Cloverdale Mini-appleseed AAR
What a great day to Appleseed! Dholder arrived first and was waiting patiently when I got there. We chatted for a few minutes before DaveD arrived and went to go start setting up the line. Unforgiven1203 and his Luddite ;) friend Bob, from Ohio, and driving separately, another INGO member, JSHarmon7, arrived in short order. With the line set up, we did our safety briefing and our two new Appleseeders were quick to pick up and we had few questions during the day. Once we were able to do so due to range rules, we fired our first Redcoat with Unforgiven1203 realizing he needed to sight in his rifle (New scope) and our other shooters showing potential and ability that needed a bit of shaping. With some instruction, we began to see groups, then tighter groups, until we decided they were ready to play with the big boys... AQT time! (Sadly, we did not have many of the full AQT sheets, so we improvised with Classification AQTs.) Unforgiven1203 posted a personal best of 228, Bob continued to show improvement. We stopped for lunch and chatted some. I regret that we did not use this time to tell any of the Appleseed history. This was the only real regret I had today, for after lunch, JSHarmon7 came back and showed the AQT who was boss, blasting a 216 score out. Once we double-checked my math, I told the little bit of the story that accompanies this event, and as DaveD has said, I had the pleasure of handing him his patch. We took some photos of his Redcoat from the morning next to his AQT to show the comparison and shortly thereafter, we got a surprise.
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd198/St-Michael/Appleseed/100_0351.jpg)
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd198/St-Michael/Appleseed/100_0352.jpg)
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd198/St-Michael/Appleseed/100_0353.jpg)
It seems our newest Rifleman had only shot his first rifle two weeks ago, and that, just out plinking.
This program works and works well. I am exceptionally pleased with the receptive, openminded, teachable attitude of our shooters in general and these two men especially. JSHarmon7 was very clear in his intention to return for a full shoot and I have my suspicions that Bob will be also.
Thank you to DHolder for coming out to teach, to DaveD and Cloverdale Conservation Club for hosting the shoot, and most of all to our shooters, without whom we would have no program at all.
Blessings,
Bill
Great job all and great AAR! Another blade of grass is covered and another American Rifleman awakened.
Cloverdale Mini does it again!
Sounds like a fine day at Cloverdale to me! Sorry I had to miss.
(I also suspect Unforgiven1203 could teach all of the Appleseed POIs at this point.) ;)
Quote from: ATM on September 13, 2009, 08:21:57 AM
Sounds like a fine day at Cloverdale to me! Sorry I had to miss.
(I also suspect Unforgiven1203 could teach all of the Appleseed POIs at this point.) ;)
He could and does, but when asked about taking a hat, he declines... he says he likes shooting still. He Seventh-Steps quite a bit, though, attending just about every mini and usually bringing at least one other person with him. "They also serve...", I guess.
Bill
Absolutely. Serving the program mission does not require a hat. (And I still like shooting as well!) :)