AAR Eleanor, WV Aug 28-29 2010

[jmdavis]

This is a placeholder until later in the week. Other instructors/students, feel free to post about your thoughts and experiences.

[MacMcM]

Mike, Doug, Woody,

I want to personally thank you 3 who made the trek to West-by-God Virginia from the Old Dominion.
The instructor corps put on one helluva AS for our SOLD OUT innagural event. We all learned tremendous amounts of history about April 19,1775 ...and oh yeah some shooting stuff too ;-)

I have had numerous emails requesting the targets in pdf format and the registration info for our NEXT shoot November 6-7. If the bulldozer gods are smiling on us, we will be using the Liberty DAR for the next shoot.

Mike you probably have the demographics for the shoot, but as I recall we had an age spread from 4 to 72. And yes folks the 4yr old was there the WHOLE 2 days (and shot .22).

The rest of the AS team (Siglite, WVMMFalcon, Chrome, VanRichten) did great setting up, tearing down and calling the line. Chrome recited the 3 strikes and made it interesting to all.


As the host of this event, I wish to extend my thanks and permanent invitation to you gentlemen to come back anytime and shoot at PCGC

MacMc

[siglite]

What a great Appleseed.  I too would like to thank the folks that traveled up for the event.  And those that traveled down (chrome).  You guys helped put on a wonderful inaugural Appleseed for PCGC, which is my "home range" so to speak. 

The shooters were truly inspiring.  Shooting in oppressively hot conditions, and persevering through them.  I think something was driven home to almost every shooter on Saturday, that should probably reflect very well on the instructors present.  The difference between the Saturday morning and Saturday evening redcoats really told the story, didn't it?  The improvement was the most stark I've seen at an Appleseed. 

I can't decide if that's a testament to the shooters or the instructors.  So I'm going to go ahead and proclaim that it was both.  And that tells me, we had ourselves a great Appleseed!

And... I have to have a mention of the two youngsters that shot that weekend.  Those kids gave me hope for a future in this country. 

[skoof223]

 :)What a great time for my first AS.  Was very proud to earn my Rifleman patch, will be attending more AS events already signed up for Nov. AS at PCGC.  Will continue learning and shooting, will try to make Woody's IBC in Oct.  Thanks for a truly GREAT time.

Skoof223

[siglite]

:)What a great time for my first AS.  Was very proud to earn my Rifleman patch, will be attending more AS events already signed up for Nov. AS at PCGC.  Will continue learning and shooting, will try to make Woody's IBC in Oct.  Thanks for a truly GREAT time.

Skoof223

It was a pleasure to have you on the line, Skoof.  And you shot quite well.  You should be proud of that patch.  I know I'm proud of mine.

[jmdavis]

It'll be good to have you at the IBC. Congratulations on earning your patch.


Mike

[wvmmfalcon]

PCGC's inaugural Appleseed shoot was a success. We had men, women and children there, learning shooting skills and heritage. I worked with the 4 yr. old a lot of the day sat. I am glad to see that we have people who may become the pillars of our community that are as attentive and willing to learn as he and his brother were at there ages. With the instructor crew from Virginia behind us, guiding West Virginia's instructors, we had quite a team. We instructors were learning as much if not more than the students. I wanted to thank Doug, Mike and Woody on behalf of the West Virginia AS instructor corps.   

[MacMcM]

Dload any pics yet Jereomy?

[MacMcM]

Appleseed SCORES!!!

See today's big article in the statewide newspaper....

http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201009040509

I am proud to be a volunteer in this great organization.
I would say the match has been struck twice in this area...
Mac

[Chrome]

Appleseed SCORES!!!

See today's big article in the statewide newspaper....

http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201009040509

I am proud to be a volunteer in this great organization.
I would say the match has been stuck twice in this area...
Mac

We're glad to have you Mac. 

If it's been struck twice, there's only one thing left to do.  Buckle down, and get that third strike going to light the fire for liberty in the hearts and minds of West Virginians.  To say the Eleanor shoot was a success is a bit of an understatement, I think.

West Virginia's first sell out, WV's largest shoot (I think), we tripled the number of shoot bosses, and got a very honest article put in the Gazette.  Yeah, I think that was a success.

Later,
Chrome...

[The Machine]

As usual, Chrome provides his excellent insight.    For the record, Stinson still holds the largest turnout at this point--25 shooters on the line Sat.for the 2009 Patriots Day shoot--but that's surely to be broken soon somewhere in WV.

Yes, what transpired at Eleanor was more than a success, it was an inspirational model of the great things which can be accomplished within the Appleseed program in WV. It goes to show when you get a bunch of motivated Americans working together towards a common goal, great things will happen. Heck, I just described the national Appleseed program. 

All of us in WV can learn from this recent event and translate the positive results to other locations throughout the state. Some of you may not know, but VAShooter was the first Shoot Boss to ever run an Appleseed in WV...our first, in March of 2009. Other instructors from VA were also influential in getting the ball rolling in WV; so it's befitting that VA has once again played a vital role in assisting our WV program...my thanks to the VA IC once again!    MacMcM has been a "model" club host. His dedication, motivation, and belief in the RWVA mission has translated into him becoming an Appleseed advocate of tremendous proportions! His donning of the Orange Hat is just another reflection of his commitment to making the program expand in WV. Congratulations, and thanks for everything you do Mac! 

Every successful, and growth-oriented grass roots program, needs a foundational core of dedicated and committed volunteers who put mission before self. I'm pleased to say that here in WV we had several such people instructing, who deserved and earned, the promotions they received at Eleanor. Congratulations to siglite and wvmmfalcon for the Shoot Boss designation, and to Chrome for earning the Red Hat!    I didn't forget you vanrichten, you are steadily moving up the instructor ranks and providing much needed "behind the scenes" assistance.   

I finally want to thank all the students in attendance, for without you, our endeavors are a moot point. Congratulations to our 2 new Riflemen! Thanks so much to Rusty for his Gazette piece!     I heard many of you were knocking on the Rifleman's door...that's encouraging news. All of you who enjoyed the event and learned some valuable skills/knowledge from your Appleseed experience at Eleanor, please help us to spread the good news far and wide, throughout WV. 

[MacMcM]

Thanks Frank, we plan to have full shooting lines here at Eleanor for some
time to come. We will be able to have more shoots when our DAR is finished.

[vanrichten]

I am way behind on getting these posted up but here are some pictures from the shoot.


All Ready on the Firing Line!


Chrome talking about the Match Strikes


Checking Targets


Talking to the media


Our newest Red Hat


We were getting over run by the Red Coats... I mean Hats... 


The Future of America


Our Newest Orange Hat - I have to agree with the comment made, Mac worked hard for that hat.  Congratulations Mac!


The rest of the Pics

[siglite]

Most excellent!

[MacMcM]

Atta boy Germy... Good pics! now where is that AAR??? hmmmm    Mr Davis is one busy man these days!

Mac

[jmdavis]

It's an aar that we are doing together. 

Attendence: Saturday: 22 Sunday: 11 no new attendees

Riflemen: 2

First of all I want to thank PCGC. WV has an excellent new location for Appleseed. This was a good shoot.

Second: We had a dedicated group who stuck it our for two days in 90+ temps to learn about marksmanship and their heritage as Americans. Many of us were particularly impressed by Gunner and Garan. These two boys listened well and really made a positive impression. They are tough boys and remind me of the young people 235 years ago at Lexington and Concord.

Though we only had two riflemen we had a couple of others who shot in the 200 range. One with a 207 followed by a high of 209.

Mac congraulations on the New Orange hat and Chrome congratulations on the Red One. I fully expect to hear great things from both of you in the future.

[The Machine]

Most excellent!

I second that emotion! Thanks for the pics vanrichten!