Need Assistance: NRA Youth Camp : Bloomington, IL July 24 - 27: SOLD OUT

[Mutti]

We have a youth opportunity coming up in a couple of weeks in Bloomington, Illinois.   Darnall's Gun Works  & Ranges are holding their 20th annual NRA Youth Shooters Camp July 24 - 27.

The NRA Youth Shooting Camp at Darnall's is the longest-running NRA Youth Shooting Camp in the nation....and they have decided to give Appleseed Saturday and Sunday to instruct the Rifle Line.




What's needed:  Roughly 8-12 rifle instructors to help five groups of 28-30 shooters each over Saturday and Sunday only.  We will have approximately 2:00 - 2:15 hours each "session". 


Anyone who is available is welcome to come help instruct.  Camping is available for those who choose to come in Friday night. Food will be provided Saturday & Sunday along with the opportunity to tell Young Patriot History and possibly a LibertySeed Saturday night.

Equipment / Loaners would help to standardize the line if available.

Please contact Mutti or Steck  with the Days, Day or Partial Day you will be able to assist.

Come be part of this :

[SlingBurn]

Would love to take part.  A little one is on the way early August for us though - so I'd like to be considered a tentative. 

I can certainly run some loaner equipment over there for the kids to use, though.  I live only about 10 minutes away at most.

If nothing else - I have a 10/22 carbine that I've made Rifleman with, so it shoots well and runs well.  I can drop that off.  I also have a shooting mat.  I live right off the exit to 55 from Veteran's Parkway, so my stuff can be dropped off at my house afterwards, or I can come pick it up, too.  Please do not hesitate to contact me about that stuff.  If I have anything else that might be helpful, I'll let you know.

[Mutti]

Thanks! The loaner items will be appreciated.

And Congrats!

[slim]

Did the national director approve this? Last I heard we're not allowed to do this kind of stuff.

[Mutti]

1) on the schedule as a Private Event
2) RWVA Waivers will be used

In line with:

http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=41413.msg295519#new

http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=41369.0

[slim]

Cool! 

And totally not trying to be a naysayer here but are the youth signing their own waivers?

[Mutti]

Yes - Those are being provided to the Parents of the Youth upon arrival to the Camp.

[scuzzy]

This event has been approved.

We need some help here - only Mutti and Janir are signed up right now. You can sign up for this event just like all others - just go to TIPS->Sign Up

Here's the current roster:

https://appleseedinfo.org/tips/roster-for-shoots.php?qstate=IL&statename=Illinois

[John Boch]

A little bit of background here:

The Darnall's NRA Youth Shooting Camp is a four day, three night affair where the kids camp in tents on the top part of the property (participant boys and girls in separate areas, of course) at night.

During the day, they are exposed to most of the major shooting disciplines, under up to Olympic-level quality of instructors.  The purpose isn't to make them Olympic shooters, but to show the kids safety and the fundamentals of the various disciplines.  Yes, some of the Olympic guys do recruit kids who exhibit natural abilities...

And the CIPS range is one of the nation's two designated Olympic training facilities by the US Shooting Sports (or so I'm told).  The other being Colorado Springs, CO.

The disciplines shot:  RIFLE, PISTOL, AIR RIFLE, SHOTGUN (TRAP), COWBOY ACTION, STEEL CHALLENGE, MUZZLE LOADING, ARCHERY and probably a couple of more I'm forgetting about (apologies in advance if you work one of the forgotten ones).

The kids spend two hours at each station, getting hands-on practice and instruction implementing the fundamentals.  And have fun.

The need for help this year on the rifle line came about as a result of some of the Olympic guys being gone for some tourney somewhere.  The camp's organizers moved most of the rifle coaches to the air rifle line, and that left a big old hole that I thought "hey, Appleseed could probably pull this off!"

Because of the camp's organizers' prior experience with Appleseed shoots held at their range, and upon my recommendation, they waived the requirement that all instructors be NRA Certified. 

I offered it to Mutti and Steck and they jumped on it with both feet.

Kids attending and the volunteers are a who's who of families in the region, including more than a few notables.  It's now just shy of 150 kids, up from 100ish, thanks to nation-wide publicity from Guns Save Life selling a bunch of scrap metal to the do-gooders in Chicago a couple of years ago at a "gun turn in".  This camp was the NRA Camp where much of that $6,240 has gone as Guns Save Life buys most of the ammunition each year (well, Mayor Daley for a couple of year, LOL) for the camp and donates rifles (again, bought by Mayor Daley).

All told, there will be upwards of 250 people (there's a lot of behind the scenes logistics - volunteers to help with logistics are welcome and appreciated) there that "we" as Appleseed have a direct line to pitch the Appleseed program and American history to. 

I'm sure Appleseed with do an admirable job with it and leave the kids with some great fundamentals in the prone position.

10/22s would probably be nearly ideal if we can get them with appropriate slings.  Tech sights would be idea.  I've got one with a scope and one without that I'll bring along for loaners, along with an S&W AR15/22.  Janir's got slings and I'll make sure I've got appropriate swivels.

This camp is professionally run by some long-time, highly influential people in the National Rifle Association (including Sue Darnall, the "Woman of the Year" a few years ago).  This can be a match made in heaven if it's handled well, for some long term partnerships down the road.

As an added bonus:  Saturday after dark will the the "Adult shoot under the lights" where we shoot trap under stadium lights.  If you haven't done it before, it's extra fun.  And it's free to the adult volunteers, "junior staff" (kids over 17 may return as staff - "gophers") and instructors.

John

[John Boch]

Camping:  Highly recommended on site.   Plenty of room for campers, or just plain old tents (that's most folks there).  Discourage non-inverter gensets if you're planning on running a generator all night.

There's showers for staff (and the kids can usually get in them as well).  I don't know about you but I gotta have a shower.

Weather's usually decent to on the cool side at night.

Food is superlative and plentiful.  Adults eat first.

The camp's organizers treat the staff like gold.

If you've got a spouse or kid, bring them along.  Still available slots last time I checked, but I'm sure it's nearing capacity.  Register kids aged 9-16 with the form on their website: Darnalls.com



If you must have a hotel room, the Hawthorn on the west side will give you their best rate $70 if you tell them you're with GSL Defense Training for a training event.  Consider this a GSL Defense Training training event.

Gotta run.  Shoot me an email (templar223@comcast.net) or IM, or call me at 217 649- 3702 if you have questions.

This is a good time you'll enjoy.

John

[RiflesnReins]

HUZZAH!  We need only 5 more instructors (at minimum)! If you can make it out, PLEASE do! Hang out with the Illinois Crew. What can you lose?
Cannot wait to see you guys!

An over-eager and coffee filled-

RnR

[Steck]

So eager to do this!   Ratboy & I will be there. 

What better chance to reach SO many of our posterity?

Looking forward to meeting more of the ever-expanding Appleseed family!

[RiflesnReins]

BTT

RnR

[SlingBurn]

Bump for an awesome event.

[imadentist]

I'm in and I am bringing lots of coffee.

[DrRichP]

Trouble is coming! I'll be there. 

[DrRichP]

This is the current Instructor roster:

•   Steck(Shoot Boss) Shoot Boss
•   Mutti(Shoot Boss) Shoot Boss
•   DrRichP(dSB) Instructor
•   Janir(Shoot Boss) Instructor
•   imadentist(Instructor) Instructor
•   Laredo(Instructor) Instructor
•   RiflesnReins(Instructor) Instructor
•   templar223(IIT 3) IIT
•   Cinco(IIT 3) IIT
•   Bearcub(IIT 1) IIT
•   ratboy(Apple Core) AppleCore   
•   Phoenix Man aka Clint(Apple Core) AppleCore

Do we have enough? Not that we couldn't use more, but have we met the minimum number of Instructors yet?

[Mutti]

We currently have 12 and could use a few more. 25-30 Youth per 2.5 hr Session will provide approx. 3 : 1 Instructor / Student ratio.

If anyone can work Saturday, Sunday or partial days that would be helpful.

Reminder : The NRA Volunteer form can be found here to ensure Darnall's knows how many to include for meal Planning, etc. : http://darnalls.com/CAMP/2014/camp.html

Imadentist, RiflesNReins and I will be car-pooling up Friday Evening to help prepare the line / Station - and would love a Pre-Event dinner. Bring advice on Camping - RnR and I have 2 Cots - I think she is planning on taking lots of "Mutti can't Camp" photos  . Could be interesting...

See everyone there -

[RiflesnReins]

Bwahahahahahaaaaa!  Yeah, Imadentist and Mutti might regret bringing coffee along.......................

Hope to see everyone there,

RnR

[Phoenix Man aka Clint]

I saw something that indicated the rifles would all be bolt no sling.  I was going to bring my two Ruger 10-22's that are set up the way we set up for appleseed.  Should I? 

[Mutti]

 We are encouraging Instructors to bring loaners if possible. While the gear provided is adequate, Appleseed Instructors can assist by bringing those set up in the more familiar pattern to facilitate SHF and educating about Sling usage.

We are bringing 3 including a compact. PM either Steck or Mutti for inventory #'s if you'd like.

Mutti