Congratulations - High Sons of Liberty

[Maximum Ordinate]

After two years of planning, the High Son of Liberty Medal was established in 2024 in advance of the 20th anniversary of the Revolutionary War Veterans Assocation.  It is awarded at the discretion of the National Coordinator after consultation with the Appleseed Board of Directors.

The medal is the highest honor bestowed by the RWVA.  It is awarded by the National Coordinator in the name of the RWVA to a person who distinguishes himself or herself conspicuously through sterling leadership, exceptional performance of duty, or extraordinary contributions at the highest levels to the RWVA Mission.

The medal is a round 2″ medallion suspended from a fixed bar with scrollwork inscribed with APRIL 19, 1775 on the obverse and MARCH 15, 2005 on the reverse. On the medallion obverse, Captain John Parker is surrounded by concentric circles with 13 stars and the words HIGH SON OF LIBERTY and RWVA. The medallion reverse features an M14 rifle and a Brown Bess musket crossed, space for engraving, and laurel leaves. The medal is suspended by a woven, moiré neck ribbon with nine alternating red and white stripes symbolizing the Sons of Liberty flag.

For posterity, records of these awards will be posted on our website:  https://appleseedinfo.org/high-sons-of-liberty/


The following persons shall henceforth be known as High Sons of Liberty:

Award #1:  Jack Dailey (Fred)
Founder, RWVA. Master Instructor, Project Appleseed. In recognition of his contributions and achievement as a founding member of the Revolutionary War Veterans Association and Project Appleseed.


Award #2:  Don Duncan (dond)
Director, RWVA.  Chief Master Instructor, Project Appleseed.  In recognition of his selfless service, exemplary contributions to instructor development, major advances to teaching methods, and commitment to excellence.  DonD's service to the RWVA as a Master Instructor impacted the quality of marksmanship instruction provided to almost 100,000 students nationwide.








Award #3:  Mr. Don Patterson
President, RWVA. In recognition of his selfless service and exceptionally meritorious achievement as a founding member of the Revolutionary War Veterans Association.


Award #4:  Mr. Ad Vanderstaak
Vice-President, RWVA. In recognition of his selfless service and exceptionally meritorious achievement as a founding member of the Revolutionary War Veterans Association.


Award #5:  Richard A. Pistolese (DrRichP)
National Coordinator (2016-2018), Senior Instructor, Project Appleseed.  Posthumous award.  In recognition of exceptionally meritorious service to the Revolutionary War Veterans Association at the national level.  He oversaw major new business improvements for the program, including the implementation of a new website, rebranding of Project Appleseed, and a financial system.  Upon his passing, he was posthumously promoted to Master Instructor.



Award #6:  Lawrence King (Lawrence)
Chief of Logistics (2010-2018), Senior Instructor, Project Appleseed.  Posthumous award.  In recognition of exceptionally meritorious service to the Revolutionary War Veterans Association through logistics.  He was directly responsible for new product development, acquisition and distribution to support 7000 Project Appleseed events and the instructors who staffed them.


Award #7:  Michael Adam (Scout)
Master Instructor, Project Appleseed.  Posthumous award.  In recognition of exceptionally meritorious service to the Revolutionary War Veterans Association through media.  He was a charismatic Master Instructor who advanced the Appleseed Mission by reaching tens of thousands of people though his Rifleman Radio broadcasts from 2008-2015.


Award #8:  Mr. Doug Langley
Friend of the RWVA.  In recognition of exceptionally meritorious service in the administration of Revolutionary War Veterans Association.  Mr. Langley's generosity and business acumen have greatly advanced the RWVA Mission.


Maximum Ordinate
National Coordinator, Project Appleseed

[Roswell]

Congratulations!!! I can't say enough to thank all of you. Well deserved!

[ChuckA]

Huzzah

[Tennessee Beast]

Huzzah Huzzah! Huzzah!  Thank you so much for your dedication!!!!!!!   

[JustKim]

WOW!!!  This is VERY NICE!  CONGRATS to all and a HuGe THANK YOU for all you have done for this program!!    

[Leadslinger66]

Congratulations to all of the recipients. Thank you for all you've done for Project Appleseed!

[Fidget]

Great job! Way to go!!!     

[scuzzy]

What a great group of people.

[upacreek]

Congratulations!  It's amazing how many lives you've touched. 

Thank you!

[TallTimber]

HUZZA!

[mr6actual]

Well Deserved!! All of them!!

[Cleveland]

This medal is the highest honor bestowed by the RWVA.  It is awarded by the National Coordinator in the name of the RWVA to a person who distinguishes himself or herself conspicuously through sterling leadership, exceptional performance of duty, or extraordinary contributions at the highest levels.

Effective January 1, 2025, the following volunteers shall be known as High Sons of Liberty:




Award #9:  Chris Gibb (The Guy)
Master Instructor, Project Appleseed.  Posthumous award.  In recognition of extraordinary service in maintaining instructional standards and supporting the RWVA mission.  Chris was an inspiration to those around him.  He served on the RWVA Steering Committee, forging program policy and instructional standards.


Award #10:  Roger Farnsworth (Nickle)
Master Instructor, Project Appleseed.  Posthumous award.  In recognition of extraordinary service in the administration of the national program.  He leveraged his many years leadership and marksmanship expertise to guide the evolution of Project Appleseed's Known Distance program.


Award #11:  Trey Dawson (Phenry)
Master Instructor, Project Appleseed.  In recognition of extraordinary service in maintaining instructional standards and supporting the RWVA mission.  Trey was instrumental in growing and mentoring junior leaders.  He served as Southeast Regional Coordinator for a decade and was vital to building Appleseed in Florida, a stronghold state with currently has 10% of active volunteers in America.



Award #12:  Stacy Wilson (Rascal21)
Applecore, Project Appleseed.  In recognition of conspicuous service and sacrifice to advance the Project Appleseed mission in Canada.  Stacy is a Founding Director for Project Mapleseed in Canada, with whom she also holds the rank of Senior Instructor.  Her service and sacrifice are directly responsible for standing up Project Mapleseed.




Award #13:  Deniece Hopkins (Riflewoman)
Shoot Boss, Project Appleseed.  In recognition of extraordinary service in the administration of the national program.  Deniece was a member of the RWVA Steering Committee and the Executive Advisory Board, guiding the program through growth and change.  Riflewoman's contributions at the national level empowered State Coordinators, Shoot Bosses, and Instructors to accomplish their missions.


Award #14:  Stacy Nelson (funfaler)
Applecore, Project Appleseed.  In recognition of extraordinary service in the administration of the national program.  Stacy's staggering contributions to growing the program were directly responsible for Project Appleseed to meet the milestone of 1000 events.

[AH1Tom]

Huzah. Well done.

[Tennessee Beast]

Huzzah!  Huzzah!  Huzzah!

Congratulations!!!!🎉

[SlingBurn]

Congratulations! 

[scuzzy]

May the American Revolution live on in our hearts and minds forever.

[upacreek]

Congratulations!

[TheMenace]

Congratulations on your  recognition for devotion to the mission.

[ArmyVet]

Congrats to all! The successes we achieve today is because we can stand of the shoulders of these fine volunteers!

[PHenry]

I suppose what strikes me most is the sheer number that are gone. It seems as if I was interacting with them, either in person or on the forum so recently. I met Riflewoman at my first event in January of 2007 - she was on admin and had a name tag filled out for every one of the 43 pre-reg'd shooters. 112 showed up and the prop owner ran a dozer to add a range to accommodate them all. She used to say that we promise them a T-shirt. We don't promise it will be the right size.

So many amazing mentors and people who gave me a leg up along the way. It seems like I am lucky to still be breathing with so many of them gone to meet the Founders. In the end, it matters little what the old timers have done for the program. It's all about maintaining the tradition with the next generation and for thems to do the same.

I have managed to do some good in life, but I suppose I am most satisfied with my time in Appleseeds.

In Liberty,
PHenry

[JustKim]

So much appreciation for these amazing folks!    

[Cleveland]

This medal is the highest honor bestowed by the RWVA.  It is awarded by the National Coordinator in the name of the RWVA to a person who distinguishes himself or herself conspicuously through sterling leadership, exceptional performance of duty, or extraordinary contributions at the highest levels.

Effective April 19, 2025, the following volunteers shall be known as High Sons of Liberty:

Award #15: Ron Vandiver (Son of Martha)
Master Instructor, Project Appleseed. Posthumous Award. For Extraordinary service in maintaining instructional standards and supporting the RWVA mission. Mr. Ron Vandiver was instrumental in helping to establish the educational and philosophical foundation of Project Appleseed.  He was part of the two major MilitarySeeds at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.  He served on the RWVA Steering Committee and Project Appleseed National Staff, setting policy and focusing on instructor development.


Award #16: Kim Larson (Dragon Wood)
Master Instructor, Project Appleseed. For Extraordinary service in maintaining instructional standards and supporting the RWVA mission. Ms. Kim Larson was dedicated to instructor development.  She traveled the country, building the foundation of "teaching the Appleseed way" to bolster the instructor corps.  She created the first edition of the Shoot Boss Manual in 2009. Her influence on Project Appleseed is still felt today.



Award #17: Ed Yeager (HawkHavn)
Senior Instructor, Project Appleseed. For extraordinary service in the administration of the national program.
Mr. Ed Yeager served as the Head Regional Coordinator and a member of the RWVA Advisory Board and Wise Old Men Board for several years, providing assistance and mentorship to Regional and State Coordinators to grow their local programs.  During his tenure, he had many accomplishments including leading NRA Annual Meeting efforts and also handling the fallout of the Appleseed/USRA split.


Award #18: Cindy Martin (Savageshootr)
Senior Instructor, Project Appleseed. For extraordinary service in the administration of the national program.
Ms. Cindy Martin was an early leader on the administrative side of Appleseed.  She served in the working group Operations (WL-X).  She quietly documented several hundred Event Information Pages for State Coordinators and provided scheduling & marketing materials for those events.  In addition, she participated in the development in the first set of Instructor Progress Checks which are in common use today.



Award #19 Eric McCabe (ItsanSKS)
Master Instructor, Project Appleseed. For Extraordinary service in maintaining instructional standards and supporting the RWVA mission. Mr. Eric McCabe stepped up to be a leader early in the program.  Dedicated to our Mission, he volunteered for multiple "other 28-day" jobs, including Florida State Coordinator, the RWVA Advisory Board, the Wise Old Men board, and WL-X Promotions Team.  Eric crafted an early Known Distance Manual for the program.  He represented Project Appleseed to the Daughters of the American Revolution, receiving a history award from them.  After moving to Alaska, he was responsible for keeping the program alive in a remote and austere environment where months suitable to conduct Appleseed events are very limited.




Award #20: Kirby Foster (scuzzy)
Senior Instructor, Project Appleseed. For extraordinary service in the administration of the national program.
Mr. Kirby Foster spearheads Information Technology and customer service for Project Appleseed. 
He provides scheduling and administrative support for over 1000 volunteers at any given time.  Kirby is without a doubt the center of gravity for our program.  His home in Lampassas Texas became the unofficial headquarters for Project Appleseed.





Award #21: Diana Chambers (Google)
Master Instructor, Project Appleseed. For conspicuous service in establishing instructional standards and supporting the RWVA mission. Ms. Diana Chambers served on the National Staff as the first Deputy National Coordinator and special project officer. She made staggering contributions to the planning and execution of the Appleseed Academy video series. She led the COVID-19 task force. Her mentorship was instrumental in the professional growth of numerous leaders in the program, including developing Senior and Master Instructors. Her biggest achievement was the development of the new Shoot Boss Manual. This manual was the greatest step forward in leadership development and accountability in the history of Project Appleseed.



Award #22: Rusty Bonkoski (Maximum Ordinate)
Master Instructor, Project Appleseed. For conspicuous leadership and extraordinary service in the administration of the national program. Mr. Rusty Bonkoski has traveled the country extensively in his dedication to instructor development.  He served as State Coordinator in Alabama and was active throughout the Southeast Region before becoming National Coordinator.  During his 5 and a half years as NC, he provided volunteers with tools and support to refine their craft as Appleseed instructors.  He developed and produced Appleseed Academy and supported the update of the Instructor Manual and Shoot Boss Manuals to a standardized format to streamline professional development resources for the instructor corps.  He pioneered Zoom & Learn online classes as another resource for the cadre to hone their skills and remain engaged during the winter months.  He also developed the Known Distance and Shoot Boss Boot Camps.  He traveled the country conducting well over 50 Rifle Instructor Boot Camps plus Shoot Boss, Known Distance, and Rifleman Boot Camps for Appleseed volunteers.  (He has instructed at over 65 Known Distance and over 150 25m Appleseed events.)



Award #23: Tom Kehoe (Malabar)
Designated Shoot Boss, Project Appleseed. For conspicuous service in the administration of the national program. Tom Kehoe served as a founding member and Chairman of the Appleseed Oversight Committee.  His leadership was responsible for peace and stability in Project Appleseed following an internal civil war.  During his tenure, the program has experienced a renaissance on both the administrative and instructional tracks.  Tom's leadership has been a beacon of philosophical and intellectual excellence within Project Appleseed. 

[ChuckA]

Huzzah

[Catch-10-22]

Huzzah! Congrats to these patriots on Patriots' weekend 

[Tennessee Beast]

Congratulations!  Great choices!!!!!!  Huzzah! 

[malabar]

Huzzah and well-deserved to all! These folks have made a major impact in our program and it behooves us to honor past greats along with our current leaders.

tk

[Leadslinger66]

Congratulations Google and Maximum Ordinate!

[Big John]

This is wonderful. Good on you all.

[PHenry]

Very nice. I am glad to see that Kim and Ron accepted the award. They were both very strong influences on me as my early mentors and did much for the program back in the day. At my second event in early 2008, I arrived early to help out and made score a second time (couldn't do so consistently until after I began instructing). Kim (Dragonwood) asked me at the end of the day if I had ever considered becoming an Appleseed instructor. I ate the red pill. Turned out to be far more "expensive" than I imagined, but also far more rewarding than I could have ever imagined as well. No regrets.

[DEH]

Ron/SOM was my earliest mentor in the program. The way I tell history is a direct reflection of his influence.

He maintained contact with some in the program. I was saddened when I learned of his passing.