The May 23-24 25m Rifle Event at Concord, California began with cool temperatures, no wind, partly cloudy skies and 15 shooters coming together and dedicated in unity for a memorable Memorial Day weekend filled with stories of Revolutionary War history and links to their heritage that carried forward 251 years and directly affected each of them to this day. Supporting these Patriots at a 1 instructor to 2 shooter ratio were the "All Star" volunteer team of Bill, Jason, Victor, Gareth, Dan, Darryl and our newest Orange Hat team member Mathew. The Range hosting us is known as the United Sportsman's Incorporated (USI) Range off of Evora Road in Concord. To Project Appleseed's local Team, they are almost like a supporting family of close friends. Larry, the former USI President is still actively involved in daily marksmanship events at the Range and takes the time to personally visit with us and smile at our Revolutionary War time period flags waving over the Range skyline on our own flagpoles anchored to the sunshade pop up legs. Traci who smoothly communicates and seamlessly coordinates the planning and preparation for each event with the Project Appleseed Team always finds the time to leave the office and come and visit our event as well. A hearty THANK YOU to them for being a big part of Project Appleseed Team Concord's success. HUZZAH!
This Memorial Day weekend also marked the special relationship between the USI organization and Project Appleseed by the authorized installation of an equipment storage shed on site only 40 feet from our normal Target Bay. We are indeed fortunate to have earned the trust by the USI leadership and management to be permitted this valuable resource. The Concord Team is now well-positioned to store equipment on-site and have maximal access should an instructor(s) owning the equipment not be able to personally attend. A special shout out to Gareth and Victor for taking extra time out of their weekend to help build the shed at USI. HUZZAH!
Saturday morning started with only 1 shooter managing to use their rifle in a cold bore shot challenge and hit the shingle/plank on the Hits Count Target set. That result was not sustained however as the shooters applied essential Steady Hold Factors, critical Natural Point of Aim principles, and the proven 6-steps of Making the Shot to hit 9 shingles by the conclusion of Saturday's program. Along the way, three shooters qualified as expert marksmen being awarded their Rifleman patches. Seul Ki, Thomas, and Paul. On Sunday they were joined by Will who distinguished himself by shooting three consecutive Rifleman qualifying scores. The entire group also honored our nation's fallen that Memorial Day weekend by participating in a special group fire exercise replicating a historically significant battle on 19 April 1775 at the Foot of the Rocks located to the west of Menotomy. As the Project Appleseed Team shares with its sharing of the events during the Third Strike of the Match as 1700 Redcoat troops marched eastward towards the safety of Boston, Colonist militia, minutemen, and alarm company members gathered directly ahead of Lord Percy's vanguard elements to engage them at various closing distance ranges. As the fighting raged and colonial forces fell back into the town, 25 Americans perished in close quarter battle and hand to hand combat marking that town as the one that suffered the highest casualties that day. Captain Will, elected by his platoon of minutemen and reliving history at the Foot of the Rocks Battle, rapidly developed a plan of action and coordinated firing by specified participants at specific Redcoat targets and on command. A very special shout out to Leo who at 17 years of age attended this event with his dad Andy. I will share that Andy was so proud that his son insisted on bringing his father's CMP M1 Garand in 30-06 to use in the event. Leo did his father proud by hitting the BULLSEYE dead center on the final target assigned by Captain Will. I should also point out that leo had NEVER FIRED THIS RIFLE before the Memorial Day weekend. Our future is indeed in good hands with dads like Andy and sons like Leo learning, working, and experiencing all that the 25 meter rifle event offers to participants. Indeed it goes beyond learning marksmanship but also forging with shared experience what fathers and sons also experienced together on 19 April 1775. The Memorial Day participants at Concord, California on this day learned what common men and women of Colonial America did that day in defense of Liberty and the ideals self-governance and honored them with successfully engaging those Redcoat targets.HUZZAH!
It should be noted that shooters participating from events adjacent to Project Appleseed were seen to be standing and watching our program of instruction and courses of fire. The Team seized the opportunity to distribute program pamphlets and give a condensed summary of exactly what we do and why we do it. HUZZAH!
In closing, Team Concord Project Appleseed's All Volunteer crew expresses our appreciation in being of service to the participants on this sacred Memorial Day weekend. They chose to spend their precious time and effort with us and we are honored. In celebration of the liberty that the fallen have paid for to protect that which we hold so dear starting on 19 April 1775... Huzzah Huzzah HUZZAH!!!!
I had a great time at this event! For one thing, it was probably the best temperature and weather I've experienced at USI, where it can be blazing hot in the summer, and wet in the fall and winter. This was nice!
I really enjoyed the Foot of the Rocks group fire exercise. Instruction and AQTs are great for learning and practice, but sometimes it is nice to change it up with a fun group fire exercise. I enjoyed the Parker's Revenge special exercise when I had a chance to participate in that last year, and I enjoyed this too. And in both cases, I like how these group exercises are designed to tie the history lessons directly to the shooting exercises. I think it enhances both the history lessons and the shooting experience. I'm definitely interested is seeing more of these kinds of activities in the future to break up the second day.
I was able to accomplish a personal Appleseed goal of mine -- clearing the Hits Count target. I've gotten close a few times in the past and finally cleared it on Saturday. To me, that was almost as satisfying as scoring my Rifleman.
This was also my first time bringing a friend to an event. He had a great time, despite some rifle issues, and he's planning on getting a more suitable Liberty Training Rifle and coming back in September.