Volunteers Needed: Aug 27th Family Fun Shoot at Dakota County Gun Club

[Puma Mami]

The Dakota County Gun Club Family Fun Shoot is coming up Saturday, August 27th, 10am to 3pm.
Event Page: http://www.dakotacountygunclub.org/Family_Fun_Shoot.html
Event Postcard: http://www.dakotacountygunclub.org/uploads/FFS-2011-PostCard_v3.pdf
Event Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/FamilyFunShoot
(copy and paste into your browser address bar. Looks like the forum isn't making the whole thing a link.)
Event Facebook listing:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=180494228662139
(You can invite others from this page. Again, cut and paste into the browser address bar if the whole thing isn't showing as a link.)

Thanks to Sparks1's work with the Dakota County Gun Club we are good to go with a spot at this event! 
 
This is a great promotional opportunity to reach a large number of kids and families interested in shooting sports -- and it's fun, too. My older son and I attended last year.

One of the big things they do is a fundraiser raffle, and the various organizations there provide huge quantities of hats, t-shirts, other items, and a few firearms, to be given away as raffle prizes. I'm guessing about 2/3 of the crowd got a prize of some type or another last year. Could someone order a few of the RWVA/Appleseed hats? These are the khaki and green or navy blue hats on the Appleseed store. http://www.appleseedstore.flyingcart.com/index.php?p=detail&pid=12&cat_id=

Other stuff like RWVA mugs or playing cards or whatever else Appleseed-related would be good, too. We should probably also give some gray Appleseed t-shirts for raffle prizes. Maybe 5 in Men's medium? A couple of framed 8" x 10" riflewoman posters would be good. They do display the raffle prizes in a tent during the event, so items that would increase our visibility and name-recognition are ideal.

At our booth, we will need to have some small items and prizes for the kids. One group had a skill game, like a bolo toss, for the kids to succeed at to get a prize so they wouldn't run through their supplies so quickly. Does anyone have a carnival type game like a beanbag toss set, or a wheel to turn to get a prize, or something along those lines?

I have ordered 144 stars and stripes pencils from Oriental Trading imprinted with "WWW.APPLESEEDUSA.ORG" on them in silver, and two dozen "patriotic fans" that fold into metal holders. I will use a paint marker to add the web address to the side of the fans. That was $50 total, and if anyone would like to chip in on that, that would be great--let me know. Here is what they look like:
http://www.orientaltrading.com/stars%20and%20stripes%20personalized%20pencils-a2-47_310-18-0.fltr
http://www.orientaltrading.com/stars%20and%20stripes%20folding%20fans-a2-9_572-18-0.fltr

I will also sew some drawstring backpacks and iron on (or applique on) an Appleseed design of some kind (inkjet transfer or inkjet fabric print). Maybe something that says, "Learn to shoot like a Rifleman" with the AS logo, or the riflewoman poster, or the ladyseed design with "Shoot like a girl, if you can," or more likely an assortment of those three. I can commit to make a dozen, so they will need to be used sparingly. Maybe half as prizes for the raffle, and half as prizes at the booth?

We will need:

A pop-up shelter at least 10' x 10'
A six to eight foot folding banquet table, or two 4 foot tables to put together
Camp chairs
Some flags (I have a Bennington and a Betsy Ross)
Sparks1 has the tablecloth, runner, and banner
I have a bunch of literature, and we can always use more. Bring what you have!

We will need volunteers for set-up, to work at the table, and take-down.
The event runs 10am to 3pm.
I can be there from 8:30am to about 4pm.

This event is free for adults, and $10 for kids. The kids get various shooting opportunities, a t-shirt, and memberships to both JAKES (National Wild Turkey Federation) and Ringnecks (Pheasants Forever). There isn't shooting for adults, but it's fun to watch the kids. The muzzleloader people did have me try out one of their rifles last year, though. 

So who wants to get in on this?

[sparks1]

Sent a confirmation email tonight to DCGC contact. I await his reply.

Table will be mine to bring along with promo eye candy. ( Flyers/table cloth/etc.)
I'm in to help with the pencil cost.

[JustJeff]

I'll  have left Farmington by then.  Shame it wasn't held this week.   Maybe see ya at the county fair tomorrow?

[Puma Mami]

I'll  have left Farmington by then.  Shame it wasn't held this week.   Maybe see ya at the county fair tomorrow?

I hope you had a good visit in Minnesota! It's important to spend time with family. Sometimes getting together with Appleseeders just doesn't work out (as I found on my road trip recently).

This is an Appleseed event up at Hinckley this weekend, though, if you wanted to drive up. It's about 1 1/2 hours drive north of Farmington, half way to Duluth.

[Puma Mami]

Sent a confirmation email tonight to DCGC contact. I await his reply.

Table will be mine to bring along with promo eye candy. ( Flyers/table cloth/etc.)
I'm in to help with the pencil cost.

Thanks! 

The biggest thing we still need is the canopy/pop-up/shelter that's at least 10' x 10'.

[sparks1]

Confirmation email received. We are GTG. Turkey Federation is requesting a donation for their fund raising auction. Need to know what we can pony up and get back to them.
SC...step in here with your thoughts.

Puma is right about the canopy...still need one for our promotion.

[Puma Mami]

Confirmation email received. We are GTG. Turkey Federation is requesting a donation for their fund raising auction. Need to know what we can pony up and get back to them.

Is the NWTF requesting money? or auction items? I guess auction items would be easier to come up with.

[sparks1]

Have Adams canopy. Old Glory is sending an AS gift certificate for the auction

GTG

[jaguar96]

would love to help out but I have a wedding that day!

[Puma Mami]

Have Adams canopy. Old Glory is sending an AS gift certificate for the auction

GTG

Excellent! An AS gift certificate will certainly help a dad attend with his child, now that they will have heard about Appleseed and will be excited to go! 

Thanks, Adam, for lending the canopy!

We will be making Appleseed known to something like 150 kids that day--and their families. I think that can help fill some lines, for sure, and we have many events coming up in September that they might want to sign up for.

[sparks1]

 Should be all set for Saturday. We'll be setting up around 8 am and it looks like a full day at DCGC's family fun shoot. Last weekend they had 250 women at their "Ladies Shoot".

Let's hope the turnout is at least as good for this weekend. AS has donated 2 gift certificates for the auction, a liitle incentive to attend an AS with the family.

Have some time Sat. Come on out and promote Appleseed. Puma Mami and I will be there, some more people " who know what they are about" would be great!!!

[Puma Mami]

Last weekend they had 250 women at their "Ladies Shoot".

Let's hope the turnout is at least as good for this weekend. AS has donated 2 gift certificates for the auction, a liitle incentive to attend an AS with the family.

Sounds great! Wow, 250...I guess we could have used more than 12 dozen pencils if they get that many kids...but we have lots of trifolds and stuff, anyway.

I'll see you bright and early tomorrow, Sparks 

If anyone else would like to join us and do some 7th stepping to families, come on out to help at the Dakota County Gun Club between 10am and 3pm. Just let them know you are with the Project Appleseed vendor group.    http://www.dakotacountygunclub.org/Directions.html