McLean, IL AAR July 31 August 1 2021

[TheEditor]

An EXCELLENT Appleseed event! 

23 shooters preregistered and 22 showed up Saturday morning - in the rain.  Without complaint, they helped erect canopies until the firing line was entirely covered, along with a gathering space behind the line. 

It rained more or less steadily until noon.  Having already gotten off the couch, no one complained - even when we did IMC at the firing line, in the rain. 

We had a special guest, entirely unexpected.  Maximum Ordinate showed up and taught with us all day.  He was only there Saturday, so I took advantage of him being there and had him do the KD presentation. 

Shooter3006 did "The Spirit of 1776", another great story of how individual Americans made a difference and helped win our independence. 

We packed so much into Saturday, that we did all three strikes on Sunday. 

Some Thank Yous:

Thanks to Bob and Barb Holland and their family for hosting us on their land - as they have been doing for 10 years now.  Bob makes what is normally a pasture look like a golf course.  He also fogged for mosquitoes the day before, so we weren't bothered by the bugs.  Barb Holland ran the sign in table, while the rest of us and the students got the firing line covered. 

Thanks to GunsSaveLife.com for promoting this shoot in their online and print publications, and at their meetings. 

Thanks to GSL Defense Training, for the use of their trailer and equipment (a big part of how we were able to have a covered firing line) and for providing water and Gatorade to keep everyone hydrated. 

Thanks to the IIT's and Instructors - Bobby, OuttaAmmo, Trail Mix, El Chupacabra, AK, Shooter3006, and Maximum Ordinate.  None of this would be possible without the Appleseed Volunteers.  El Chupacabra ran the line nearly all of Sunday, and earned his IIT 3 promotion. 

And most of all, Thanks to the shooters, who showed up, persisted, and learned not only marksmanship, but heritage and teamwork. 

We had one new Rifleman - John Suter, with a 217. 

and we had one Distinguished Rifleman - John Freimuth requalified as a rifleman - with a score of 245! 

Keith Vaupel and Terry Zeiters also requalified. 

Terry also gave us a short presentation on Appleseed Pistol Clinic.  Thanks Terry. 

Please post more pictures and comments as you have them, but here's one to get you started - a beautiful firing line with six instructors. 

[Paladin223]

Yes, I agree whole heartedly this was a great Appleseed weekend.

The Holland family deserves a gigantic thank you for the use of their terrific range as well the great effort to provide the best possible experience for us participants.  And their granddaughter Rylie ( a Junior Olympian) spent time talking to the young participants giving encouragement.  A couple I spoke with
were thrilled to speak with her.  And further thanks to her father for displaying one of her competition rifles.  Looks like you need to be a mechanical engineer to just assemble the pieces.  Again, a big thank you to the Holland family for their above and beyond support.

As is always the case the participants are the finest  group of people you'll ever meet.  Was great to get together with old friends and meet new ones, all with sincere interest in learning about the history that made this great country of ours.  The marksmanship training helps us follow in our ancestors tradition of being trained Riflemen and Riflewomen.

We are also blessed with some of the best Appleseed instructors in the country.  I hope everyone realizes the work and time they have dedicated to becoming the superb instructors they are.  The improvement in our skill level at the end of the weekend is a testament to their abilities to coach and guide.
Thank you Instructors.

It was a pleasure to meet Maximum Ordinate after seeing him in AARs from all over the country. 

For some reason this weekend seemed special to me.  And it was all because of fine group of citizens that came out (what rain--didn't notice) to learn. Congrats to Jon on receiving his rifleman patch and to John for earning Distinquished.  Thanks again to a great group of instructors, participants and host family.  THANK YOU

[Shooter30-06]

This was a special shoot even by the high standards of the usual Appleseeds at the Holland Farm.  All of the shooters were wonderful to work with and very safe.  Shooting instruction and history presentations were received with avid attention.  Congratulations to Jon, our new Rifleman.  Congratulations to John for shooting Distinguished.  All of the shooters should congratulate themselves for their improvement and effort.

A special thanks to the Holland Family for hosting this event for over 10 years!  Kudos are due to The Editor as Shoot Boss for a smooth and enjoyable event.  A big thanks to Maximum Ordinate for helping us on Saturday.  I am sure I am speaking for all the instructors and shooters that the attendance of the National Coordinator added a luster to the event.

[AK]

Congratulations to all our shooters who didn't let a little rain deter them from having a good time while improving their shooting skills and learning about their heritage. No sunshine patriots here!  Thanks to Holland family for hosting once again. This is a special location that is much anticipated each year. Congratulations to Jon on earning his Rifleman patch, to John for re-qualifying and earning a "Distinguished" patch. Congratulations to our other Riflemen who re-qualified. It was a nice surprise to have Maximum Ordinance join us on Saturday. He joined a great group of instructors that are always a pleasure to work with. (Sorry, for some reason my pictures won't post. I'll try again later. )

[TheEditor]

Here are some of my pictures.  AK has the good ones, the ones of our Riflemen and our Rifle Teams. 

A happy family of Appleseeders!  Two IIT's (heading towards red hats!) and three of their children, who were shooters. 

[TheEditor]

Here's a few more: 

[TheEditor]

And a few more: 

[TheEditor]

Appleseed instructors learn by doing! 

[AK]

Here are some pictures.

[AK]

More pictures.

[AK]

And, a few more.

[Trail Mix]

Thank you to Appleseed as a whole, and the McLean Appleseed specifically. You teach our kids how important it is to get off the couch. You teach them grit and determination. You teach them the importance of history in a time that's trying to erase anything unpleasant in our nation's past. You teach them that one person matters. Sure, we try to teach them those same lessons, but when it comes from someone other than Mom or Dad, it somehow means more and sinks in deeper.

Thank you to TheEditor, AK, Shooter30-06, Bob and the rest of the instructor crew. Everything about being an IIT is out of my comfort zone. Miles and miles out of my comfort zone, but you have patience with me, give me constructive criticism in an encouraging and loving way, and make me feel like maybe someday I'll be ready for a red hat. At my first Appleseed, (also the McLean Appleseed), I'd never made a rifle safe on my own before. I failed more times than I didn't that weekend, yet you guys walked me through it until I got it right. You didn't yell at me, belittle me, or make me feel stupid. Thank you for that. If you'd been any different, my journey would have ended there.

Instead, the next year, I qualified as Rifleman and accepted an orange hat. (This was also the McLean Appleseed.) Now our family has traveled a little and we've gone to several other Appleseeds. This one is still my favorite. It's like coming home, or going to a family reunion. You make me feel good about myself and like I can accomplish anything. 

You guys are amazing!!

Oh, a huge thank you to Barb and Bob as well!! Without you, the McLean Appleseed couldn't happen.

[Trail Mix]

I don't know how to put captions on the pictures, but here are some I have from the weekend.

[Trail Mix]

And a few more pictures. Sorry they're mostly of my kids. I still feel weird taking pictures of people I don't know very well.

[Maximum Ordinate]

It was a real pleasure to work with the instructors and shooters at this Illinois event. 

My personal thanks to Mr. Holland who has dedicated this piece of land for Appleseed over the past decade.  Thank you so much for your continued dedication to the program.

I am grateful for the camaraderie and fellowship with the Illinois crew.  Your hospitality was wonderful - thank you for making me part of your crew for the day!

best,
MO