What a great weekend at the Marion Road Gun Club in Macon GA!
In spite of the forecast of rain both days we had 38 shooters on Saturday (only 7 repeat Appleseeders!) and 27 return on Sunday. This is just a quick start up for this AAR as I will post more about this weekend as I have time later today.
In the meantime, I invite others to post your comments/pics here.
Morpheus
What a great turnout for this shoot, the most in three shoots at Marion Road Gun Club! As usual, MRGC pulled out all the stops and made Appleseeders most welcome. The only thing that smells better than gun powder is gun powder and burgers!
The students enthusiastically soaked up the instruction, evident by their ever-shrinking groups. There was a real interest in the history and heritage with several good discussions when breaks in the action permitted. It seemed to be a satisfying experience for students and instructors alike.
Appleseeders were privileged to witness a tribute to a late club member who passed away recently. Don B, a true lover of liberty and our heritage, was an advocate for holding Appleseed shoots at this venue. One of his wishes was to have his ashes fired from muzzloaders (and a cannon!) over the ground at this range. Club members honored that request in a somber salute. Thank you, Don, for your legacy.
Just wanted to say thanks to MRGC for hosting appleseed and to say thanks to all the instructors Morpheus, Dr. John, Brian, and goose, and all the OH's. Your instruction was great and will be remembered. Congrats to the new riflemen, and Owen taking the orange hat. Looking forward to next years events and helping others to achieve rifleman. This was a great group to shoot with. Keep dryfiring!!!
The gallant students who attended the Appleseed event at Marion Road Gun Club last weekend were an inspiration. Where to begin? Well, in the first place, their numbers were impressive, 38 on Saturday, and many of them families and friends. In spite of fatigue, sore muscles, and the threat of rain (it didn't start until well after the event ended Sunday afternoon) we had 27 students return, and almost all of them stayed until the event was completely over and the range returned to its pre-event condition. Many thanks to our students, who helped make this such a successful event.
This instructor was particularly impressed by the persistence and dedication shown by our students. There were too many to mention individual names here, but the level of improvement shown over the weekend was dramatic. And after a somewhat checkered start Saturday, by Sunday the students showed a keen appreciation for the principle of safety. Particularly impressive was the reaction to a "glitch" in the range commands Sunday, when the "Fire!" command was given before the "Load!" command. Not a single student inserted his prepared magazine. Bravo, students! You are an impressive group.
Special commendation to the parents who stepped back a bit and allowed their children the opportunity to experience Appleseed without undue interference. Your patience and tolerance helped make the weekend the fine experience it was. Another factor that made the weekend so successful was the appreciation that Appleseed is really more about Liberty and American heritage than anything else. Deepest appreciation to Marion Road Gun Club. Kyle, Brian, and other club members extended us every consideration and made us feel welcome and comfortable. It is a pleasure to be able to associate with such fine Americans.
Marion Road Gun Club is going to host its next Appleseed March 16-17, 2013. But Appleseed will have many more events throughout Georgia, both before and after that. We strongly encourage all of you wonderful students to come back and bring as many of your friends and family as you can. Then they will realize that what you told them is so, that an Appleseed weekend is one of the most fun things you can do, and that you go away feeling you have accomplished something enjoyable, healthy, and meaningful. In the meantime, dry fire, dry fire, dry fire! And Seventh Step with all the enthusiasm with which you are capable. Huzza to all!
I'd just like to say, in case I missed conveying this to all of our American Patriots this weekend, that it is solely and simply because of YOU who show up--in spite of all the other responsibilities you have upon you--that the instructors do not hesitate to volunteer.
YOU as the participants are Project Appleseed, and it was an honor and a privilege to be in your company on Sunday.
It is my sincere hope that we might have imparted some bit of information that could better your marksmanship, and certainly the 7th Step of Firing the Shot in the preservation of Liberty and Freedom.
Merry Christmas to all,
-goose