President’s Message – January 2023

President’s Message

(January 2023)

The invoices for the 2023 membership have been mailed. Let me know if you did not receive yours by emailing me at sam.valenza@att.net. Payment has to be received by February 1, 2023 in order to continue your membership. Payment received after February 1, 2023 will not be accepted. In order to be reinstated, a new membership application will be required with a check for $175.00

2022 was another busy and eventful year at the Rockford Skeet Club. The following are the major projects and events that were done during the year. The project included refurbishing the trap houses, installing a heater in the handgun range, repaired club house roof, purchased a new gas grill, and added fill gravel to the handgun/5-stand access road. The events included skeet, handgun, and 5-stand leagues, two club fun days, landfill lunch, cleanup day, and a skeet tutorial.

If any member would like to run or nominate someone for the Board of Directors positions of vice president, treasurer, and the three directors for 2023, please contacts Gino Nizzi at election@rockfordskeetandtrap.com. If you have already submitted a nomination, please resend it as the email address has changed as shown above. Nominations are due by February 1, 2023.

The club is still selling gift certificates. For $20 you can get two rounds for a guest and two rounds for yourself to help introduce our sport to your friends.  There is no guest fee to be paid!  For the next several Saturdays at 10 am board members will be at the club house to sell gift certificates. The offer is good for purchase through 1/31/2023, and certificates may be redeemed until 12/31/2023.

The BOD was considering having a monthly Saturday breakfast. Since no one volunteered to work, we won’t be having this event. If anyone would like to reconsider, please email me at sam.valenza@att.net.

George Ketter has agreed to have another pistol league in the spring.

There will be 5 stages of fire.

Stage 1. 12 shots in 25 seconds, distance 7 yards. 6 rounds in the pistol, reload with 6 rounds.

Stage 2. Same as stage 1 but distance will be 15 yards.

Stage 3. 6 shots in 12 seconds, distance 25 yards, strong side barricade.

Stage 4. 6 shots in 12 seconds, distance 25 yards, weak side barricade.

Stage 5. 6 shots in 12 seconds, distance 25 yards, standing.

All shooting will be done with 2 hands. Cost will be $5 per shoot.  Make up’s or pre shoot will be allowed. Course of fire will be the same each month. Ammunition will be given away as prizes. First 3 highest scores will be awarded extra ammo but everyone will receive some ammo. First shoot will be in April, last shoot in October. You must shoot all 7 matches to qualify for ammo. You could shoot all 7 matches in the same month so everyone should be able to get in the required number of shoots. George needs a count on the number of shooters. If you are interested, please send George an email at geosueket@gmail.com by January 15, 2023. Also, let George know what caliber of ammo that you would like at the end of the season.

As previous reported, we are still working on getting Wi-Fi for the club. The process has been slow but hopefully it will be done in the near future.

WINTER SHOOT RULES

The following winter shooting rules are affective immediately:

  • Trap and skeet fields and sidewalks are to be cleared of snow before shooting. Shovels are outside of the club house and in the storage barn. The snow blower is available for use and is located in the storage barn. Do not shoot on fields that have not been cleared of snow. Doing so will compact the snow and make it difficult to remove. It is everyone’s job to pitch in to remove snow from the sidewalks and shooting fields.
  • As always, gun cases are not permitted in the club house. Guns will be permitted, but it is strongly suggested that they only be kept inside if it is raining or snowing

If anyone is interested in getting certified for the handgun range, please contact Milt Schwanke at

815-988-2278, George Ketter at 815-631-9366, Caleb Davis at 815-243-1483, or Dan Gengo at 815-572-1423. You will need to bring a handgun, ammo, eye and ear protection and a $25.00 annual fee.

2023 Projects

  • Club internet – in process
  • Replace furnace
  • Card readers
  • Seal coat parking lot
  • Repair skeet light
  • Repair/replace handgun range heater
  • Move patterning board

2023 Events

  • Annual meeting – 3/25/2023
  • Spring cleanup day – 5/5/2023
  • Fun day – 6/24/2023
  • Fun day – 8/26/23
  • Landfill lunch – 9/22/23

Remember gun safety is our number 1 priority.

Rockford Skeet Club Mission Statement

The Rockford Skeet Club’s mission is to promote clay target shooting and complementary shooting sports. The objectives are to promote those characteristics of honesty, good fellowship, self-discipline, team-play, and self-reliance which are the essentials of good sportsmanship. It is the duty of all members to contribute to the wellbeing, to protect, to grow, and to enhance the club and its membership.

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

BOD Meeting Minutes – January 2023

RCS BOD, January 3, 2023                                                                                                       

PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Randy Scott, Steve Wiltgen, Bill Shold Caleb Davis, Mike Buckman and guest Dave Zierke

1.     Meeting called to order at 5:30 by President Sam Valenza

2.     Minutes of December/ 2022 – Approved, 5-0

3.    Treasurers Report:  Approved, 5-0

New Business:

  1. Introduction to 5 stand– Summer
  2. Membership committee, working on new ideas
  3. club internet, in process
  4. Handgun league – April through October
  5. New furnace – Approved,5-0   
  6. New member orientation, 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month
  7. Guest Waiver, In process
  8.  BOD nominations – VP Al Perry, Treasurer David Zierke, Directors Bill Shold, Mike Buckman, Steve Wiltgen

Projects for 2023

  • Card reader systems, Getting information
  • Seal coat parking lot, spring
  • Replace skeet light, in process
  • Move patterning board, spring
  • Replace Handgun heater

2023 Events

  • Annual meeting – March 25th
  • Spring cleanup – May 6th
  • Fun days – June 24th and August 26th
  • Landfill lunch – August 22nd

Meeting adjourned at 6:30

Next Board meeting February 7, 2023                                                                                 

Respectfully submitted – Caleb Davis, Secretary