Battle Creek, MI 4/20-21/2024

[BeeFree]

What a fabulous Patriots' Day weekend with 21 freedom-loving shooters to celebrate with!  We had everyone from Canada to Texas to all over Michigan this weekend (the International Shoot!), and shooters with years of Appleseeds already under their belts to a shooter who had never touched a rifle before (and Kaitlyn, you did great - you overcame your initial concerns and got on paper and worked out your positions and persevered and improved the entire weekend).  Saturday's AQT turned up 4 Requalifiers (Tim, Bryan (Hail, Canada!), BillWinkle, and Derek A... and one brand new Rifleman - Derek's son, Jackson, who has been pursuing that score for several years... since he was only just taller than the rifle he was shooting, I think!  So a big congratulations to Jackson!... Derek had been waiting for this moment with Jackson to take orange hats, so please welcome Derek (4 Letter Word) and Jackson (Muttonchop) to the Michigan Cadre!  We are thrilled to have you both aboard!

Sunday's weather was quite an improvement over Saturday (it's always fun to be able to tell the shooters that the temperature they are shooting in is the same temperature it was when the Redcoats hopped out of thet boats into the water at Lechmere Point).  And that nice 58F sun brought more Rifleman scores than I've seen at a shoot in several years, I think I counted 24 more!  New Riflemen were James and Dave (Congratulations!), with Bryan, Tim, Robert, Kelly, and Bill all requalifying... repeatedly!  so many shooters reached the infamous Sharpshooter plateau - Jessica, Elizabeth, Lance, Cody, Valerie, Patrick, Misty (I hope to see you all again soon so you can push right past that for score!) - and Ryan broke 200 at least 4 times (You are SO CLOSE!) while Autumn, Richard, and Scott all got well into Marksman range. It was my pleasure and a privilege to have you all on the firing line this weekend, and I hope to see you again soon!

I want to personally thank the crew this weekend, MICopperhead, NoLambo, WingWrench, DreadPirateBeBop, with help from our Texas border raider PaleRider (I really do appreciate that Third Strike!), and the most fabulous blue hats that make everything run so smoothly, Rascal21, BillWinkle, and Ewok.  I enjoyed working with everyone, and appreciate how much time, attention, and effort you put in to Appleseed in general and in making this shoot a good experience for all the students.  Last but definitely not least, a great big thank you to Battle Creek Sportsmans Club for hosting us again... and again... and again...  and providing lunch both days!  BCSC is a great range and always a pleasure to work with (because Rascal21 and BillWinkle make it that way!)

Please feel free to post your pics in the thread!

[wingwrench]

I needed to spend some time with happy, well adjusted folks thoroughly enjoying themselves. Thank you all for just being the people you are.

  A little chilly on Saturday. Much, much better on Sunday.

  Thank you, BeeFree for successfully playing 3-D chess to fit things in for our friends from the North. No Lambo; excellent find for the mis used sighting system Saturday morning. Excellent find!!

  Good to see Mutt 'n Chop & Dad take orange hats.

[MI-copperhead]

Who would have thought that instructing at a Project Appleseed Rifle clinic would be good therapy for recovery from a major illness. 3 weeks prior to this event I was supposed to be working the Sturgis Appleseed but instead I was laying in a hospital bed with sepsis and bacterial pneumonia in my right lung. When I was released 3 days later I wondered if I could be recovered enough to be of any use to the Cadre working the Battle Creek event. I kept at my therapy and though on Saturday April 20th I was running on 7 of 8 cylinders, I showed up and by lunchtime when I presented First Strike I was feeling better than the 75 - 80% I started the day at. There is something about working with a great instructor crew (Bee,Rascal, Bill, Tim, Wing Wrench, NoLambo,Ewok) and a great group of participants that is the best therapy in the world.

[BeeFree]

Who would have thought that instructing at a Project Appleseed Rifle clinic would be good therapy for recovery from a major illness. 3 weeks prior to this event I was supposed to be working the Sturgis Appleseed but instead I was laying in a hospital bed with sepsis and bacterial pneumonia in my right lung. When I was released 3 days later I wondered if I could be recovered enough to be of any use to the Cadre working the Battle Creek event. I kept at my therapy and though on Saturday April 20th I was running on 7 of 8 cylinders, I showed up and by lunchtime when I presented First Strike I was feeling better than the 75 - 80% I started the day at. There is something about working with a great instructor crew (Bee,Rascal, Bill, Tim, Wing Wrench, NoLambo,Ewok) and a great group of participants that is the best therapy in the world.

i'm so glad you are feeling better, Earl!  And I'm glad it was the shoot that did that! 

I'm still thrilled we had so many fmaily groups on that line.  I love seeing that.

[T. WOLF]

Super happy to see you made this event, Earl - wishing you good health and a strong recovery.

[Rascal21]

What an amazing weekend it was. I have posted the photos I have here here:

Battle Creek April 2024

Hope to see you all again soon!

[PaleRider]

BeeFree and staff,
It was a pleasure to travel up from Texas, shoot, and help instruct with you! I had a great weekend with you and reconnecting with Rascal21, Bill, and my Canadian friends. It was also nice to get a break from the humidity we're having right now. You all have a great program, and the event was run very efficiently and professionally. You're always invited down to one of our events or just to visit.
Huzzah, and Remember the Alamo !
Tim