May has come with blessed rains at Gunsite. We are in drought conditions and the .35” of rain we received yesterday was a welcome sight. Some of the folks in Seasoned Citizen Carbine, Concealed Carry Pistol and two (2) tutorials may not have appreciated it as much though!
May is a grand month in the high desert, with cool mornings and warm afternoons sprinkled with the sound of freedom (Gunfire) across the many Gunsite ranges. Two (2) 250 Pistol classes begin next week as well as additional tutorials. We also have another 250 Pistol Course at the beautiful Colonial Shooting Academy indoor range in Richmond VA.
Coming up later in May is Ladies’ Pistol 1 and 2 (Do you have that Mother’s Day gift yet?) , Shotgun, Shotgun Advanced Tactical Problems, another 250 Pistol, the ever-increasingly popular Pistol Range Day, 499 Pistol and the Defensive 3 Gun. (Defensive 3 Gun is a good introduction to Pistol, Carbine, and Shotgun or a great tune-up for those experienced family members.) Another Precision Rifle Course is also on the books.
We also celebrate Jeff Cooper’s birthday on May 10. Watch for information soon on something that might happen during May 2019 in celebration of his 100th birthday! Just a teaser for now, but Gunsite family members won’t want to miss this!
Peace Officer’s Memorial Day is May 15. We support our Peace Officer’s every day, but certainly on this day. The names of those KIA for the preceding year are placed on the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial in Washington DC. We lose far too many each year . . .
We also celebrate the 77th anniversary of Janelle Cooper’s 21st birthday on May 31. Taking the 250 classes over to the Sconce for the traditional Gunsite tea, lemonade (Arnold Palmers) and brownies and a visit with Mrs. Cooper is one of my favorite things. She greets all of the new family members as she invites them to her home, tells them of Gunsite history and lore and allows them to wander from the terrace to “the crows nest” to the library and armory. Sending her a card, care of Gunsite, would be a great gesture.
Buz is off to NRA early May for the Annual Meeting. Look for him walking about the show floor. Thanks to those who helped re-elect him to the NRA Board of Directors. Also, thanks to those who helped elect Gunsite Rangemaster Il Ling New to the Board. She will begin her first term in Dallas.
Have you heard the news that we have added Royal Range in Nashville TN as one of our new training partners? They have a beautiful indoor range and shoot house and we can offer the five (5) day 250 Pistol Course there. The first class is scheduled in September and is already filling!
We are hard at work on the 2019 training calendar and hope to have it published (electronically) in early July. New classes in 2019 include an active shooter in the school environment course (Actual name yet to be determined) and a Defensive Lever Gun and Single Action Revolver Course. We are also bringing back the 250 Revolver Only Course for those wheel gunners. It will be another full year.
Have you enrolled in the Gunsite Alumni Shoot (GAS Match) yet? The prizes are already beginning to pile up here in the office. More guns, holsters, and other equipment than we can hardly imagine. The first Saturday in October will be here soon, so get on line and get enrolled!
On a business note, we have always prided ourselves in being very flexible in our student cancellation policies. Unfortunately, we have had many last-minute cancellations on our off-site and on-site courses the last several months that have either caused cancellations of the course or become very costly. (We have contracted the staff, paid for travel, etc. that cannot be cancelled when the student minimum is no longer met at the last minute.) As a result, we must begin enforcing our long-time official cancellation policy:
“If you cancel within 14 days prior to start of class, your deposit can be applied to another class of your choice. If you cancel with less than 14 days before your class, $500 of your deposit is non-transferable and non-refundable. Any amount over $500 is fully transferable or refundable if you cannot make the class for any reason, with or without notice.”
Finally, and most importantly, we also honor those who “gave their last full measure” in service to the Republic on Memorial Day (or Decoration Day) on May 28. Remembering those fallen is a tradition began shortly after the Civil War honoring those fallen Union and Confederate soldiers. It became Memorial Day later, honoring all those killed in service to the Nation. Please show appropriate remembrance and honor. We live the lives we do because of the sacrifices they made.
We hope to see you (back) at Gunsite soon.
DVC
Ken
