Mariposa June 19-20, 2010 - Father's Day on the Range

[Romeo's Hero]

What a great Appleseed! and a great group of Appleseeders.

Mariposa Fish and Game Range was a new location for Apleseed and we hope to make a lasting relationship with this range. Thank you to the Pritchett's (who gladly opened their home, and kitchen, to the AS instructors) and all those who were involved in setting up this event, and for all those who came out and BBQ'd for us, what an amazing welcoming.

Saturday gave us 15 participants (all new to Appleseed). We started with the Redcoat targets and a little history about April 19, 1775,  and then continued on to teaching the steady hold factors, 6 steps of firing the shot, and Natural Point of Aim. Students were receptive to all the instruction and it showed in the with the improvement group size on the targets. During lunch the students (and those cooking for us) all sat and listened to the story of the events of April 19, 1775. Students continued improving and learning all of Saturday and the event was closed out with one AQT and a final Redcoat. All participant stayed to help with cleanup and listen to the shoot benediction.

On Sunday we welcomed back 5 shooters (many had other obligations for Father's Day celebrations). We worked with the shooters to improve the skills that they learned on Saturday and helped with various issues. All students improved and during lunch they took a well deserved break and listened to the stories of Dangerous Old Men, and some Determined Dames. After lunch we continued with the AQT grind.

At the end of the Appleseed we had a few shooters who were well on their way to a rifleman score and all shooters were beginning to understand what the heart of a Rifleman is.

We look forward to going back to the Mariposa Fish and Game Range later this year and hopefully many more times.

Your Shoot Boss
Romeo's Hero - Juliette

Instructors
Garand56 - David
Double D - Dexter
Furrow Foot - Neil

[Romeo's Hero]

I forgot to mention -

This being a Father's Day shoot I got to have my own father come out and participate in the event, and he brought his good friend with him, they both came for Saturday only due to work on Sunday. It was exciting for me to have the first of my family come and see what Appleseed is and why I commit so much of my time to organization.

When I talked to him on Sunday he said that he had recommended it to all of my sisters and that he wanted my mom to attend one also. This was a great way to spend father's day - sharing heritage and rifle marksmanship with my own father.

It was great to see so many father's out with their kids, it means that the heritage is continuing to get passed down.


I love you Dad!

[Johnnyappleseed]

Bet your Dad is proud of you RH 
Everyone in Ca. sure is, nice shoot 
JA
ps Is it Garand 56?

[Bullpine]

Excellent class in Mariposa. Thanks RomeosHero and the crew, you did a great job. Even though we were only able to attend the Saturday session, I absorbed alot of info as did my son Wesley. We are planning our first practice session this week. It is wonderful to see an organization of people so passionate about protecting and educating others about the origins of our freedom. We homeschool Wesley and this was a good American history field trip for him ( and me). His home school curriculum ( Abeka) puts alot of emphasis on history and this Appleseed class was a great supplement to his history class and an excellent instruction in the mechanics of marksmanship.
Thanks again, well done.
Joe Curtis ( Bullpine)
Midpines, Ca. 

[b_gummer]

This was my son's and my first Appleseed, and we can't stop talking and thinking about what we experienced this weekend. The staff was superb! I had read a lot about Appleseed, lurked in this forum off and on, and had been hoping for a couple years to go to one. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Appleseed was coming to my own small town!
Even though I had some idea what went on at an Appleseed shoot, I was totally blown away by the quality of the experience. If your ego is in check, and you are ready to learn Appleseed can't be beat! You WILL shoot better, and you WILL better appreciate the accomplishments of our founders and the amazing gift the Republic and our heritage as Americans is.

Both days the staff were helpful at every turn. They never got tired, frustrated or cranky. I hope that we have the joy of seeing many of these same instructors when Appleseed returns to Mariposa. Speaking for my son and myself, I assure you that we will not forget what you taught us, not on the range or in the lectures. We will never forget how much FUN we had! Now we know how to practice and look forward to our next Appleseed. We hope to bring many more people with us next time!

Thank you so much RWVA and instructors of the Mariposa Appleseed. 
God bless you all!
Tolley in Mariposa

[Romeo's Hero]

To Joe and Wesley,
It was great having you both out - I hope that next time you can  stay for both Saturday and Sunday. I'm glad that you enjoyed the history, I was blown away by how much I didn't know at my first Appleseed and how much the history and heritage has come alive for me since then.

To both the Tolley's,
What a great father son team you guys make - It was a blast having you both out there. Both of you are very close to that rifleman score and i know that the heart of a Rifleman is already growing within you both. I enjoyed working with both on Sunday - Remember to coach each other (dry-fire at home) and firing at the range. Also don't forget to practice trigger squeeze with the clicking pen - it will help your brain to remember how to squeeze the trigger with steady increasing pressure.

I look forward to seeing you all again; and we will welcome anyone you can find to bring with you as well.

[SavageShootr]

RH,

Great job! Sounds like your dad got it. 

SS

[FurrowFoot]

Hi everyone,

The Mariposa shooters proved again that the people who attend Appleseeds are special.  All of you took in the lessons, shooting better and better through the day and left knowing what happend on April 19,1775.  I also want to thank those who welcomed us and helped put on this Appleseed.

A good time for all and all were shooting good.

FurrowFoot - Neil

[Double D]

It is absolutely refreshing to be among friends with the like mind, especially in California.

This father's day event was definitely one to remember for me.  After all that was said and done, the backers were put away, the stakes pulled from the ground, the rifles carefully tucked away in the car, we packed up and started our drive home.  I started reflecting on those men at the green in the early morning of april 19, fathers and sons.  Reading the posts here about the history reaffirms to me that what we are doing is making a difference, if at the very least, those men, women, and children that fought for us will never be forgotten.

A Rifleman is an American heritage and no other country in the world can say that they are a country of Riflemen, and we should be proud of our heritage.

Thank you to the folks in Mariposa for giving me a different view of those fathers and sons on that fateful day.  I have a greater appreciation for the sacrifices that were made from everyone both now and then.

[b_gummer]

My Boy Scout Troop and I just spent a week at summer camp. Numerous times my son and I gave the boys and other leaders a detailed recounting of the fun, the history, and skills that we learned at the Mariposa Appleseed. A number of them were showing interest in attending the next Mariposa Appleseed.

The last day of camp all the Scoutmasters are encouraged to compete in shooting sports. Well, when the boys and I learned that evening that one of their Scoutmasters (me) won first place in the camp wide rifle shoot, the things I'd been telling them came to life! Now they had "proof"! I told them that the lessons in sight alignment, sight picture, trigger control, breathing etc made all the difference between last year and this year.

My son keeps telling them (and he's correct) "You guys really need to come to the next Appleseed, it's awesome!"
Thanks to all the instructors who came to Mariposa, we'll be practicing, and hoping to see you again soon.

Tolley

[Romeo's Hero]

What an great 7th stepping story Tolley - 

I am so glad that both you and your son were able to pass on the heritage of our nation in both the history and the marksmanship. We look forward to seeing you both back on October 16-17 (the next Mariposa shoot) and hopefully some of the Boy Scouts will come out also.

Congrats on winning first place 

Juliette