Project Appleseed

Hot weather.  Ok, really hot weather.  104+

Lots of attentive shooters, 27 of them, 4 of them youth shooters. Great instructors.....All adds up to another wonderful Sacramento Appleseed July 18-19.

With the combined efforts of all the Instructors, we had almost enough ez-ups to shade all the shooters.  We also added 4 misting systems to the ez-ups. Made a very hot day much easier to work with. THANK YOU to all who brought them.

Kept two 5 gal water jugs filled with ice and water both days.

Started Saturday abt 8:45 with safety briefing then Red Coats...Then began the fire hose of info. Shooters were very attentive despite the rising temps.

Groups began shrinking as students began seeing how things worked together.

Broke for lunch around 12:30.

Eaglescouter told a short prehistory abt the intolerable acts. NorCal22Gal followed with 1st strike, BaldDragn told the 2nd and Nukechaser finished up with the 3rd strike.  BaldDragn gave a short followup. It was very quiet during the stories...more so than I remember it ever being before.

After lunch it was back to the fire hose....(we were wishing for a real one by mid afternoon).

We were able to get one AQT in before the end of the day.  Jesse, a return appleseeder, posted the first rifleman score....(220?)  Lippen, who got a 211 in May, returned to prove he really does know what he's abt and posted a nice 216.

Saturday ended with Red Coats and Benediction.

Sunday began with the review of the safety rules and then it was off again. Reviews of all we taught Saturday. 12 shooters 3 of them youth.

Lunch was full of stories of the Dangerous Old Men and the Determined Ladies.

Then it was back to the line.  AQT time.

The heat was a factor and wore on shooters and instructors. No riflemen scores on Sunday.  Lots of folks close. Lippen decided that he was ready and took on the orange hat. Welcome aboard.

Can't wait to see what the future brings for these folks...most are returning and hope to bring family and friends.

Another great Appleseed!
It was hot but, it could always be worse.
I am grateful for the top notch instructors I have had the opportunity to work with in Sacramento. Each one of them impresses me in many ways.
There we're lots of eager shooters wanting to learn rifle marksmanship and improvements we're made by all. It would have been easy for them to quit due to heat; some took breaks from the shooting, some didn't, but they all persevered.
I was particularly impressed by a young man, Mike, and his grandfather. Grandpa hadn't shot in 40 yrs! They we're both shooting bolt guns with iron sights. Mike had a .308 and Grandpa a .30-06. even though numerous instructors offered to loan them LTR's, they kept at it all day Sat. and Grandpa finally took the offer on Sun...Mike followed shortly after. Mike's comment was "22's are easy". Yes they are Mike, compared to a .308 bolt gun. Nice job to both of you.
I had the chance to work with a number of fine students who had a very teachable attitude and, I think, took a great deal away from the weekend. History, heritage, and rifle marksmanship we're on full display this weekend in 'sac.
There we're fathers and daughters, friends, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters and individuals represented at this Appleseed, and aside from the fact that we are saving the country, I think the thing I like best about the Appleseed program is the family aspect and camaraderie.

There's a ton more stuff to say but I'll leave it to the other instructors and shooters.

NorCal22Gal is going to make a great shoot boss, she did a great job, as did all the instructors.
pg

Quote from: polygunner on July 22, 2010, 01:14:40 AM
NorCal22Gal is going to make a great shoot boss

I'll second that!

Cheers
Phil

Well, Well, Well.... Laurie is doing the Shoot Boss thing...

and looking good doing it, too!!!  I always knew she would be able to do it,
and know she has the heart to step up into that green hat...

My most sincere congratulations to you girl.... Just look how far you have come...

You DaBomb!!!!!

  Thanks.

Talk about perseverance...it was quite a hot weekend but most stuck it out and soaked in some great history and marksmanship.  Mike and I love being a part of Appleseed as it gives us a chance to meet some great people...most are down to earth, kind, helpful, positive, salt of the earth types with whom we like to surround ourselves.

Congratulations to Jesse and Lippen...I knew Jesse was getting his rifleman from his first square.  My challenge was all five in one hole!  I think he almost did it!

Thanks to all of the shooters and instructors for a fun, safe weekend.

Congratulations Laurie on such a smooth weekend!  

Great shoot folks
To think 104 % whew! And we were freezing at Chabot 
Thanx for the pics and nice to see you again.
JA

Quote from: 30 Cal Sleeper on July 23, 2010, 01:02:56 AM
Talk about perseverance...it was quite a hot weekend but most stuck it out and soaked in some great history and marksmanship.  Mike and I love being a part of Appleseed as it gives us a chance to meet some great people...most are down to earth, kind, helpful, positive, salt of the earth types with whom we like to surround ourselves.

Congratulations to Jesse and Lippen...I knew Jesse was getting his rifleman from his first square.  My challenge was all five in one hole!  I think he almost did it!

Thanks to all of the shooters and instructors for a fun, safe weekend.

Congratulations Laurie on such a smooth weekend! 

Each Appleseed event has it's own special flavor. And just when I think an event couldn't run better or smoother or have the best IIT's and Instructors....it just gets better. This was one of those groups of not only students, but up and coming IIT's and Instructors-- to our SBIT Laurie. She rocked it, she really did. Girlfriend: you can send me a 3 page POI anytime you like, and I will volunteer for a strike! I love how organized you were, and you were able to read the student's needs and listen to your gut, and get the job done. I am so proud of you. It was hard staying inside the house knowing you were outside doing such an awesome job.

The house was overflowing with Instructors this month. I love that we live out here, for starters. That being said; I love that the Instructors and the IIT's and students that come to stay with us. It makes for a very cohesive group. Everyone seems to feel more comfortable around one another, and it works in the best of ways.

I came out and did Admin in the morning, and we had a steady group of preregistered and a half dozen walk ons. I was so glad to see Rachel out here again. Her brother Phil is one of our new IIT's.(and he brings the best donuts on earth to us here at Sac Valley)  She was able to stay Saturday only, but will be back out next month. She is a very special person.  It was heating up quickly. Skyler  made sure the students and the Instructors had plenty of water. We discovered about a dozen ice blocks frozen in loaf pans in the old refrigerator by range 10. This is the same range that has the ugly but working microwave. We stole the blocks of ice, but refilled them for future use. We had no incidents of heat stroke, but we did have a pair leave early Saturday. And yes, it was 104. And kudos to Jesse for scoring his Rifleman. I know we will see him again soon.

The history was awesome. The history is typically awesome here in Sac, but much more so this time as we had new folks telling the strikes and the stories. And I love how each individual puts their own twist on the story to make it their own. And I never tire of looking around at the students as they listen; some not for the first time, as they sit quietly soaking it in.  I see the interest, I see the tears.......... I see their thought process........... I watch to see who our new IIT's will be. Once they hear their heritage, it has been impossible to keep them from volunteering.

We finished Saturday with Pizza and AAR. We have so many good Instructors with great ideas...... we tossed ideas around, and eventually headed home to bed. Saturday night you had to watch where you walked, for fear of stepping on an instructor on the floor. I love a full house.


Sunday morning. How 7 people manage to get ready and all be out the door by 7:30am amazes me. And everyone is smiling. Must be the donuts.

I was able to come and go as needed on Sunday. Amazing was the fact that we had so many IIT's and Red hats to take care of everything. Not one student was shortchanged on Sunday, as the ratio was about 1:1 

It was great to see  Skyler, Lisa, and Bob get up and do history. Did I mention that the history was great this weekend? I looked into the eyes of our students on Sunday and told them that "one person CAN make a difference."  I am grateful to be part of this wonderful group of teachers, and hope I never lose the 'teachable' attitude. There is much to be learned with the caliber of Instructors we have here.

I came out for the last few hours of Sunday, knowing that the heat would kick my butt. It did, but I am glad I came out anyway. I was unwilling that they have all the fun, while I was stuck at home in the cool air.

I am delighted that L!ppen is now an IIT along with Hambone. A mother is allowed undiluted joy at the growth in her children............

What a great AAR on Sunday! BD had much to be proud of: IIT's coming out of the woodwork.............. a SBIT that made his weekend a breeze, and students who didn't want to leave to go home by Sunday evening......When they stay to help you break down the  backers, clean up the brass, and pack your car, you know they are having a good time.

Looking forward to what August will bring. Besides 104 degrees, that is.......

Jules

And I did NOTHING... ABSOLUTLY NOTHING!!!

Naw, that's not true, but not far from it.

I tossed the metaphorical ball to NorCal22Gal and she ran with it. It was an unusual feeling knowing that I was not needed for this shoot. NorCal22Gal had it completely under her well organized control. From start to finish she put this one together and any time I thought I needed to put in my two cents it turned out she had already seen what was needed and had the resolution under way, occasionally using me as her resource just as she should.

Like everybody else I was very impressed with our shooters for showing up (even thought the forcast said 104*) with teachable attitudes, and sticking it out in the heat. We did everything we could for them, even covering most of the line with our EZups, and setting up 40' of misters, but there was just no escaping the heat after lunch.

For the first time in a long time I was able to spend most of my time instructing, it felt good to get down on the line again, except for that moment when I plopped down into seated position in the sun next to a shooter and was quickly reminded just how hot that gravel was, yeeouch!

We have lots of new IITs in the Sacramento area that are working very hard. They also showed up with teachable attitudes and I really enjoyed working with them. It was great to know I had all the time I needed to step away with an IIT and teach them the simplicity and precision of how to instruct.

It's great to see the eyes of fellow Americans open to their heritage and see the spirit of liberty shared equally between staff and shooters. It was obvious that the group we had this month are well awake and know well what they are about. I'm looking forward to see many of these people again because I know if they have the spirit to show up at times like this they will certainly be back when the weather is kinder to us, and that applies to both staff and shooters.

I have no doubt last weekend will be a time well remembered by all in attendance.

Well done NorCal22Gal, I'm just itching to put that hat in you 'cause I'll be happy to work for you anytime!

Sorry for the late posting. I mean, seriously! What has it been? At least, if not, an entire month! I've been super busy, but I finally got around to it. Here's some of what I got. I took these with my Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i I uploaded all of these on my Flickr under private, so they are only viewable by myself. Please do not use unless you notify me first. If you would like the original sizes, let me know and I'll send you the links. Thanks for viewing my shots and enjoy! - GS



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Sorry for the late posting. I mean, seriously! What has it been? At least, if not, an entire month! I've been super busy, but I finally got around to it. Here's some of what I got. I took these with my Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i I uploaded all of these on my Flickr under private, so they are only viewable by myself. Please do not use unless you notify me first and/or I give you permission to use them. If you would like the original sizes, let me know and I'll send you the links. Thanks for viewing my shots and enjoy! - GS



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Yes, some old pics: