GUEST SPEAKER AT JULY 28 MEETING

GUEST SPEAKER AT JULY 28 MEETING
Dan Wilcox, engineer for Stephenson, Wilcox
& Associates, will be speaking at the General
Membership meeting. He is the engineer who
was hired to develop a master plan for the
club property. In addition to a final build out
and design, he is also making sure we are in
compliance with all regulating authorities and
ordnances.
VENDORS
Many members may see work being done or
purchases being made at or by the club, and
ask or at least think “Why didn’t I get a call?”
The answer is a very simple one - We don’t
know anything about your business. However, we are in the process of compiling a listing of
member businesses. With over 650 members, this should be a great resource allowing us to
all network within the club. It can be a invaluable resource, especially in these tough times.
This listing will be kept by the office and will not be sold to any outside sources. If you want
to be listed, please let me know at: [email protected] or [email protected].
Eventually we plan to add it to the “Members Only” section of the website. Didn’t know we
had a “Members Only” section of the website? We don’t at the moment but it should be live
by the end of August.
THREE REASONS WHY SHOOTING RANGES FAIL
By Rick Patterson
(Reprinted from the Range Report, July/August 1999)
I normally like to keep things in a positive light, but this issue I'm going to break with that
philosophy. Instead, let's talk about why shooting ranges fail.
The Small Business Administration has done exhaustive "post-mortems" on why businesses
and organizations fail in the belief that if you know why things fail, you will know what to
avoid and therefore better understand what it takes to succeed. Their findings point to the
same basic reasons for organizational failure: poor planning, inadequate cash reserves, poor
marketing, mistaking a business for a hobby and failure to compensate for management
weaknesses.
Shooting ranges can and do fail for all of these reasons, but inadequate cash reserves,
mistaking a business for a hobby and poor marketing are the top three.
Continued on pg. 4
Flagler Gun & Archery Club
1
July/August 2009
2009 Officers & Directors
MONTHLY SCHEDULED EVENTS
Action Pistol
OFFICERS
See Website
www.FlaglerGunCub.com
President
Jay Beggelman
(386) 445-1231
Vice President
Roger Hall
(386) 447-9759
Treasurer
Mike Elliot
(386) 437-0521
Secretary
Tom Conrad
(386) 446-7890
Governor
Don Costello
(386) 527-4054
Trap
Tuesdays & Saturdays - 9 a.m.
ATA Shoot - Saturdays
Skeet
Tuesdays - Thursdays - Saturdays
& Second Sunday of Each Month
9 a.m.
DIRECTORS
Membership
David Bull
(386)447-8271
Education
George Cook
(386) 445-9859
Planning
Bill Teepe
Action Pistol
Dave Losey
Sporting Clays
Thursdays - 2 p.m.
Sundays - 10 a.m.
(386) 586-1437
cell (904) 545-0448
Service Rifle “Rifle Match”
(386) 673-1814
Third Saturday of the Month - 9 a.m.
Pistol
Les Sharf
(386) 447-7267
Rifle
John Hetzler
(904) 986-2859
Bulls-Eye Pistol Shooting
Trap
Dusty Rhoades
(386) 445-4298
Every Thursday - 10 a.m.
Free Instruction Available
Skeet
Bill Keefe
(904) 461-3365
Sporting Clays
Paul Treue
(386) 445-6472
Silhouette
Ron Riese
(386) 441-4069
Facilities/Maint
Ken Danker
(386) 749-0996
Cowboy Action
Mark Roskamp
(386) 441-7969
Chuck Nusbaum
(904) 829-2772
Communications
Public Relations
Ray Stevens
(727) 798-1408
Jim Brown
(386) 986-4231
Black Powder
Bob Scheiner
(386) 446-4749
Procurement
Mike Noel
(386) 676-4625
Chuck Nusbaum
(904) 829-2772
Tom Wolfe
(386) 672-9118
Archery
Webmaster
Junior Members
Silhouette
4th Saturday of the month, 9am
From
Chuck Nusbaum, Communications Director
NEWSLETTER DEADLINE
If you would like to submit an article for the September/October newsletter, please submit NO LATER than
August 28th, 2009 to:
[email protected]
WEBSITE DEADLINE
None - If you want it on the website or the calendar,
the sooner I get it, the sooner it goes on. Remember,
I’m a volunteer and usually don’t work weekends.
[email protected]
Ron Hamaty, CRB, CRS
REALTOR
391 Palm Coast Parkway SW, Suite 1, Palm Coast FL, 32137
386-445-1231 or 386-931-0601
Email: [email protected]
Flagler Gun & Archery Club
www.RealtyAtlantic.net
2
July/August 2009
NEXT GENERAL MEETING
TUESDAY, July 28 , 2009 @ 7:00 pm
Flagler Hospital (Education Center A & B)
Now available at the trap range:
Men’s t-shirts  Coffee mugs  Shotshell shot glasses  Pencils
Women’s shirts coming soon!
November 2009 Gun Club Election
Officers of the Club serve one-year terms. Directors serve three-year terms. In November, at
the Club’s Annual meeting, members will vote for candidates for all Officer positions and candidates for those Director positions whose incumbents’ 3 year terms are expiring. Any member
in good standing may run for any of these offices. There is no limit to the numbers of people
who may run for a given position. Members will vote by secret ballot at the November 09 Annual Meeting
The Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations for the following positions:
Officers
Directors
President
Action Pistol
Silhouette
Vice-President
Cowboy Action
Expendables Acquisition
Treasurer
Planning and Investment
Food Service
Secretary
Archery
Property
Governor
Black Powder
Public Relations
If you’d like to run for any position, email Club Secretary Tom Conrad at [email protected]. If
you would like to know more about the duties of a given position, call the incumbent at the
number shown in the Newsletter or Tom Conrad at 386-446-7890.
Thank you,
2009 Nominating Committee: Tom Conrad, Darla Brinkley & Joe Marshall
Flagler Gun & Archery Club
3
July/August 2009
THREE REASONS WHY SHOOTING RANGES FAIL
Continued from page 1
Inadequate cash reserves can affect both new and existing ranges. One of the leading causes
of new shooting range failures is running out of the cash needed to keep the doors open until
the business grows to the break-even point.
Existing ranges need to have cash reserves for an emergency fund. One of the more common
fiscal emergencies is also the most costly - lawsuits. Even if you are entirely "in-the-right," defending a lawsuit requires money. Your insurance may not cover the costs of litigation. If you
are being sued by someone trying to close your range (such as a neighbor), they know this. In
fact, they are probably counting on it.
Niantic Sportsman's Club in Niantic, Connecticut, knows only too well. It's a typical story. A
new housing development was built on an adjacent property. Within six months, the new
neighbors were complaining. Noise testing showed the noise levels within acceptable legal limits. So the new neighbors sued the club for alleged lead contamination.
It has cost the club more than $350,000 to fight the lawsuit. Through the commitment of the
members and the sheer willpower of the club's officers, the club is still open, but the pile of
bills is growing and members are paying dues for a facility the courts have ordered closed until
the legal outcome is decided.
Virtually every range in the country could find itself fin a similar situation. In fact an NSSF survey showed that 77% of the ranges that responded either are or expect to be challenged for
these kinds of environmental issues.
Be prepared and, better yet, be proactive. Central Jersey Rifle and Pistol Club in Jackson, New
Jersey, has a great program. They buy every bordering property that comes up for sale. It
keeps the developers away from the range and builds a protective buffer at the same time. I
will highlight details of their land-acquisition program in an upcoming issue.
Poor Marketing. Everyone knows that participation in the shooting sports is just plain fun! But
sometimes we rely on the "fun factor" and get a little lazy with our marketing efforts.
Is your club looking for new members but not sure how to get them? Begin by thinking of the
club as a business. Building your club's membership is no different than building a business's
customer base. It's all about marketing! Find out who your potential members/customers are,
what they want and then give it to them. Too many ranges are slowly dying because marketing and a continual process improvement plan have been ignored. "Suddenly" a range finds
itself with too few customers/members and an outdated facility. It can no longer compete with
the golf courses, amusement parks, movie theaters and dozens of other places members and
potential members can spend their entertainment dollars.
The Oyster River Range near Camden, Maine, was the perfect example of a rundown facility
on the verge of closing. Fortunately, Randy Dunican has purchased the range (now renamed
R.D. Outfitters). He's spending a ton of time and money to refurbish the facility and make it a
competitor in today's recreation/entertainment marketplace.
As Randy can attest, it's a lot harder to salvage a run-down range than it is to maintain vitality
with a basic marketing plan and a program of continued improvement. Having been a business
turnaround specialist, he advises ranges to use marketing surveys to identify a list of needed
capital improvements and then implement the improvements that will be most visible first. It
will take time to see a change in participation. The worst mistake is to expect an overnight
change and then abandon the improvement process because "it's not working."
Mistaking a business for a hobby. This one really hits close to home. Virtually all of us got involved with our range because shooting is our hobby. Unfortunately, when we're at the range,
we're supposed to be working. Usually what happens is the range owner/operator participates
Flagler Gun & Archery Club
4
July/August 2009
until the range business begins to suffer. Most find they aren't winning competitions like they used to
and the range business isn't what it should be.
Our sports suffer when our facilities and facility managers aren't focused on providing excellence to our
members/customers. Dozens of competing industries that do pursue excellence are glad to take our
members' and customers' money.
My advice is, if the club or business is more important to you, then focus on it. If participation is more
important, then resign or sell the business and go shooting. As an industry and as a way of life, we can't
afford to pursue any goal that compromises a pursuit of excellence.
One last comment on fatal flaws in a failed organization - the reluctance to ask for help until it's too
late. If you think trouble may be just over the horizon, give me a call at the National Association of
Shooting Ranges' help desk (203-426-1320). We want you to succeed.
NEWBE SAFETY (Safety for first timers)
There are a lot of first time gun owners right now and a lot of these have joined or will be joining our
club. It is every members obligation to make them feel comfortable on the range. Many people feel embarrassed to ask for help. They think that they should automatically know how their new gun works. I
remember the first time I drove a car that didn’t have the dimmer switch on the floor. I had to call
someone and ask where it was. I Had a good laugh afterwards.
Below is an excerpt from a safety article from Gunworld Magazine written by Dr. Martin Topper.
“Preventing accidents, involves asking questions. I don’t assume that I know how to operate a gun
just because I’ve handled one that looks like it. It doesn’t matter whether I’m at the range, at a gun
store or anywhere else, if I don’t know exactly how the gun works, I ask about it. This is especially important when buying a type of firearm that I have not previously used. I have the dealer show me how
to safely load and unload the gun and I also ask how to field strip, clean, and lubricate it. Along with
this, it’s very important to read the instruction book before shooting a new gun.
Regular participation in gun safety training also helps prevent accidents. Even though I know much of
the material, I approach each safety training with an open mind because there’s always something
worthwhile to learn from people whose experience with guns is different from mine.”
If you’re not sure how your new gun works, call one of our discipline directors and they will be glad to
help you out.
By
Dusty Rhoads, 386–445-4298
 Colt 1911, rework, WWI, .45 cal, marked ‘AA Agusta
Arsenal’, Serial # x2694446
$700.00
 Ithaca WWII Military .45 cal, Parkerized, all original, Serial # 56396
$1100.00
Femaru Model 37, 1937, Budapest, Hungary, .380 cal, Serial # 177620
$295.00
 Mauser Pocket Model 1934, marked ’Waffenfabrik’ , 7.65x32 Auto, Serial # 179583
$275.00
 Mauser Pocket Model 1910, 6.35x25 Auto, 3 mags, Serial # 263896
$235.00
 Browning Model 1922FN, Nickel, WWII Military Police, 7.65x32 Auto, 95%,
Serial # 466249
$350.00
 P38 Eagle over 88, CYG Spreeweke Code, Add 30% for ‘b’ prefix, Serial # 2548b
$450.00
 Walther P-38, Excellent, AC/45, All Original, Serial # 9089
$525.00
Flagler Gun & Archery Club
5
July/August 2009
EDUCATION
This year we are experiencing the "Obama Effect", since he is strongly against gun ownership.
We have had the largest class attendance yet, with 20 students in February, 22 in March, and
24 in April.
Those that can't attend our class because of time constraints, we refer to Les Sharf to get their
CCW license, if they join the club. Good deal !
We are offering our fall classes as follows:
September classes on the 5th, 12th, 19th, & 26th.
October classes on the 10th, 17th, 24th, & 31th.
George D. Cook
Director of Education
“A free man doesn’t need to ask permission to bear arms”
Area Gun Shows
July 18-19
Jacksonville
Jacksonville Fairgrounds
(321) 777-7455
Florida Gun Shows
August 1-2
St. Augustine
St. Johns Co. Ag. Center
(904) 461-0273
Cliffhangers
August 1-2
Green Cove Springs
Clay Co. Fairgrounds
(352) 528-9500
Gun Trader Gun Shows
August 8-9
Tampa
Tampa Fairgrounds
(330) 963-6964
Suncoast Gun Shows
August 15-16
Jacksonville
Morocco Shrine Temple
(904) 461-0273
Cliffhangers
August 15-16
Hernando
Hernando Co. Fairgrounds
(352) 799-3605
(Hernando Sportsmen Club
August 22-23
Orlando
Central Florida Fairgrounds
(321) 777-7455
Florida Gun Shows
August 22-23
Crystal River
Crystal River Armory
(352) 528-9500
August 29-30
Palatka
National Guard Armory
(904) 461-0273
( 7) Cliffhangers
September 12-13,
Lake City
Columbia Co Fairgrounds
(904) 461-0273
( 7) Cliffhangers
September 12-13,
Tallahassee
No. Florida Fairgrounds
(321) 777-7455
( 3) Florida Gun Shows
September 19-20,
Deland
Volusia Co. Fairgrounds
(321) 777-7455
( 3) Florida Gun Shows
September 26-27,
Jacksonville
Jacksonville Fairgrounds
(321) 777-7455
( 3) Florida Gun Shows
RANGE CLEAN UP Sunday, Aug. 2nd
Your help is always needed!
Contact Director Ken Danker
Wanted to Buy
Reloading Press
(386) 749-0996
to see where work is needed,
or contact the director of your
shooting discipline.
Dillon 550, 650, or 1050
Call Bob Dillman, Member # 733R
386-299-7988
Flagler Gun & Archery Club
6
July/August 2009
Jay NEEDS YOUR Help
If you have any experience in organizing and/or running a charity fund
raiser, please contact Jay Beggelman at 386-455-1231
Trap report
The FTA (Florida Trap Shooters Assoc.) program is progressing as set forth in our original business model. We are on time and on schedule with the major FTA annual events. September
2009, Flagler will host the FTA Summer Championships. The dates will be Sept 5-7. The shoot
will be cashiered professionally as in the past, we as club members will provide scoring and
support services.
FTA will mail out flyers with the Championship program. Flagler will be host to some of the finest trap shooters in the US that stay in Florida year round. This is the time of year when the
northern shooters are at home in their north of the Mason Dixon line residences..We will miss
their participation, however winter up there is our time to "shine" down here ....That being
said, we have received rave reviews for our first chain shoot. Flagler has the same chain dates
next year and a renewed commitment from one of the finest vendors in the business
"Shooters Solutions." The success of our program and our outstanding facilities will grow
shooter participation every year.
OPM (other people's money) keeps our "club members" costs down and fattens our treasury.
Flagler's members (this goes for all disciplines) should try and promote the events that showcase our club. The vision of our past officers and current officers and directors has brought us
a long way since the "Kings Road" days.
Thanks to all who served, (some no longer with us) and all who share their vision.
Jack Krouskroup,
FTA club representative, and all the trap shooters............
904-829-1177
Located at 525 SR 16, in the
Westgate Plaza Shopping
Center, 4 miles east of I-95
Benelli Barrett Beretta Bushmaster Browning Stag Colt Trijicon Smith & Wesson
Leupold Springfield Zeiss Glock Nikon Walther Bushnell H&K Maxpedition Sig Sauer
and More!
Flagler Gun & Archery Club
7
July/August 2009
P.O. Box 1221
Palm Coast, FL 32135-1221
BLACK POWDER MATCHES
Our Black Powder Director, Bob Scheiner has applied to the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association to become a charter club. This will allow us to list the club in the Muzzle Blast, the
NMRA magazine. This will also provide us with additional benefits including scheduling shoot
dates to discounted targets, and more.
The matches will be scheduled for the 3rd Saturday of February, April, June, September and
November from 8:30a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be 20 shooting positions, at 25, 50 and 100
yards for flintlock and percussion.
For more info, call Bob at 386-446-4749, and check the website often for more information.
BUY SELLTRADE
BEST PRICE—SELECTION—SERVICE
WE BUY GUN COLLECTIONS & ESTATES
5811 Ridgewood Avenue (US-1)
Port Orange, FL 32127
(386) 304-9499
(386) 304-9489 FAX
[email protected]
Flagler Gun & Archery Club
8
July/August 2009