ILLINOIS PROJECT ACTIVITY FOR 2010

[Castle Mountain]

OK folks Fred and G69 have been busting my toes to get this stuff posted so I promised I would get it out tonight before
I head back to Tennesee, since this is one of the rare moments I have had with our computer since mine is still in the box pre house renovations
and the otherwise massive 'honey do' list that I am near buried with. This will give you an idea of what has been going
on behind the scenes while Patriot Gal and I have trekked the Appleseed trail this year. Our passion for our great program
has kept us hoping.  Here are some details in bullet point form"



*Designed and created a new Captain Parker banner for Appleseed shoots (produced locally here in Peoria, Il
built frames and ordered a second banner with the Uncle Sam image which declares the RWVA wants you
so as to help our AS image at both gun show promotions and shooting events thereby creating some visual
ambiance to our shooting events.  Numerous banners were purchased throughout the country to help facilitate
shooting events and promtions in other states.


*Tackled with partial success to fill requests for "TAN USMC SHOOTING JACKETS but due to the lack of integrity
of the company that promised so much we had given up on that company. Gopher Boy made a valiant attempt
to renew the prospects with that company but alas he too was ingored by that company.
However, the embers of the idea never left me and since then I have been in negotions with a local military
supply manufacturer (Berry Compliant I might add) who seem most interested to fill all our Appleseed needs.
Hopefully I should hear word on final pricing and production availabilty. Colors requested are Olive Drab and Coyote Brown
since the USM Corps have gone to a Coyote Brown . Nice color too I might add and one I am eager to own.
Hopefully before the Moosejaw event I will have word.


I have been in continued Appleseed sales promotion to major companies which include :

ARMALITE
VORTEX OPTICS
USA AMMO CORP
SUPPLY SERGENT
POWER CUSTOM

These companies are Appleseed friendly vendors and I hope to have all the information posted to BILL 3
and listed on a new Instructor Web site currently under development.

I have solicited the help of HOOVER, TECHRES, SCOUT and 'V' on many of the projects that have
come to mind, and value greatly their insight and input I have recieved and continued to receive from PATRIOT GAL,
DEACON and GOPHER BOY. Yes, EEL, G69 and EEL have known my every move either before or after the fact.
It is amazing the synergy we enjoy in Illinois , OHIO, INDIANNA and WISCONSIN. Ideas are germated and
acted upon. I contacted the SHOT SHOW in Los Vegas NV for January the 18th with the idea of how important
promotions would be for APPLESEED at that event. I solicted advice and discussed with EEL, DEACON and GOPHER BOY
on development of this idea and found out the SHOT SHOW was sold out for the next year also. However, serendipity
lingers always just around the corner as we pondered ideas. Now DEACON is going to the Shot Show to represent
Appleseed to numerous vendors . DEACON is going piggy back with the VORTEX OPTICS company and will be working
out of their booth. How cool is that eh?  
I tried working Armalite to do the same but they have a staff of ten that are going.  However, I postuated the idea
with ARMALITE to nationally host and promote shoots of their own which would be driven by their own advertising programs and sales
and marketing initiatives whereby APPLESEED would staff their shooting clinics..... LEARN HOW TO SHOOT THE ARMALITE
AND SCORE EXPERT! Nice tag line to   get AR shooters out to shoot. Armalite is suggested combining an 'Amoror's clinic
as well. So they are mulling over the idea of enjoying such a nation wide concept which would benefit those states they
choose to target market and Appleseed would be there.  Needless to say they are recognizing that AS is definitly driving
the business cycle for their industry. In time others will be approached.

* Contacted the CEO of USA AMMO.com to solicite and achieve some price discount benefits for Appleseed Instructors
for an  ammuntion price discount since we all shoot so much.   Morover I presented the idea of partnering with the company
whereby they link Appleseed to their web site as well as we link theirs. All purchases could be done via our instructor web site
so the company can trac sales.  They are also making their other product line merchandise available. Moreover they expressed
interest in sending a video crew to an Appleseed event to film it and then permanently place it on their web site listing us
as one of their preferred and recommended training organizations . With them getting over 25K hits per month it has potential
to be good for AS.

* I have also been working on BILL BOARDS for the state of ILLINOIS and made a design attempt of my own. Spit Stickler did
a marvelous job with his design and Texas and Indianna host 48 by 14 foot bill boards along major highways. Illinois
is soon to have its own. Fred has asked me to add two more bill boards for Illinois, two for Wisconsin, Missouri and another for
Indianna. I have contacted other companies and we are in process of seeing if we can earn non profit organization recognition
to host more signs with different companies


* POWER CUSTOM near Osage Beach, MO is a great company. Patriot Gal and I spent a good chunk of a day at their plant
with them taking us on a marvelous tour which included the company owner's personal home which was simply magnificient.
We got to see his number four rated Boon and Crocket Elk mount. These folks know Ruger 10/22 rifles like nobodies business. Thanks to Pappy identifying
the problem with my rifle, I called Power Custom and we went over the next day. THey milled the rifle bolt down to correct specs,
put new components in ..... test fired the daylights out of the rifle and it has been shooting flawless ever since. Patriot Gal
had them also work on both of her rifles and learned she had similar problems with head space and they milled the bolts to spec.
Nicest people to do business with and we APPLESEEDED the daylights out of them. They are now incuding trifold AS brochures
with mail or walkin customers. They appreciate our program greatly. Another Appleseed friendly vendor is now available to us
and it is wonderful that we have Kerry LONG SHOT nearby to liase with them,.

*Any where we travel we leave brochures and hand out business cards from Appleseed (RWVA) every opportunity.

*Was active in getting the Waterman 300 badges manufactured with a great price and get them done on time for the event
working in concert with EEL

*Persued the recruitment of Rogers Rangers and Brown Bess Ed and son for the Waterman 300 event and persued
the Revolutionary War fife and Drum band to commit to the Waterman 300 and did so in concert with working with
GOPHER BOY who established original contact and with the band.  It was a mircacle that we got them together on such
short notice and the group managed to work into a program together for the first time never having met each other before.

*We now have six  riflemen in our family and a pair of neigbor's sons down the street. We have made every effort to bring
friends and acquintences to all our events.

* Worked closely with the 912 Project and managed to get several of their members out to an AS event and shoot rifleman.
The 912 PROJECT folks in our area agressively promote AS every opportunity or event they do.

*Set up an Appleseed booth for a large constitional day celebration gathering in Peoria this fall and got EEL invited to come down
and be a featured AS speaker along with Gopher Boy who also drove down from Shy town.

*Established solid relationships with numerous gun store dealers and visit them frequently to keep them stocked with AS  brochure
information and shooting events.

*Toured fire departments, police departments, National Guard Amories and facilities to promote appleseed.

*Worked closely with the Backwoods Home Magazine in Gold Beach, Oregon and obtained exclusive right to use
their front magazine cover which featured Massad Ayoob's featured Appleseed article. Made personal contact with
Massade Ayoob who consequently blogged about the Waterman 300 event. Solicited Backwoods Home Magazine
graphic design department to help by using the Appleseed featured magazine cover Visited local gun stores to
post the 300 poster and  event advertising to help increase  shooter attendance. Posters turned out beautiful.

Have been engaged in gettting an Appleseed shoot for the Back Woods Home Magazine which will promote such
an event in their neighborhood, once a range has been secured. I have been persuing that matter also of recent
to make sure my promise to them has been fulfilled.

*Made every effort (working in concert with Gopher Boy) attempting to get TED NUGGENT to attend the Waterman 300
as well as Massad Ayoob. Timing is everything for such an event and regretably their personal scheduals were full at the time.

*Have tried and suggested to several regarding the prospect of Appleseed training the deputies of Sheriff Joe Arpio-Maracope Country
in Phoenix,AZ. Waiting word still from Scout and Bald Dragon on their success for their local.

*Made contact with the marksmanship instructor for the Illinois National Guard who is not happy with his soldiers marksmanship.
An Appleseed clinic is a great prospect to be held at the base range in Marsailes, IL. Will be following up on that before year end
as his work slows down.

* Patriot Gal and I have done some six or seven gun shows this year in addtion to instructing at shoots out of state and within state.
I believe our tally will be 24 weekend Appleseed Events for 2010 once we finish up with Waterman.

So there you have it. There is a fundamental axiom in marketing I learned when in design college (the authors name is TROUT I believe)
and he says the following:


...." It is better to be first a person's mind in the market place, than it is to be first in the market place!"
Why??  Because....."If you are first in a peson's mind, you will own the market place."
*Dave Randolph,, OUT OF AMMO has been a huge player and has thrown me several passes which I have caught
and run the ball with. He too bleeds AS here in Illinois.



* Have initiated an attempt to get six foot long Battle Road Maps produced on vinyl ( from US National Parks Service)
From BOSTON TO CONCORD and FROM CONCORD BACK TO BOSTON and full size training aids. Have now three prospect for having
them produced for Appleseed at large for those instructors who desire them. Have already received one request to purchase them.
More specifics will be published once final details and production and pricing matters are settled.

So if the duty of saving your country is formost in your mind and you have a self concept of being a patriot you will no doubt be about
your forefather's business and Appleseed is your vehicle to reach our come wishe for destiny. Make Appleseed first in a person's mind.
But before that it must be also foremost in your own mind. Then you will find the energy to do what you feel driven to do.  EEl , Garand, Pappy, The Guy
, Gopher Boy, Coly Cat , Aweshoot, and Deacon's leadership examples are sustaining and edifying examples. As EEL said you need to work as
two or three man teams. So we do and love working with every one. IT works.

NOW BE ADVISED THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A LOT but how do you eat an elephant??  One bite at a time!
IF you want to see what work is try keeping up with EEL. Even Gopher Boy has volunteered close to or in excess of 40 week ends since some time last year.
GOOD GOLLY WHAT EEL AND G 69 have done............ SHHHESH. It exhuasts me just to think about it.

There is much to yet do. And if eveyone in Illinois grabs an oar and rows together we like Paul Revere will get across the waters before the regulars are even aware.


Hugs to ya'all and thank you for your Appleseed service

By the way 2011 is just around the corner and that will involve next years Appleseed Business. Are you up for it?

You all know what Tony Little said........." Yeah babeey,,,,, You Can DOooooooooooooo it!




Sheesh,  we need to take a rest soon.
Castle Mountain

[AZOpie]

WOW!, Let me say that again, WOW!

Excellent work!

AZO

[Garand69]

I wish I could take credit for Castle Mountain and Patriot Gal's efforts...... I Cannot!!

I will say awhile back, CM and I were talking about his enthusiasm, I said that when you believe in something with all your heart, you talk about it..... The more you talk about it and see the reactions and efforts of those you have talked to.... the more you believe. The more you believe......

This Man and his Bride MAKE ME BELIEVE!!!

2-3 man Teams can accomplish 10X the work with half the effort... have you started a team yet? Have you joined one yet??

Are you talking about it my friends? Tell your experience to everyone you know. It takes persistence, it takes perseverance, but the pay off is amazing. You may not be the one that walks up the steps to Ruger's front door and puts a deal together that gets a gross of 10/22's to every Scout Pack across the Country so they can Appleseed... But YOU MAY BE THE ONE THAT INSPIRED THE PERSON THAT DID!!!

Castle Mountain is very correct in saying that I have been hounding him to post his efforts.... I'm also hounding ALL OF YOU TO POST YOUR EFFORTS!!!!

Individual effort, inspires folks... Remember the results of the actions and inaction's of individual's on 4/19/1775

Team effort produces even greater results.... Remember the team-work and coordination of The Ride of Paul Revere and William Dawes??? not too mention several other examples through out the day!

We can save the Nation my friends.... BUT WE HAVE TO GET OUT AND SAVE IT!!!!!

Who here is with us? Who here is ready to grab a bigger bucket and start waking up the slumbering Americans in the deck chairs so that we can begin to bail out our sinking Nation???

Who here is ready to Save Illinois