Waterman IL May 3-4, 2014

[Pkvoss]

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10203877389958293&type=1&l=5066532c4a

[Mutti]

Wow - Sure like to see such great photos.  Thanks

[Boston]

Thanks for taking all these photos! We had a busy day on Saturday and this was a great help!!!

Look forward to seeing you at another great shoot.

[Yogi]

Thanks Peter!  Awesome pics! Hope to see you out there're again..

[endpoint]

Fantastic weekend!  With the exception of some wind on Saturday blowing our target line around a little, and a shower around lunch time on Sunday, we had fine weather.  I'd like to thank Aurora Sportsman's club for hosting us.  It was my first time visiting this range and I'm glad I finally got there.

Eighteen shooters stepped up to the line on Saturday, running almost the gamut of age and experience.  Despite some equipment problems throughout both days your hard work paid off.  Targets don't lie and the red coats tell the story of improvement and hard work.  It was also a pleasure to see all eighteen return the next day! Sunday ended with sunny skies and big smiles (mine included).  I hope to see you all again at future Appleseeds!

Congratulations are in order for Sergeant Cifka who shot rifleman on Saturday.  Thank you for your help on the line and thank you for your service.  Did DrRichP mention that he's holding aside an orange hat for you?  Wasn't sure if he told you....   

Thank you Sergeant Ausmann for your service and persistance.

I want to thank DrRichP, Boston, Yogi and BooBoo for stepping up to help out at this event.  Your commitment to the program is obvious and my sbit2 went very smoothly mainly due to your enthusiasm and teamwork.  It was a pleasure working with you all!

Also, congratulations Boston for taking the red hat!  You are an asset to the instructor corp. I hope to see you often on the trail.

[endpoint]

The AAR is up    With PkVoss's permission I will link them there as well.

Thanks for taking these pictures Pete.  Better than my little phone could do!

[Pkvoss]

Your welcome!

[Boston]

What a great group of shooter we had. Was a great pleasure to work with all of you. I saw some great improvement in the new shooters, some going from not hitting the first redcoat to clearing stages by Sunday afternoon. Others shot great groups and just need a little more focus (some on the front sight) to get those last few points on stage 4.

We had about all the weather you could have except snow but no one called it quits until the sun was shining late Sunday afternoon. I look forwRd to the opportunity to see you all again.

I took a few photos, nothing as professional as Pete but endpoint had me running around all weekend. 

[Pkvoss]

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10203877389958293&type=1&l=5066532c4a

[endpoint]

Thanks Pete!

[colycat]

Good to see the numbers growing at Waterman and really good to see Endpoint back on the line.  Rich, you were missed.

Ive always thought Waterman should be a sell out every month due to the support of the club and its great range.  Also it should help that Chicago metro is so close.

[endpoint]

Thanks Coly, good to be back! I'm sure I'll see you on the trail soon

[Pkvoss]

Just thinking out loud...I think the advertisement for appleseed is a little lacking.  I'm not blaming anyone, but maybe some posters can be printed up and hung at all the "friendly" gun stores and ranges in the area, churches, libraries, Liberty Poles, Panera bread restaurants have a corkboard, jewel-osco at the building exits about 6-8 weeks before an event. I've seen billboards pictures from other states. Be more active on social media websites. Maybe craigslist.org  is an option.

I know many people have a job, family and responsibilities, me too;  this is only a suggestion.
I think it's sad the events are not full, from the experience of my 2 events, you have an amazing group of people!
Thank you for the event and reading my soap box.

[Pkvoss]

I heard about appleseed from:

http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/
http://survivalblog.com
Thank you again!

[Laredo]

Wow - looks like a great event! 

Congrats, Boston, on the Red Hat! 

...oh, and Great pic's Pkvoss!  Love em...

[DrRichP]

This was a great weekend! My thanks to all the shooters who came out and, despite the weather, made this a great success. Eighteen on Saturday and all 18 returned on Sunday ... Outstanding!

Endpoint, Boston, Yogi, and Boo Boo, without your considerable efforts and stellar performance, this weekend would not have been the success it was. Huzzah gentelman! 

Congratulations to Boston for earning his Red Hat! Outstanding!   Now if I can only get you some better taste in baseball teams. Seriously Ben, I couldn't be prouder for you and you're a credit to the instructor core. Thank you!

Congratulations, and much gratitude, are in order for active duty U.S. Army Sergeant Cifka who shot rifleman on Saturday, and active duty U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Ausmann. Likewise congratulations to Gravy (Chris) who requalified as Rifleman.

Great pictures Pete!! I too would like to thank Aurora Sportsman's club for hosting us.

To all the attendees, young and old, male and female alike, to see your smiling faces and watch you grow makes all our efforts worth it. Keep on, and I hope to see you on the Appleseed trail again!

[Trig]

Another great event! Way to go guys!   

[Gravy]

It's was a great weekend!  I brought my son to his first AS and he loved it!  He was literally running up and down the range to check targets.  Boy does he want that Rifleman patch!  He's already asking when we can go to the next event.

I really appreciate the way the instructors took all the kids to one end of the range and gave them personal attention.  It was good for him to hear someone else providing the instruction.  He also had a lot of fun just being able to talk and shoot with the other kids.  Segregating the kids together is a great practice!

I thought the instruction was excellent.  Congrats Boston on the Red Hat!  All the positions were covered well.  The steady hold factors, the six steps to firing a shot, NPOA, IMC, talking targets, all received good explanation.  There were a few issues with line commands, but they didn't cause any problems.  Being familiar with AS, I'm happy to say I learned several new things this weekend.  Elbow bones and front sight MOA are instruction I'll take away from this weekend.  Thanks guys!

The only suggestion I have to improve the COF would be to spread-out the 3 strikes and the benediction.  Between 12-5 on Saturday, we heard all 3 strikes and a benediction in just 5 hours!  I think this was overkill.  During the 3rd strike and benediction, between 4-5 pm, we were all tired; guys were asleep and kids were falling out of their chairs.  I later quizzed my son and he didn't learn much about the war - he couldn't even tell me about Meriam's Corner and when America was born.  This isn't a knock on the instructors, just the program schedule.  In the old days when I use to go, the strikes were spaced-out evenly between both days, and it was a lot easier to digest.  People learn and retain more information when it is presented in small doses with time to process it.  Considering all shooters from Saturday returned for Sunday, no one would have missed any history if it had been presented both days.  I'm glad this overload didn't deter anyone from returning on Sunday. 

It was a good weekend overall.  We even had the obligatory Waterman rainfall and it hardly affected us.  I thank the instructors for their proud recognition of the active military personnel that attended.  I think it really made them feel welcome and appreciated.  I think everyone had a good time and improved their rifleman skills.  I only wish the history had been presented better.  Maybe that could be fixed?!  Good job and I'll see you guys next time!

Chris

[ksebek]

Had an wonderful weekend!!! You gentlemen have an amazing amount of patience.  Thank you, all!!!!!