News:

We need volunteers in sales, marketing, PR, IT, and general "running of an organization." 
Maximize your Appleseed energy to make this program grow, and help fill the empty spots
on the firing line!  An hour of time spent at this level can have the impact of ten or a
hundred hours on the firing line.  Want to help? Send a PM to Monkey!

Main Menu

Rainbow California December 1st/2nd 2012

Started by 4Posterity, December 03, 2012, 10:10:36 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

4Posterity

This past weekend we had a very enjoyable and rewarding Appleseed Event at L.E. Duncan's Rainbow Range and Gun Club in Southern California.  The weather in the days leading up to the event was rainy and cold, but Saturday arrived with clouds but no rain in the forecast.

We had a nice mix of students out for the weekend, some returning Appleseed "Old Hands", and a number of first-timers as well.  Ages ranged from under 10 to "I'm not telling", and our experience quotient ran from previous Rifleman qualifiers to "I've never held a rifle of any kind in my hands before today".  As has become the norm at Rainbow, members of the local German Shepherd Rescue Society did the Seventh-Stepping job and brought out some new folks for the weekend. 

First things first: we had several big-hearted Appleseeders who made the decision to join the RWVA as volunteers since their last event, so we started the day with the appropriate ceremony bestowing the symbol of authority upon their heads.  OK, they were really only some funny colored hats, but very symbolic all the same. 

First up was Jeremy (m1jerm).  Jeremy attended several events and was showing steady improvement until the last Rainbow event, where he had a breakthrough and jumped his scores by something like 30 points, earning the Rifleman's patch he had worked hard to get. 

Next was Thomas, a teenager with persistence in his heart and an excellent qualifying score at the last Rainbow event.  Thomas had contacted Stormn about volunteering in the program, and was on hand to join Jeremy in receiving his orange hat.

Making it a family-affair, Donna accepted her Blue Hat, joining her son Thomas as a member of the RWVA.  Donna settled right in managing the registration table and doing the PR work as folks walked up to the range line throughout the day to see what we were up to.

Congratulations and many thanks to the three of you for stepping up and joining the program.

The day started off nicely with the usual program of marksmanship instruction.  The noon time meal break and heritage presentation followed with the Three-Strikes and some good discussion about the founding of our country.

The afternoon program included one round of the AQT, and we had two new rifleman make the grade.  Joe, who brought out his co-worker and first time attendee Rahul, was returning intent on improving his score.  Joe scored a very respectable 217.

Gerry was back for another event, having been thwarted at his previous efforts by some truly perplexing equipment issues.  This day his tools worked as intended, and he definitely had the Right Stuff, scoring a very solid 220.

With darkness encroaching we wrapped up the day presenting riflemen's patches to Joe and Gerry.  Adding the frosting on the cake, Joe accepted the Orange Hat and becoming California's newest RWVA volunteer instructor, a title he was not to hold for long (Clever foreshadowing). 

In addition to our two new riflemen, Kiefer stepped forward to accept his patch honoring Luther Blanchard, another fine young man who had given his all for posterity.  Keifer came this weekend with mom Natalie, having been recruited into the program by the Shepherd Rescue folks.

Sunday morning arrived cool and foggy, but with enough visibility to see those pesky Red Coats down at the target line.  Chris and Lynn were back for more time on the line, especially rewarding as Lynn had not planned on a second day until she had such a grand time Saturday.  Lynn made giant strides over the weekend, and I suspect that she will be holding Chris to his promise of the rifle of her choice for her persistence in attending both days.

Woody and Sharon were back for another Sunday, along with Andrew, Veronica and Adria, all part of the Shepherd Rescue contingent, as were Chris and Lynn.

Veronica was back to work on qualifying with her new bolt-action, Tech Sight equipped 22.  She had previously qualified with both a scope equipped and iron sight equipped semi-autos, and is intent on rounding out her resume as a rifleman with the basic bolter.  Andrew, as usual, just quietly went about his rifleman's business with his bolt rifle and his usual precision.

Adria was back making good progress as well, but equipment issues forced a change of equipment first thing in the morning and she was forced to settle for one of Stormn's heavily massaged, custom tack-driving 10/22's.  Oh the disappointment.  Hey Norm- did you get your rifle back?

Our other Joe, Joe S., was back this weekend having previously qualified at an event in Escondido last year.  Joe was another one quietly doing his business and refining his form, and promised to return for another event.  Do I see our next Orange Hat here?

At the end of the day I received a secret message indicating that Veronica was ready to accept her Orange Hat if asked.  Or should I say, if asked again.  So of course, I asked, she accepted, then ratted out Woody as he had committed to taking his Orange Chapeau if she did.  Very nice, two more volunteers who have already shown their ability to recruit others into the program.

This was truly a great Appleseed Weekend! New riflemen, returning/repeating riflemen, and FIVE fine folks joining the RWVA as volunteers.  And, Gerry let me know that he is figuring out how he can come into the family as well!

A genuine and heartfelt thanks to all the Instructors who came out this weekend to work the event.  You are the best!

Those of you who captured some images- please post them here for all to share!

Mark
4Posterity



To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child.

Marcus Tullius Cicero


"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race"

Calvin Coolidge

m1jerm

Man, Mark, you laid down a serious review of the weekend!

I was very happy to get out and help you and Norm as it seems pretty lazy to just sponge up all your info and not help out with passing it along.

It was also very gratifying to see folks' improvement across the course of the day and the weekend on the whole.

Thanks to Ken for letting me play hooky from duties long enough to get some sighting and redcoat fun-time in!

Its always a pleasure and a bit humbling to see Andy and Veronica out there tearing up the AQTs, maybe one day I will get brave enough to try it with a bolt action.

A great crew, a great group and fun time.

Legacy

WOW! I sure missed some great stuff on Saturday! It's always great to hear about all the new orange hats joining the fold! Way cool!!!   ^:)^

BIG Thanks to Mark & Norm for their continued dedication to making the Appleseed events at Rainbow Range fun, informative & safe! You and your families are greatly appreciated!

Looking forward to Appleseed 2013 - with the first one being the 3rd weekend in February!   ;D  Sure would be awesome if Eventbrite had their system issues resolved so we could fill up the line at the 2013 shoots. Hmmm... I wonder if Eventbrite is a Red Coat sympathizer... That could explain it...  &)

Merry Christmas everyone!

Debby
Remember their sacrifice. Celebrate our liberty. Cherish your freedom.

Legacy

Here's Woody & Veronica accepting their orange hats on Sunday afternoon!

Welcome & Congratulations to the two of you and ALL the new orange hats!

Thanks for stepping up!
Remember their sacrifice. Celebrate our liberty. Cherish your freedom.

Woodman

Another great time and another gunsmithing school by Norm!

A few pics

Woodman

..and a few more

ErinsDad

I want to extend a huge "Thank you" to all the instructors and volunteers from this weekends Appleseed event.  Just as Mark makes a point to establish a connection with each student in the AAR, I will try to do the same for the instructors, and let them know how they each made an impact on my Appleseed experience.

Mark - Great job as Shoot Boss and the history lessons.  Your passion for the American Revolution is contagious. Thanks for the confidence boost that helped me shoot so well on Saturday.  I'm looking forward to being an IIT.

Norm - I enjoyed the history and your 10/22 maintenance lessons.  Perhaps I should have asked you the correct way to install scope mounts so things don't fall apart on me!  :slap:

Mike - History lessons and a good quotes to ponder.  Thanks for the 1:1 personal instruction on my form.

Kenny - Great refreshers for me on the fundamentals of shooting.  Also thanks for letting me try your M1 Garand.   

Jeremy - Great demos.  Thanks for the personal attention for my friend Rahul. He had a great time and you helped move him past the first time shooter jitters.   I appreciate the offer to try your M1A - but my problem is that trying leads to buying!

Mark E - I saw you spend a lot of time with new shooters.  This is one of Appleseed's best traits.  Turning a newbie into a shooter is great to watch.

Thomas - I'm glad to see you accepted the orange hat.  Will you be Marks "Neo" - the one he gives the Luther Blanchard award to that eventually becomes a green hat?

Debby - Thank you for hosting the event. I know you may hear other opinions from members, but I would hope our appreciation drowns the rest out.

Donna - Nice work handling the paperwork and processing all those 2 sided legal forms!

If I have left anyone out, please let me know!

ErinsDad / Joe

Woodman

A few more pics...