Was going to take new shooters this weekend. . .

[WargameHub]

For April 21st I had four people who have either only shot a little or never at all and three range members. We were going to have only two shooters at a time with an experienced person watching and working with each of them while the other two load. This has been in the planning for months and I kept checking the club calendar to make sure nothing was going on that day. Confirmed everything the other day.

And now the club has shut the range down that day (3 days from now) and I have to go tell my whole team (coworkers) that its off. We wont be able to get this group together until at least the end of June.

Now this is not the first time that range has shut down with short notice for work. Does this happen at other clubs?

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[30Mauser]

Hi WGH... I was pretty surprised to get that email, too. Maybe a fellow NES'er will host you all at their range??

ETA: or maybe Pres. Bob can get you connected with the Nipmuc folks to use their space (they use ours for indoor smallbore, I believe)

 

[castros rat]

I would be flipping out on whom ever makes the scheduling like that from the club. 3 days is B.S. I would tell them you have had an event planned for weeks and to changes this now is unacceptable.

 

[atilla]

location?

 

[WargameHub]

Hi WGH... I was pretty surprised to get that email, too.

M.O. for the club. I kept asking last year when these things would be and they only announce them a few days ahead of time so it took the whole year to get the work requirement in.

Castros rat, I'm trying to avoid that for the moment, nothing that come out of my mouth will be remotely diplomatic. . .

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[MisterHappy]

Is it an "emergency" type work party? Or just poor scheduling?

If it's the first case (e.g. subsidence in the berm, or some sort of safety issue), then that's the way things go.

If it's the second, is it becasue the people doing the scheduling are flying by the seat of their pants, and have to be reactive, instead of procative?

I have no idea what club's under discussion, or who the people are (except from NES screen names, of course), but I know from personal experience that despite the best efforts and intentioins in scheduling, sh!t sometimes does happen.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Scheduling a work party takes (a) the availability of volunteers including the coordinators, and (b) good weather. So, the choices are schedule a work party far in advance with the expectation it may or may not happen, or, alternatively, schedule within the timeframe of a decent weather prediction.

You're not talking about a commercial business, but a club run by volunteers - nobody at that work party will be paid to be there. The alternative is to post several work parties and have the workers make tentative plans, then change them depending on weather, etc. No easy solution.

 

[WargameHub]

It doesnt appear to be an emergency, just the way they operate.


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[ShadeWPI]

Is it an "emergency" type work party? Or just poor scheduling?

If it's the first case (e.g. subsidence in the berm, or some sort of safety issue), then that's the way things go.

If it's the second, is it becasue the people doing the scheduling are flying by the seat of their pants, and have to be reactive, instead of procative?

I have no idea what club's under discussion, or who the people are (except from NES screen names, of course), but I know from personal experience that despite the best efforts and intentioins in scheduling, sh!t sometimes does happen.

I'm going to reiterate what Happy said.

If it's emergency or safety work - unfortnately it happens. Find out if you can have your group help and maybe you can get the work done in time to still hold your event.

If it's regular maintance work that was just scheduled because of member availability, it's an issue with the scheduling at the club. Be very diplomatic about it when you explain your displeasure, but don't attack the person doing it unless you're willing to volunteer to do it yourself. Scheduling regular maintaince at a membership club can be extremely time consuming and difficult. I've been involved in it with some non-shooting clubs - it's not an easy job.

 

[WargameHub]

Forgot one part. One of my coworkers rescheduled a dentist appointment just to make this. And he is from Soviet Russia and the dental problems to match.

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[MisterHappy]

Well, if you're unhappy with the way the place operates, you can either a) find a place that operates more to you taste, or b) step up into helping to make it run more to your taste.

Not saying this to be a wiseass, but at ny current club, for the first few years, due to "real world" commitments, I was little more than a dues-payer that occasionally used the range. I never complaiined as to why or how something was done. When my situation modified, I was able to do more, and now, I'll make suggestions.

I have had many people tell me, "You know, the club should do XYZ....." I reply that that's a great idea, and they're welcome to take the lead, and organize the event, or whatever. Most step back. Others, step up. We've had a couple of projects that needed doing for a while, but were hung up in the alternate universe of a volunteer bureaucracy....then one guy took charge, concrete was cut, nails were hammered and it was done.

As Rob said, it's not a business, and it will never run like one.... One must make allowances. If the date is absolutely carved in stone - try a commercial range. It will cost more, but there'll be no work party interrupion.

 

[Bob]

Hi WGH... I was pretty surprised to get that email, too. Maybe a fellow NES'er will host you all at their range??

ETA: or maybe Pres. Bob can get you connected with the Nipmuc folks to use their space (they use ours for indoor smallbore, I believe)

Note that the range is closed for four (4) hours - 9A-1PM, not all day. Work is done, fortunately or unfortunately, when weather and people are available.
Cheers

 

[30Mauser]

Is it an "emergency" type work party?

Regular spring cleanup... Making an assumption here, but I expect that decisions about dates are probably a confluence of spring weather, repairs/cleanup needed, and periodicity of board meetings.

WGH, maybe a good idea to ping Pres. Bob when considering planning something like this to see if he sees any conflicts in his crystal ball. Also, work crew probably won't burn up the whole day... You may be able to reschedule for later in the afternoon?? ETA: Bob beat me to this...

I have no idea what club's under discussion, or who the people are (except from NES screen names, of course), but I know from personal experience that despite the best efforts and intentioins in scheduling, sh!t sometimes does happen.

It's Hopkinton, and WGH is a nice guy, just frustrated about the scheduling snafu.

 

[Remsport Mfg]

It's going to rain this week end. Why don't you get your group togather and head out to the Smith and Wesson Shooting center?
It opens at 10:00 on Saturday. You could rent two lanes and that would cost $40.00 you could ask a small donation from your group to cover the range costs. It seem as though yoou were going to bring eveything else with you. The only down side is that you can not shoot rifle caliber rifles only pistol caliber rifles at the S&W range. So make this a hand gun outing.

 

[WargameHub]

We could only get the team together for a few hours on two Saturday mornings. One the weather got us and now the leadership of the club did.

If the club actually planned these days in advance they would get better turnout. However every time this is communicated its a few days before. Last year one was sent out on the afternoon of the 2nd for work on the 4th. Simply putting a primary date and rain date on the calendar works.

I would also like to point out that the club calendar still says the range is open Saturday. . .


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[clerk.mvgc]

Since you and 3 other "range members" have already cleared your calendar for Saturday, why not head to the range and help out?

 

[WargameHub]

Only three members. Two to help/watch a shooter each and the other to help the two people loading.

Two of us are not happy with this and other things that have happened so we will not be there this weekend. Not sure of the other's plans and that is up to him.

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[boatman]

My club doesn't allow any non members at all to shoot, so you are way ahead of me just getting them in.

 

[Dirtypacman]

My club doesn't allow any non members at all to shoot, so you are way ahead of me just getting them in.

No disrespect boatman but get a new club man, how can you share the sport and get more support if members can't host non-members.

My suggestion to the OP is if you can take the ride go up to Manchester Firing Line - you will at least be able to get your outing in minus an extra hour or more travel but its better then canceling the whole thing. Maybe you pick up the bill for the lane rental but they all chip in towards ammo and buy you lunch.

 

[boatman]

No disrespect boatman but get a new club man, how can you share the sport and get more support if members can't host non-members.

My suggestion to the OP is if you can take the ride go up to Manchester Firing Line - you will at least be able to get your outing in minus an extra hour or more travel but its better then canceling the whole thing. Maybe you pick up the bill for the lane rental but they all chip in towards ammo and buy you lunch.

I am in the same area as you, so you might know which it is. It is very close to me and inexpensive, but limiting. I knew that going in.

MFL is a good place to try things out as well. On the weekends, there can a 2 hour wait.

 

[Dirtypacman]

I am in the same area as you, so you might know which it is. It is very close to me and inexpensive, but limiting. I knew that going in.

Well then I will offer to show you around my two clubs if you ever are interested in changing to a different one. I will even host you and a friend for an outing if your limited and did not have that ability. But we will kick that conversation to private message as I won't bog down the thread with unrelated posts.

 

[TheFaz]

Take a drive up to HSC. If you want to shoot let me know, I'll be there Saturday anyway and I can host you. Just make sure your co-workers aren't scared of full-auto...

 

[fencer]

Head to AFS or MFL and have a good time.

 

[WargameHub]

Thanks for all the offers to host us. And thanks to Faz for bringing us. Everyone had a good time.

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[TheFaz]

No problem, glad everyone enjoyed themselves. It was great to see new shooters go from fearful to having fun in such a short amount of time!

 

[Kevski]

I recently had something similar happen at my club. I was using the indoor shooting range while there was a work party going on outside which consisted of raking and weedwacking around the club ponds in preparation for the fishing derby. I was told to leave because the people outside raking were getting scared. A board member told me the indoor range was closed when people were raking outside - I asked if I could use it while people were fishing at the ponds and i was told absolutely.....now can someone please tell me why it would matter if the people outside are holding rakes or fishing poles when it comes to utilizing the indoor range???