frame   ???).


Texas T

Sounds like an awesome time. What an opportunity to work with so many youth and perhaps have a hand in guiding a part of their future. Hats off to all!!    O0
"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot."  Mark Twain


First Appleseed, September 26-27, 2015;   First Rifleman, September 27, 2015;   First Redcoat, September 27, 2015;   Second Rifleman, September 27, 2015

Thanks Corvette, great instruction!!!

MI IBC, February 2017

Hardbean

#2
I was only able to grab a few pics from my end of the line.  I should have taken time to grab more.  I was also only there for Saturday but I was able to witness some excellent shooting from all ages.  Even though we only had one Rifleman patch handed out, there was vast amounts of improvement in just the short time I was there!


TEST: https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13327492_10209771835832821_5388228771032585739_n.jpg?oh=0ba0af4ba0af299cc9a729466bff8110&oe=580518AD

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13307506_10209771837512863_849278025978274325_n.jpg?oh=5216d22603fa48fef722d5da94e3d36d&oe=57CBE2BB

Cheek weld enhancement devices come in all shapes and sizes!
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13330998_10209771838312883_8664167850660277929_n.jpg?oh=624829e9ede7c690787c4686ae1d6a99&oe=57D43DB1

Our first AppleBEEder!!!
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13315428_10209771838792895_3546040058965193871_n.jpg?oh=effe928c2e4cf16a93e38454004d985c&oe=57D53C4A

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13339672_10209771839872922_194088430740863366_n.jpg?oh=ba3ad8bfdbd9bd5160f4b481ea6a0812&oe=57C208F3

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13335987_10209771840072927_7943896087587056510_n.jpg?oh=2679771783e1bdcd937fe2bea603c261&oe=57C90F9E

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13321980_10209771840752944_1047436799939991816_n.jpg?oh=4026bc7e51246917be4caa65f5b14cc8&oe=57DBFF9A

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13346539_10209771842152979_8847612362107391845_n.jpg?oh=164b39631e1eeb982f56bd60fd82ee91&oe=57C1F123

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13339437_10209771843073002_8321562047856952300_n.jpg?oh=5b7202369e59378c3f791bfe95e126df&oe=580C90E7

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13310571_10209771843993025_99125498772480429_n.jpg?oh=92a33ce97d2574977752e8ef8e6df367&oe=58068F68