Well, in spite of all the challenges, this Appleseed is another 'success' from my point of view.
I thought Friday eve was to portend the weekend, as the skies opened, and a brief downpour soaked the ground (it IS an APpleseed tradition) whole spending three hours on the range dropping off supplies and setting the preliminary target line.
Fri night I got a call from Crash, who advised he changed his travel itenerary to sleep first and travel from (?Charlotte) VA to PA starting 2 AM.
Sat AM I was up again at 06:00 and loading up the truck for final. 7:30 saw the final mile direction signs posted, the gates opened and the range building opened. 07:45, the first shooters arrived, while Wayne Borngessor and I were doing some range maintainance, and placing fresh cardboard on the target line. Doug (VAShooter) arrived about 8:00 and registration was conducted in an orderly fashion. Of 15 pre-registrants for the day, 13 arrived, plus two walk on's. A Range safety briefing was condcted, and I passed the torch to Doug, as I had a "pressing" family engagemetn to attend to. Reports to me were that after several sets of 6 squares, and a final AQT, one rifleman (224) was had, but significant improvement in prone position. A fair amount of trigger slap was recognized. Precious little history (by report).
Sun AM the group was on line at 8:45, and a review of April 19, 1775, Isaac Davis, the Ring of Fire from Concord to Lexington, and the "White Death" were reviewed. The "Six Steps" were reviewed (and I must say, I was a little dissapointed they didn't shout it out a little more clearly or vigerosly) and another Red Coat target. A few officers bought it, and a pair of 400 yard shooters from prone. A little "special effort" by Doug with the new shooter, without sling, on an AK) and a pair of "classification" AQT's reviewing the basics of the positions. Again, either the understanding of the concept, of the willingness to share, appeared a tad lacking. By now, they did a Full AQT "Non Stop" and a break for lunch. A bunch more AQT's "on the clock" in stages (their request) and a "shoot the star".
A total of 2 Riflemen were awarded, though a set of brothers were going strong until the AR-15 began to malf, inspite of a dose of CLP on the bolt.
By now, the 'antsyness' to leave and travel to VA (family of three boys with a very spportive and knowledgable mom) and the fatigue had set back in, so some words of encouragement, and now the sticks had cooled enough to be put away. Everyone helped knock down the target line, and the boys all left for home.
Special thanks to Crash and Doug (VA shooter) for last minute response to make this happen, as M1A4ME got laid up with an ntravelable condition!
I learned a few things from the guys (both boot camp grads, I beleive) and had a blast seeing 7 youth participate and glean some beginning to advanced riflemen skill.
DocT, aka Barry
Good Job, great to hear the message is being spread and riflemen being made in PA. Thanks DocT!