We just finished out an incredible Pistol Clinic in Fowler, Indiana!
The weather is definitely turning cooler this time of year in northern Indiana, and we had frost on the ground to start both days. But it didn't last long. It was sunny both days and the temperatures got slightly warmer by the afternoon with no wind, so essentially it was amazing weather if not a touch on the cool side. (I had mentioned to our students that I had learned many years ago in a meteorology class that high wind was caused by lack of staples, so they listened intently and used lots of staples!)
It was such a privilege to work with such a diverse group of students, half of whom came all the way from out of state! Two came from a state to the west of us, and another from six hours away in Southern Kentucky!
We started the day off Saturday with a good introduction to the program and some very captivating history. We learned safety and the fundamentals first, and everyone was excited to be there and eager to learn. After hearing about the second strike over the lunch hour and some more exercises, we were ready to start our first PQT by mid afternoon. It was an eye-opener!
We started the morning Sunday all bundled up doing a thorough review of everything. During our breaks, we talked a little bit more about history and heritage, as well as a few people that made a big difference on April 19, 1775. We got warmed up with pistol drills and started to see a lot of progress. Then came a PQT before lunch - and we saw so much progress! Laura, who had driven the farthest, doubled her score from the first PQT. We welcomed Brandon, a new Pistoleer™, into our ranks! Josh, attending his second pistol clinic, really started to shine this weekend and things really came together for him.
Breea, who had nearly no pistol experience previously, picked things up very quickly and demonstrated some really solid scores. That level of learning just really makes us happy!
Reed, who also had very little pistol experience, showed a real aptitude for learning with some very solid scores. And Ivan showed consistency and dedication across three different pistols. We would end up getting three more chances for the PQT that day, and Brandon would go on to score pistol or two more times, one of which was only a few points away from distinguished. Everyone else made consistently good progress as well!
All of our class was a joy to be around, and a very good reflection of what it means to be American. We appreciate that they trusted us with their weekend and showed up both days with fantastic attitudes which really blessed us in the end. I was once again reminded how rewarding this program is and why I do this. As much as I want to make a difference in the lives of others, I find that very often it is those others who make a difference in my life. And I am thankful for each and every opportunity I have to spend with my Appleseed family!
This was my second time doing this pistol clinic! I will be back and I thank Our shoot boss Captain America as well as Geek and JHB for their excellent work with the whole weekend! I hope to see you guys at the next Appleseed pistol event! I hope to be able to attend in March of next year at the same location! Great job to all who had participated as well!
PSADag9 (Josh)
Here are some pics I took.
A review of grip
Winners of the Big Dot Little Dot challenge
We had one Pistoleer™