Kalamazoo Rod and Gun Club
NEWSLETTER
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Kalamazoo Rod and Gun Club NEWSLETTER |
Kalamazoo Rod & Gun Club
Newsletter
September-October 2008 Newsletter
Club Elections for 2009
On Monday September 22, 2008 we will have a Potluck Supper at 6:00 PM and hold Elections for our 2009 Officers and Directors. Please bring the family and a dish to pass along with your table service. The club will furnish the main dish.
The officer positions to be filled are: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, three Directors for three year terms, and one director for a one year term.
Please show up for the Potluck as we have always had a very good meal, but if you can't make the potluck please come out at 7:00 PM to vote for the people that you would like running your club next year. Please remember "Only ONE vote per paid membership".
Just a reminder to all members, YOU are invited to attend ALL of our monthly business meetings along with this annual election. Your input is encouraged and you may nominate any member (with their permission of course) for an office, or nominate yourself. We use paper ballots and your vote remains confidential.
Another Clubwide Workday Scheduled for September 13th
The storm that hit Northern Kalamazoo County on the late afternoon of July 2nd took direct aim at our club. We figure that it cost us about $5,000 in damage. We completly lost our road and parking lot with the 5+ inches of rain that fell in about two hours. Lightning took out our trap machine, computer, and gate card reader, along with the power and phone for three days. President Tom Fenwick along with VP Steve Perkowski, Mike Tyler, and Andy Woolf (who brought out a loader) worked long hours putting the club back together. I'm sorry if I omitted any names as I was on vacation during this (amen).
So we need to schedule another workday to finish making repairs. We are going to rebuild the road drainage sumps and add more concrete in back of the 200 yard rifle range cover along with improved drainage. We also plan to put the finish coat of paint on the rifle range safety wall, a light tan color. Plus any other work that always seems to be needed.
We plan on getting the concrete work formed up on the 13th then pour the concrete on Monday or Tuesday evening of the following week. All ranges will be closed on the 13th until work is completed. Also we will have to close ranges when the concrete is poured. (time unknown). The workday will start at 9am and lunch will be served free to all workers. Note: The Bowling Pin Shoot scheduled for this day will still be held.
We will hold our annual sighting in days on November 8th and 9th from 9am to 4pm. We need volunteers to serve as spotters for both days. The 200 yard range will close at 3pm for set-up on Friday November 7th and remain closed to general use on the 8th and 9th . We need help setting up the range on Friday afternoon. We furnish lunch both days for our volunteers. Please bring a spotting scope if you have one, or the club will furnish one.Please contact Carl Walters to volunteer. Ph. 269-381-8034 cell 269-910-3792.
Attention Winter Air Gun Shooter’s
Carl Walters is stepping down from the position of Air Gun Chairman. If you would like to see this fun winter activity continue then one or more individuals will have to step forward to replace Carl. Please call McAllisters's at 269-671-5695 to volunteer.
Thank you Carl for all your work!
Saturday September 27th at 11:00am on the Lower Range
Food, Fun and Shooting
This is a family picnic, please bring a dish to pass. No Alcohol
There will be several shooting events. Ear and Eye protection required in the shooting areas. Regular action pistol scenarios and several side shoots for prizes, raffles, door prizes and 50/50 drawings will be held throughout the day.
Sure to be a GREAT time!
Bring guns and equipment, lawn chairs,
coolers and family.
NO SCOPES, RED DOTS OR LASERS
Please park at clubhouse, parking is limited
on lower range. Register at barn for shoots.
Email or call Steve for more info.
381-7841
Editor’s Corner
This is a slightly revised version of Editor’s Corner that was supposed to appear in your last newsletter, but due to problems with a new person putting it together for publication, it did not appear there, but was posted on the web site.
I’ve talked about the importance of elections before, but I feel compelled to write about it again. Regardless of your official party affiliation, now more than ever you need to look beyond that and take a hard look at the people you are going to vote into public office.
Many of you ignore local elections, such as those for school board but then turn around and complain about what is happening in our schools. Many others dismissed the importance of the primaries which were held on August 5th this year. On average, only 20% of registered voters turned out, which means that a minority of voters decided who would proceed to the general elections. Most of the focus is on the presidential race this year, but in my mind, even more important are the local and state level elections that get much less attention. Everyone we place in public office affects us either directly or indirectly, and many politicians that start out at township or county commissioners, go on to run for state and national positions. It rises to the top, think about that. I also think that by electing people on the local and state level that accurately represent our views, have good moral character and follow the constitution, we send a strong message on to the national level that this is what we want and won’t tolerate anything else. In reality, if we elected good people to represent us on the local and state level, we would in fact have true representation in national government, and would matter much less, who was elected as president.
I’m not one that enjoys politics, but I know that if I ignore what is happening with my representatives I will end up with what I deserve, and it won’t be good! If you have a local sheriff, prosecutor, judge, school board member, etc. that needs to go, find a good candidate to run against them and form a grass roots group to get behind them, get involved, put up signs, donate to their campaigns and talk to people about the problems and solutions. Don’t think that because they are established with a power group that they can’t be beat, because they can. And write letters! Make phone calls! Send emails! Above all else, every politician wants to stay in office, and whether they agree with you or not, they will go with popular opinion if it keeps them in power.
What can I say about our presidential election? On one hand we are faced with a man running on the Democrat ticket that seems to have unbelievable charisma, the support of the national media, and a bag of promises that just won’t quit. A consummate politician for sure. He also wants to outlaw all handguns, rescind all concealed carry nationally, ban all semi auto rifles and shotguns, and make you store what is left at an official shooting club….ouch! He also feels that the constitution is a “living document” that should be “changed to suit the times”, he believes in social engineering and taxing us into prosperity. Please think about that before you vote. The republican presidential candidate, while probably a better liberal democrat than many democrats before him, at least believes in our constitution, salutes the American flag, puts his hand over his heart during the national anthem, supports our military and believes our constitution is just fine the way it is. Please get out and vote this fall! Ed. Mark Brandli
Editor’s Comments
When my copy of the last newsletter arrived in the mail, I was dismayed to see what had been presented as an editorial by me. Judging by the comments made by other members at the last meeting, most of you were nearly as unhappy about it as I was. Let me assure you that I had nothing to do with either writing or publishing what appeared. In fact, I received the same email from a “sportsman’s association” as printed almost word for word, and was in total disagreement with the entire opinion expressed. I personally believe in supporting animal rescue efforts by anyone, and applaud those efforts 100%.
I’m not certain how the individual that wrote the letter concluded that by supporting animal rescues, Meijer would be helping anti hunting efforts, but it certainly seems to be a stretch of the imagination to me.
How strongly do I feel about this cause? VERY! All of our pets are from animal rescues. We drove to the other side of Chicago to pay for and pick up one of our Shiloh Shepherds, and to New York for another. One Shepherd came from a local shelter, and we have spent quite a bit of money on neutering and immunizing cats that someone felt they needed to drop off at our house rather than take responsibility for THEIR pet. We also donate to select rescue groups to help them continue their work, so you can see that we put up for what we believe in, we don’t just talk about it.
If you have never tried adopting a “used” pet, you should give it some serious thought. They make wonderful companions and almost seem able to understand that they have been given another chance at life by someone that cares. Ed. Mark Brandli
Thank You!
To member Paul Chiba for installing a much needed outdoor faucet on the clubhouse. Paul runs a plumbing service, please give him a call if you need plumbing work 269-345-5445... Also thanks to everyone who has donated cardboard backers for the ranges...A special thanks to David VanLopik for putting the July-August Newsletter together and getting it to the printer while I was on vacation. Dan Eddington (newsletter set-up).
KRGC Members do well at Camp Perry
Longtime KRGC member Ron Springsteen show’s off his winning offhand position
Several KRGC members attended the National Rifle & Pistol Championship's at Camp Perry Ohio this year. We heard that Ron won the Rimfire Sporter Rifle T-Class Senior event while shooting a score of 587-20x out of a possible 600 points. Ron used a Thompson Center Classic semi-auto and topped the second place shooter by nine points.
Colin Vanderveen won the 4-H Jr. shooter T-Class Rimfire Sporter with a score of 583-20x. Colin is a member of the KRGC Junior Shooting Team.
Chris Ronfeldt took 5th place out of 743 competitors in the CMP Springfield Match firing a score of 282-6x. Chris is a regular at KRGC Highpower matches. Good Shootin' Guys!
More News…
A job well done to KRGC member Sheila Hoekstra who is also the Director of the Women's Division at Southern Michigan Gun Club. They raised a total of $3,000 for Breast Cancer research, education and prevention with their benefit shoot held June 21st at SMGC.
Will the member who borrowed the club chronograph last April please return it. There are other members who want to use it.
We were sad to learn of the passing of KRGC member Gorodon Lumbard on July 18, 2008. Our sympathy goes out to Gorodon's family.
Quiz: Do you know what this is? Where it is? See end of newsletter for answer.
Range Vandalism
A total of 7 bullets have been fired at our new concrete safety wall as of this writing in early August. This has to stop! Obviously we have a member who "just doesn't get it". Do you realize how good we have it at the KRGC? All these nice ranges that are open for you to shoot on almost anytime you want. Remember your gate card time-in and time-out is recorded. One of these days we'll catch you!
Michigan Eliminates It’s so-called
Pistol ‘Safety Inspection’
Commentary by: Steve dulan
The way we handle post-purchase paperwork for pistols will be changing. New legislation amending Public Act 372, co-sponsored by 4 members of the MCRGO Board of Directors (Representatives Sheltrown and Casperson and Senators Cropsey and Richardville) among others, was signed into law last month by the Governor. The new rules (paraphrased for clarity) are as follows:
The so-called “safety inspection” is eliminated. The seller of a pistol shall immediately record the sale on a 4-part (quadruplicate) form provided by the Department of State Police, which the purchaser shall sign. One copy is kept by the seller. One copy is kept by purchaser. Two copies are sent to the police department or county sheriff within 10 days. The forms can be hand-delivered or sent by first-class or certified mail (I recommend certified and hang onto your receipts.) Failure to comply with this rule is a civil infraction punishable by a fine of $250 maximum. Violations will also be reported to the state police and the county gunboard.
The police agency will forward one copy to the state police within 48 hours, and keep the other for at least 6 years. The state police will enter the information into the computer data base within 10 days of receiving it. The purchaser has a right to get a copy of the information that is entered to verify the accuracy of the information. The police or sheriff’s department can charge a fee of $1.00 maximum for the copy. The purchaser has to keep his/her copy of the form while carrying or using the pistol for the first 30 days after purchase. After that time, the form need not be carried. This law takes effect January 7th, 2009. I’ve had the opportunity to hear and read many comments on this law, including during a recent visit to the Multi Lakes Conservation Club, where I was honored to be welcomed as a representative of MCRGO and hear questions and comments. Some of the comments expressed disappointment that we still have pistol registration. While it is true that this legislation, like most legislation, has gone through changes from the original proposed law, it is still a victory for gun owners. Even though we didn’t get everything on our wish list, our friends in the legislature have managed to eliminate the ridiculous “safety inspection.” Now, we don’t have to make that trip down to the police station to hold the gun up to the bullet-proof glass for a clerk to copy down the serial number.
Keep in mind that there are legislators who are not at all supportive of gun rights and would just as soon increase our inconvenience and expense rather than make things better for gun owners. Politics in a representative democracy is the art of the possible. While this new law still requires registration, that has been a fact of life for a couple of generations in Michigan. At least we don’t have to make that post-purchase trip to the police station anymore once this new law takes effect.
In fact, for those with a CPL (Concealed Pistol License), no trip to the police/sheriff’s department is required. The seller simply records the CPL license information on the form and the new owner signs and submits the forms by mail. This is much more efficient and less time-consuming than the old system.
Steve Dulan is an attorney in private practice in East Lansing, Michigan and serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Coalition of Responsible Gun Owners (MCRGO) and on the
Board of Trustees of the MCRGO Foundation. He is an adjunct professor of firearms law at The Thomas M. Cooley Law School www.Cooley.edu and a live member of the NRA.
Notice:
No Hunter Safety program is scheduled at the KRGC this year. Tom Fenwick who has chaired the event the last few years is too busy with work. Nobody else stepped forward at the August meeting, so we will have no program this year.
Answer to Quiz:
This statue is located in Bronson Park, Downtown Kalamazoo. It was erected by the citizens of Kalamazoo on Memorial Day 1924 to commemorate the valor and patriotism of those who served in the war with Spain, the Philippine Inserrection and the China relief Expedition 1898-1902. Note: The .30-40 Krag rifle that the trooper is holding has great detail, including a sling and is worth the trip to Bronson Park to take a look.
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