Project Appleseed

Your Appleseed State Board => California => Topic started by: BaldDragn on April 14, 2010, 01:43:41 PM

Title: 7th stepping in Central and Northern CA
Post by: BaldDragn on April 14, 2010, 01:43:41 PM
(Moved from working for Patriots Day)

One of more enjoyable tasks we take on as Instructors and IITs is to take the 7th step, especially when it works!

We were all taught to shoot well by people who donated their time, and the least we can do to pay them back is to get the word out.

My own personal experience was that I was dying for a way to improve SAVE our country, but the future looked bleak, to say the very least, until a bunch of instructors traveled half way across California to show us how it can be done.

I know there are more people out there, like me, that are looking for the tool that we have to save this nation. They may be held up in their bunker because they don't know about Appleseed so they don't see a reason to do otherwise. All we have to do is talk to enough people until we find them. In my case, it not only helped Appleseed, but It helped me. I'm no longer frustrated, feeling like I can't do anything about watching the country I love circling the drain, other than to prepare for the worst.

I know we have a lot of good folks doing a lot of work, so don't be shy about posting what it is you are doing in Central and Northern CA.

One of the things I did three days ago seemed like nothing at the time. I was helping a couple Appleseeders I ran across while volunteering to RSO the line at my home range. It seems that one of the 'seeders had a real hard time working the stock bolt release on his 10-22 with one hand, and the sling kept him from getting his support hand over to help release the bolt, so instead he just refused to use the sling, he didn't know about auto bolt releases for the 10-22. I walked into the office to call Jules and let her know we were coming over to the house to FIX the 10-22, and I mentioned my frustration with the stock bolt release to the assistant manager of the range while I was in there. He didn't know about auto bolt releases for the 10-22 either and asked if I could take care of his while I was at it.

I came back to the range office on Monday to return the fixed 10-22 and the manager asked if I would put on a demo of how to fix the bolt release on a 10-22 on yet another rifle that needed it. When I returned with my 5/32 chainsaw file (my favorite tool to modify the bolt holdback) and showed how to fix the bolt release I had a captive audience that included most of the range staff, and I naturally turned the subject to Appleseed.

Yesterday the Assistant manager stopped by during the Virtual Muster to tell me how much he wanted to be part of Appleseed. He had been up late the night before looking up Appleseed on the internet and he was excited, wanting to be part of it. He can not get a weekend day off right now, so we have come up with a plan where I will break the training up into one to two hour segments and I'll train him after work.

He'll get history and all, from myself and any other instructors I can get in front of him and he may have to run over to an Appleseed at the end of the day to fire the last couple AQTs to get him his patch just like everybody else gets it (just so there's no controversy).

Then we'll have an IIT setting behind the counter when people show up at the range to shoot, a 'seeder will be the first person most people talk to when they come to our range!

The moral of the story is DON'T STOP. Teach yourself to introduce people to Appleseed throughout the course of your day.

Then drop in here and tell the rest of us what you are doing, what you have done, and especially what is working!

Then people from other states can drop in here and find out how it works >:D
Title: Re: 7th stepping in Central and Northern CA
Post by: LayloPro on April 14, 2010, 05:35:29 PM
BD,
great story......great moral.......but, then, I expect nothing less from you! O0 ..:..

As you said: "Don't STOP!!"

Onward.....ever onward....

We simply do not know -who- is gonna be the next person listening to us, before they decide to listen some more...... ;)

Have a great weekend!
LLP
Title: Re: 7th stepping in Central and Northern CA
Post by: jacques on April 14, 2010, 06:03:40 PM
You are right. We just have to search around to find these people. Some of them are standing right in front of us and we don't realize it.

There is a guy at the gun shop here in town, he really wants to go to an AS but his boss will not give him a weekend off. ~~:) I don't know if he is interested in 7th stepping or not. Last time I was in there, his boss was standing right there when I asked him if he was interested in going and I got that glare.  >:( And his boss immediately reaffirmed he could not take a weekend off.

You gave me an idea though. I will look into this more with him. If he is really interested, your plan sounds sound.

Can't you score his AQT and give him a patch? I do not think anyone will think you are cheating, Or is there a rule that says it has to happen at an AS?
Title: Re: 7th stepping in Central and Northern CA
Post by: Antibubba on April 14, 2010, 08:38:11 PM
Jacques, why not see if he can get a Saturday one month, and a Sunday after?  And he is course going to be putting AS info up in the store, right? :)
Title: Re: 7th stepping in Central and Northern CA
Post by: jacques on April 14, 2010, 09:18:47 PM
Quote from: Antibubba on April 14, 2010, 08:38:11 PM
Jacques, why not see if he can get a Saturday one month, and a Sunday after?  And he is course going to be putting AS info up in the store, right? :)

There is AS info there for sure.
Title: Re: 7th stepping in Central and Northern CA
Post by: BaldDragn on April 15, 2010, 01:28:30 AM
Quote from: jacques on April 14, 2010, 06:03:40 PM
Can't you score his AQT and give him a patch? I do not think anyone will think you are cheating, Or is there a rule that says it has to happen at an AS?

Yes I could, but I want him to do it in front of other shooters. I don't want there to be ANY question about his ability, most of all in his mind.

He gets off at 16:00 and I run till 17:00, No problems. It won't be this month but it will be soon.
Title: Re: 7th stepping in Central and Northern CA
Post by: BaldDragn on April 15, 2010, 01:30:06 AM
OK back to 7th stepping. Who's got a good tale to tell us?
Title: Re: 7th stepping in Central and Northern CA
Post by: PinBreaker on June 05, 2010, 04:19:49 AM
So after last weekend's AS, I was at Masters Swim practice and my coach said "what happened to your shoulder?  You have a huge bruise!"  So I told her I was shooting at the range.  She said that she was recently invited to go shooting but now she won't even consider it.  After I explained that I was shooting a rifle with a powerful cartridge and that she could have a lot of fun shooting a more friendly .22, I invited her to the AS.  She seems interested, so I'll see if I can get her to attend the June 19th event.

I'm also checking on getting a booth spot at a homeschool conference next weekend.
Title: Re: 7th stepping in Central and Northern CA
Post by: PinBreaker on June 15, 2010, 03:42:20 AM
All this week we're all doing a mini-AS-style BB gun training for 200 Cub Scouts at day camp.  No one calls it an AS of course, but the format works well so far, so I hope you don't mind.  We had to go to the NRA-style class as the BSA doesn't recognize AS training for their RSOs.  The rotation is 32 Cubs for 80 minutes on a 16 position range.  We have 3 instruction periods and 3 courses of fire.  Mike and I made 14 mass rifles for position practice and are making use of the junior IITs.  Basically the idea is to get the kids shooting early and often with short course breaks and history at the start and when things get slowed down.  The ages vary from 6-10 years old.
Title: Re: 7th stepping in Central and Northern CA
Post by: eaglescouter on June 15, 2010, 11:16:42 AM
Quote from: PinBreaker on June 15, 2010, 03:42:20 AM
All this week we're all doing a mini-AS-style BB gun training for 200 Cub Scouts at day camp.  No one calls it an AS of course, but the format works well so far, so I hope you don't mind.  We had to go to the NRA-style class as the BSA doesn't recognize AS training for their RSOs.  The rotation is 32 Cubs for 80 minutes on a 16 position range.  We have 3 instruction periods and 3 courses of fire.  Mike and I made 14 mass rifles for position practice and are making use of the junior IITs.  Basically the idea is to get the kids shooting early and often with short course breaks and history at the start and when things get slowed down.  The ages vary from 6-10 years old.


Which Council and city?
Title: Re: 7th stepping in Central and Northern CA
Post by: Jules on June 15, 2010, 01:43:24 PM
Quote from: LayloPro on April 14, 2010, 05:35:29 PM


As you said: "Don't STOP!!"

We simply do not know -who- is gonna be the next person listening to us, before they decide to listen some more...... ;)

Have a great weekend!
LLP


I hear ya! In the deep dark recesses of my huge purse, I carry swat flier's(with current event/map for Sac stuffed inside), trifolds, and my business cards. I am capable of participating in conversations that even have a faint smell of being able to be segueway  into Appleseed. Typically I look for women. I handed out Swats/trifolds at Costco to my gracious clerk, who's husband just got on as a CO at San Quentin. I left some with the gal at Lowe's. I monthly stop in at the Feed store up here, and Starbucks ( say what you will, but we are a 501(3)(c) ) lets me post our info every time. I basically talk to anyone that is warm and breathing. I can tell if they aren't interested. I DO ask if they have a husband/wife/brother/ etc. who IS interested. If so, I place a flier in their hands. If not, I don't waste the cost of the flier, but will hand out the insert we print for the current event with the map, and the Eventbright link to register. The info on the front and back will get them to the Appleseed website. It helps that I am not shy about talking to folks. It also helps that we have moved to a community rather like Mayberry. Friendly, chatty, open. We often have our Instructor's dinner at the local pizza place. I know I will get the owner's wife out here eventually. I leave fliers ALL the time, and they agreed to post ours in the window. I do not know unless I ask. All they can say is no. It helps to be 5 ft 3inches, and bubbly. Any guys out there who qualify may get positive results as well  ;)

love Jules
Title: Re: 7th stepping in Central and Northern CA
Post by: PinBreaker on June 16, 2010, 03:23:21 AM
Quote from: eaglescouter on June 15, 2010, 11:16:42 AM
Quote from: PinBreaker on June 15, 2010, 03:42:20 AM
All this week we're all doing a mini-AS-style BB gun training for 200 Cub Scouts at day camp.  No one calls it an AS of course, but the format works well so far, so I hope you don't mind.  We had to go to the NRA-style class as the BSA doesn't recognize AS training for their RSOs.  The rotation is 32 Cubs for 80 minutes on a 16 position range.  We have 3 instruction periods and 3 courses of fire.  Mike and I made 14 mass rifles for position practice and are making use of the junior IITs.  Basically the idea is to get the kids shooting early and often with short course breaks and history at the start and when things get slowed down.  The ages vary from 6-10 years old.


Which Council and city?

Pioneer District of Golden Empire Council