Talking is teaching, too

[Antibubba]

Here in Sacramento, there is a gun show next weekend, and I'm the gun show guy.  Well, next Saturday I have a scheduling conflict.  I can set up the table the night before, but when it comes to getting volunteers, the only sound to be heard is crickets.  If nobody steps forward Balddragn or Jules will have to be there.  As both are Shoot Bosses and are busy putting together monthly Appleseed shoots, this would be an inconvenience at the very least.  Or the table will sit empty until Sunday.

This is not acceptable, and must change.

How is it that a newly-minted Rifleman can make a commitment of days and weeks of IIT training, Boot camps, and learning the Three Strikes, but is incapable of talking to gun-minded people for a few hours on a weekend?  Myself, I find it rewarding, but getting help for even a few hours on one day is like asking for root canal volunteers.  The orange hat may say "IIT" on it, but by putting it on you are taking MANY hats, not just one.  Getting the word out to the uninformed is a large part of promoting Appleseed.  If you think it's satisfying to bring a friend or two to a shoot, imagine the pride you'll feel when you can bring 10 or 20!  There is a certain romance to standing on the line, calling out commands, correcting bad habits, speaking the history to newcomers who are hearing it for the first time.  Guess what?  You can practice that history in front of hundreds of people in one weekend if you work the Appleseed table; I tell snippets of it to everyone who will give me a few minutes.  Especially the kids--you should see their faces!


Maybe promoting AS should be required before being allowed to stand on the line.  You might not agree, but after 1 1/2 years of promoting AS at gun shows I am still the only 'seeder in the area who does; in that time dozens of our shooters have put on "The Cap". 

Root canal, I'm telling you.  It's fun--if it weren't I wouldn't still be doing it no matter how noble the cause.  Appleseed needs you, in all capacities.

[Fred]

    That notion of "telling the history" at a gunshow is a great one.

    A great way to practice, a great way to expose people who won't be at an AS to it.

    I bet, if you were to start the first strike with someone, by the time you get to the second one, you'll have a small crowd of listeners.

     If you don't, that'll tell you you need to spiff it up - which in the process of doing so will make your AS history presentation even better.

    Good idea, Antibubba!

[V]

You are not alone AB. Last weekend I spent alone with my banners, flags, and Appleseed Table at the Ventura gun show as I do every gun show in Ventura. It would have been nice to have "volunteers".

But we persist and continue. Saw some familiar faces, talked to some new ones. It felt good. I don't know why more people don't do them. Anyone who's seen the California requests form  Bob 210, me or AB care to comment on why they didn't feel it worthwhile to support?

When you turn up as an IIT at a shoot that someone else has organized and marvel at the numbers turning out to hear it and feel good about making a good shoot remember that you'd be looking at an empty field if it weren't for the people doing the grunt work to get the turnouts. Its too easy for us, me included, to fall into a lull, everything is ticking along we just need to sign up for shoots and be the hero turning out to instruct. No, these established shoots need nurturing and tending with people focusing on getting the word out or you to will see a fall off in attendance  at the shoots.

Don't wait to be asked, look up the schedule for the gun shows and volunteer - if  you make noise about intending to be there other will step forward to help. Mea culpa on the Ventura gun show, I just assumed people would turn up to help, almost forgot about it myself, nope should have posted my intention to go and invited others to join... and hope its not just crickets that answer...

Thanks AB.

[Old Dog]

Would it be "bad" to have Fred (I've heard Fred do it and so far I haven't heard anyone else do it as well as he does) do a history video (the three strikes) and share it with the folks doing the gun shows so they could show it on their lap tops (set it up to loop through continuously during the day)?

Or maybe choose 3 different people who really do the 3 strikes well and have each of them do one strike and show them on the PC?

That might also help the folks struggling to
1)cover what needs to be covered without adding extra time/info into it
2)do it in a way that helps the attendees identify better with the folks of that time who lived it
3)give them something to compare their telling of the strikes against

[Antibubba]

Old Dog, it's a good idea, but what I really need is a 5-minute version, because I usually get about 10 minutes from an earnest listener.  Even then the other problem is electricity--a table without an outlet is often free to us, but if you want power, you gotta pay, sometimes nearly as much as a vendor.  So it really comes down to my oratory skills and a bag of throat lozenges  .

Northern Californians!  The Cal Expo show is this upcoming weekend, and I need you to help!  And when I say "you" I don't mean Shoot Bosses--I mean IITs, Riflemen, and aspiring Riflemen--anyone who has attended a shoot and has been grabbed by the lapels by the History and urgency of what we are doing.  Gun shows are the single largest source of new shooters.  I don't care how many of you rush to the bow of the ship to bail--if I'm the only one in the stern with a bucket we are ALL still going down. 

I've heard back from BD and Jules--they will NOT be able to man the table on September 25th.  This means if you are not there, it will be empty.  I can set up the table on Friday and put all the information out, but show goers don't stop at empty tables, and they don't know if they're allowed to take the fliers if no one is there to encourage them.  Folks, the name of Appleseed is getting out--at each show I talk to more people who have heard of us--but if we can't be bothered to show up, why should they?

[Fred]

   Antibubba, did you use the word "Californians"?

   Say, are you claiming you're in - California?

   Nope, not possible.

   The reports I am getting from California say California is on fire from end to end with Appleseed - more shoots being scheduled every day - in fact, possibly hitting the magic number of "100 Appleseeds" - this year!

    And you're trying to say you have trouble manning gun show tables, that our volunteers are not stepping up, preferring to stay home on the couch?

    AB, your post are in good English. Every sentence starts off with a capital letter, and ends with a period. But somehow, they're not making sense. As in, unbelievable.

    Heck, I thought we in Appleseed were taking the "K" out of Kalifornia. Ouch!

    Someone - someone! - step up to man the table - quick! Personally, I'd like to see at four people - one to rest, two to promote, and the fourth to 'visit the tables' in rotation thru the day.

    Man, I'm not even from California, but I am embarrassed!

[Dano]

Sorry for missing the Gun Show V, I will be at the next one no matter what. I have only done 17 appleseed this year and one gun show. I will try to pick up the pace for next year, sorry to be slacking off. That weekend I was out fishing in the Sierra for trout. See you next month in Piru if you don't head out of state. See Picture below of the trout.

[Antibubba]

You know, I've got a final exam on Tuesday, and since Saturday is the busier day, maybe I just won't go.  It won't make much difference, right?  Maybe I'm taking this too seriously; the boat will stay afloat another month, right?  And fewer attendees will allow instructors to give more time to each shooter.

[Justin]

Del Mar gun show. Sunday Oct 3rd. Count me in!

[V]

Del Mar gun show. Sunday Oct 3rd. Count me in!

Thanks Justin, one not on the schedule as well! Anyone else going to help out with this? I'm likely to be helping out with an Appleseed that weekend 

[Justin]

OK Folks we have an opportunity to have a table at the Del Mar gun show Oct 2-3. This is the best place to get the word out about the upcoming Appleseed in the SD county area. The ranges promoted would be Dulzura, Escondido, and Rainbow. To make this happen, we need volunteers to man the table Sat & Sun. Who would be available to do this?

I'm hoping this is still going! I was pretty sure it was scheduled and Bob was putting the word out.