The 27th Annual NRA Youth Sportsfest Firearms Safety Camp was held on Saturday June 7th, 2014 at the the Birchwood Recreation & Shooting Park in Chugiak, Alaska for 300 youth ages 12 -18 & 100 youth ages 8 -11.
RWVA / Project Appleseed Alaska attended with a formal presence for the first time at this event which is a highly popular and always soldout annual event for Alaska Youth Shooters. It is hosted by the Alaska Youth Shooting Sports Association, director Brian Vanderwood. Participating organizations include the Alaska Gun Collectors Assn., the Alaska Machine Gun Club, Safari Club International, Mt. Mckinley Muzzle Loading Rifle Club, and more. Youth in the older age group get to participate in Archery, Skeet, Trap, Black Powder -- Muzzle Loaders, Rimfire Pistol & Rifle, Cowboy Action, Fully Automatic Sub Machine Guns, and High Power Hunting Rifle stations.
Appleseed set up at the "end of the line" next to the SCI's High Power Rifle station. Mr. Francis Gallela of SCI Alaska graciously directed every group of the 8 relays throughout the day to visit our booth. We were able to amplify their instruction on Sight Picture, Breath Control & Trigger Squeeze as well as telling portions of the Three Strikes to rapt youth and parents.
I estimated 260 youth and 40 Adults visited the booth. We handed out Red Coats, Rifleman Challenge Targets and 2014 Alaska Event Fliers. We provided many with trifolds too. ItsanSKS and fisherdawg (me) told portions of the History. Steve V. & grandson Christain "Blue Hatted" at the event (even though I was short of Blue Hats) and Taka222 and 509Gman worked the crowd.
We took the opportunity during the day and lunch to meet and introduce Appleseed to other shooter groups including Cowboy Action, Machine Gunners, Archery, SCI and the NRA RSO's present. Brian Vanderwood gave very good 'props' to Appleseed for the 7 Free A/S certificates that we donated to the door prize table.
Recommendations for next year:
As the first few youth start to congregate at the booth in each relay, I recommend that we launch into the preliminaries & First Strike. The story could be presented as a 'cliff hanger' and encourage the audience to attend A/S or L/S to 'hearing the rest of the story.' This should be done with every relay. The other instructors can work the edge of the crowd and be alert to those who have questions etc. The hunger for the History was very apparent in those relays where we told it. A bit of script should be provided to SCI to improve even further their oustanding direction to every group to visit our booth.
We need to think on a shooting demonstration for Appleseed perhaps over their lunch session -- the machine gunners present a 'Mad Minute', perhaps we could present a RifleMan's Challege with several instructors with a variety of Rimfire & Centerfire rifles. This would only take a minute and then the Targets could be passed around the audience for confirmation and promotion of A/S as the place to learn the fundamentals to accomplish the necssary level of skill.
All in all a very sucessful day of getting Appleseed in front of hundreds of new eyeballs. ;D
A special thanks to Steve V. for helping out as well as ItsanSKS, Taka222 & 509Gman. O0
A super special thanks and gratitude to Christian who willing headed done to help eagleriver with his orienteering station for the 8 to 11 year old group where eagleriver found himself manning it alone! Attaboy Christian! O0 O0 O0
Good job, particularly on looking forward to "how to make it better, next time"!
Try and refine your message to include a recruiting pitch as an option for those who seem particularly interested. O0