The Dog Days of Summer!
Whew . . .
It’s been a hot July. But the Gunsite Family stood strong despite the record temperatures. I don’t know how much Gatorade we went through, but it had to be a record.
During all this, the staff also moved into the new Gunsite Executive Offices. The AC in the old office was failing and the last two weeks in there, the temperature was in excess of 90 degrees. But, just as the students in the heat, the staff stood strong!
When you drive through the gate, you will see the old Gatehouse is gone (It was re-purposed by the demolition company) and the new Gatehouse (Instructor Quarters) is in place and occupied. It was almost sad to see the old house gone as there are many memories and stories going back to 1984 there.
Coming to the top of the hill, it seems barren with many trees gone, but it had to happen to support the new buildings. The new Office is immediately on your right as you come past the monument and flagpole. It is a beautiful place, well equipped for all the support that administration provides.
We hope to see the old Office “re-purposed” in the next few weeks along with the original office trailer that morphed into the Office and Pro Shop. The current Pro Shop is scheduled to move into the new 4900 square foot state-of-the-art Pro Shop in a few weeks. Hold on to your wallet as many of our industry partners are working hard with Lindy, Shari and Susan in stocking the new store!
The current Pro Shop will return to its original roots as a classroom after some renovation.
The new bathrooms and showers are near completion and should be in service in the next few weeks followed by demolition of the current “John.”
Once the buildings are gone, the parking lot will be paved and striped for the necessary extra parking.
To say it is exciting times just doesn’t do it justice.
And, oh ya, the classes continue simultaneously at another record pace. We have long-time writer and Gunsite family Dick Williams with his merry band of writers back again alongside a 250 Pistol.
The Hunter Prep class is on Saturday and Sunday. Are you preparing for your next great hunt? Do more than zero your favorite rifle, spend time with the Gunsite staff and learn shooting positions, test your accuracy and more.
Next week is the return of the Vets 250 Pistol Class and a 270 Rifle Class. We host 48 veterans from the current war for a week of pistol training. Our great instructors donate their time and travel to teach these great Americans. Another Gunsite family member will again pay for all the lunches for these Vets.
Mid-August will be the Team Tactics for Two (TT42) class where students learn to work with a partner followed by Long Range Rifle Day (Are you a PR7 graduate?), and the 350 Intermediate Pistol with Optics. Optics on pistols are not the future, they are now. They don’t make you magically shoot better if you don’t learn the idiosyncrasies of them.
We close out August with the Vets Carbine class and Pistol-Carbine 2 Day Range Day. (Are you a graduate of 250 and 223?)
Needless to say, it is busy here with the construction, moving of buildings, and all the normal workings of Gunsite.
I’ll be posting some photos and, of course, Facebook Live, from Indiana. I “came off the bench” to teach a 3 Day Revolver 150 in Lebanon Indiana. (Hometown for me. Visiting with friends and family and eating at all the favorite places). Strange to see all the green grass and all the humidity in the air! Revolvers are grand guns and continue to be popular. Time for me to head to the Lebanon Police Range to set up the classroom for Friday morning.
If you have not registered for GAS, we are full and adding names to the wait list. (There are usually some cancellations.). Can’t say that we didn’t warn you!
Like I said when I started the newsletter . . . Whew . . . We are truly blessed.
When are you coming (back) to Gunsite?
DVC,
Ken
Sheriff Ken Campbell (Ret.)
CEO
Gunsite Academy, Inc.
