President’s Message

 (September 2013)

The Beomat Service Representative will be at the club this weekend September 7 & 8 to work on all of the trap and skeet machines and to train selected members on how to maintain them. Shooting will be allowed on the fields that are not being worked on.

The Braggin Rights Shoot has been rescheduled to October 5, 2013. This is a fun shoot for all club members. Twenty five each of trap, skeet, and five stand will be shot. The entry fee is $5.00 plus the cost of rounds. Prizes will be awarded to the top shooters and drawings will be held for all participants. Guests are welcome but they cannot share in the prizes. It is a fun day and I encourage all levels of shooters to come on out to have some fun. Lunch will be provided.

There is nothing new to report on the hand gun range. The berms continue to be built, as a lot more dirt is required.  The completion date has been moved to the spring or early summer of next year. I will keep you all updated as things progress.  If you have any comments or questions, please contact the committee chairman, Greg Baylander at 815-494-7321or email him gregbaylander@hotmail.com.

It has been brought to my attention that some of our members are not loading the machines with targets when they are done shooting. If you are the last to use the field it is your responsibility to load the machines. Also, be sure to pick up your hulls as several have been found on the sporting clays and skeet fields. We have several new members, so if you are a new member, please be advised.

Larry Ohda has given all of the skeet houses a second coat of paint. They are really looking great. Thanks Larry for a fine job. Also Owen Anderson has built some storage shelves in the barn which will help to organize all of our barn stuff which had been lying on the floor. Thanks Owen for your help. The shelves look great.

The club will hold our annual steak lunch for our neighbors across the road, the Winnebago Landfill. Thanks to Jeff Theien, John Lichty, and crew for all that they do for the club – snow and garbage removal, target loading, excavating, gravel, pistol range dirt, etc. Great neighbors!!! Thanks guys.

After analyzing various bids for brand named targets, the Board of Directors has decided to continue using Champion targets in order to control cost and to keep our rounds rate at current levels.

Greg Baylander has passed his chairmanship for the 5 stand/sporting clays venue to Caleb Davis and Dave Hendry. They can be reached at 815-243-1483 and 815-739-6979 respectively.

The county is planning to improve the intersection of Baxter and Lindenwood roads which will slow access to the club. The start date is not known at this time and I will let you know as soon as that information is available.

Club Projects

• Handgun range
• Electrical power and cameras for the 5 stand and      handgun range – under consideration

2013 Club Events

• Land Fill Lunch – September 17
• Braggin Rights Shoot – October 5

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

BOD Minutes of 5 August 2013

PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Larry Ohda, John Bailey, Sam Parkinson, Gregg Beylander, Jim   DeMaria, and Harley Shepherd

MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 1700 BY PRESIDENT SAM VALENZA

1. Approval      of minutes of 1 July 2013 – Approved 5-0
2. Financial      Report – Quarterly and monthly posted.       Accepted 5-0
3. Club      Projects
   1. Hand       Gun/.22Rifle Range – free dirt still coming in, balance of items on hold
   2. Second       Coat of paint on skeet houses – will be done, time permitting
   3. Electrical       power for range and 5 stand – pending
4. Conceal      carry on club property – Tabled until State comes up rules
5. 2013      Events
   1. Open       House –  Saturday, 17 August       9-1:00, volunteers welcomed, special new member rate of $85 for remainder       of year
   2. Land       Fill lunch – Tues, September 10
   3. Braggin       Right shoot – Saturday, 5 October
6. New      Business
   1. New       security DVR installed
   2. 25       straight patches – donated by Remington, in desk drawer
   3. Machine       Maintenance – A rep from Bemat will come and clean, adjust, and/or repair       all machines plus will train some of our members in the maintenance etc.       of the machines.  Approved 6-0
   4. Welcome       letter for new members.  John will       rough draft and send to board
   5. A       member has expressed interest in heading up a registered skeet       shoot.  Board approved concept and       encouraged him to do so.  This       would be for next year.
7. Business      of members
   1. Request       for $2500 to complete 5-stand deck project.  Approved 6-0
   2. Champion       Targets vs White Flyer

1.                                                               i.      Some members concerned that Champion targets do not break when hit
2.                                                             ii.      White flyers are $2200 per truck load higher
3.                                                           iii.      Discussion followed – no action taken but will be looked into

MEETING ADJOURNED AT 1820

NEXT MEETING:  Tuesday, 3 September at 1700

Respectfully submitted:  Sam Parkinson, Secretary

President’s Message

(August 2013)

There has been some talk by a few of the members regarding Champion targets vs. White Flyer targets. The reason that we switched to Champion can be summed up in one word “cost”. White Flyers cost about $2200 more per semi load (23 Pallets). The club cannot afford to absorb this cost without raising the rounds fee. This year we will be buying two loads which is a $4400 savings. As a result, we will continue to buy Champion targets. The Champion targets are much cleaner and do not leave dust on the machines,  like the White Flyers did, which helps with the functional operation of the machines.

I am well aware that we have been having some issues with the maintenance of the skeet and trap machines. To remedy this situation, a Beomat technical service representative will be on site September 7 & 8 to work on the all of the trap and skeet machines and to train selected members on how to maintain them.  Although this is a weekend, shooting will be allowed on the fields that are not being worked on.

The berms for the hand gun range continue to be built, as a lot more dirt is required.  At this time we still do not have a completion date but my guess is some time next spring. I will keep you all updated as things progress.  If you have any comments or questions, please contact the committee chairman, Greg Baylander at 815-494-7321or email him gregbaylander@hotmail.com.

With donated money that was designated for the 5 stand venue, a deck will be constructed in the coming months. More to follow as plans become firm.

Our second annual Open House is Saturday August 17 from 9 am to 1 pm. All members are encouraged to bring out friends and relatives that are interested in scouting out the club and hopefully becoming members. All guests have to register at the sign in desk prior to shooting and/or reviewing the club grounds. Guest fees will be waived, however all guests will pay $3.50 a round in cash prior to shooting. Lunch will be provided free of charge.

Club Projects

• Handgun range
• Second coat of paint on 3 of the skeet houses      (one painted last year) – approved
• Electrical power and cameras for the 5 stand and      handgun range – under consideration

2013 Club Events

• Open House – August 17
• Land Fill Lunch – September 10
• Braggin Rights Shoot – October 5

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

BOD Meeting of 1 July 2013

PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Sam Parkinson, Greg Beylander, Jim DeMaria and Harley Shepherd

ABSENT:  Larry Ohda and John Bailey

MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 1718 BY PRESIDENT SAM VALENZA

1. Approval      of minutes of 6/13.  Approved 4-0
2. Financial      Report – attached by reference
3. Club      Projects
   1. Handgun/.22       rifle range – dirt now coming in again
   2. Second       coat of paint on 2,3, and 4 – if it ever stops raining
   3. Electrical       power for 5 stand and new range – tabled
4. 2013      Events
   1. Open       House 8/17
   2. Land       fill lunch 9/10
   3. Fun       Shoot – 10/5
5. New      Business
   1. Boy       Scouts Donation of $250 Approved 3-1
   2. New       DVR donated by T.D. Clinton – thanks
   3. 25       “25” straight patches donated by Remington
   4. Food       for night meetings – each board member will provide one month

1.                                                               i.      August – Larry
2.                                                             ii.      Sept – Jim
3.                                                           iii.      Oct – Sam V
4.                                                           iv.      Nov – Gregg
5.                                                             v.      Dec – Harley
6.                                                           vi.      Jan – Sam P

5. Conceal       carry – club’s rules/stance will be established once we know what the       State of Illinois       is going to do and what their rules are

MEETING ADJOURNED AT 1800

NEXT MEETING:  Monday August 5 at 1700

Respectfully submitted:  Sam Parkinson, Secretary

President’s Message

(July 2013)

The berms for the hand gun range continue to be built as a lot of dirt was brought in this past week. At this time we still do not have a completion date.  I will keep you all updated as things progress.  If you have any comments or questions, please contact the committee chairman, Greg Baylander at 815-494-7321or email him gregbaylander@hotmail.com.

As the conceal carry law comes to fruition in whatever form that will be, the BOD will be discussing and issuing guidance on carrying concealed weapons on club property. If any of you have any suggestions, please contact me at sam.valenza@att.net or any BOD member.

The sporting clays venue has been expanded to 8 stations. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to give it a try. It’s a lot of fun.

Through a number of initiatives over the past few years, the club is doing well financially. As always the quarterly financial reports are hanging on the closet door bulletin board for your information.

The club will again be a sponsor for the Boy Scout Shoot at the Upland Hunt Club on September 14, 2013. If you interested in shooting in this event, contact Chip Bartel at chip.bartel@scouting.org.

2013Club Projects

• Handgun range
• Second coat of paint on 3 of the skeet houses      (one painted last year) – approved
• Electrical power and cameras for the 5 stand and      handgun range – under consideration

2013 Club Events

• Open House – August 17
• Land Fill Lunch – September 10
• Braggin Rights Shoot – October 5

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

BOD Meeting of 3 June 2013

PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Larry Ohda, John Bailey, Sam Parkinson, Greg Beylander, Harley    Shepherd, and Jim DeMaria MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 5:00PM BY PRESIDENT SAM VALENZA

1. Approval      of minutes of 5/9/13 – Approved 6-0
2. Financial      Report – Presented, attached by reference
3. Club      Projects
   1. Hand       gun/.22 rifle range – following items in committee

i.      Shooting bench and roof

ii.      Safety rules

iii.      Safety course

iv. Pulley system

v.      Iron Targets

vi.      Range access fence

vii.      Shooting fees and method of collection

viii.      Cement Pad

ix.      Erosion protection

2. Second coat of paint on skeet houses 2,3,4 – waiting for rain to stop
3. Electrical power for 5 stand and range – on hold

1. 2013 Events
   1. Open house 17 August
   2. Land Fill Lunch – 10 September
   3. Braggin Rights shoot – 5 October
2. Skeet tournament – withdrawn
3. Skeet remotes – back, installed, working, 1 year warranty from company
4. New Business
   1. Iron Targets for pistol/.22 range – options being explored
   2. Badges – guest badges available on board

MEETING ADJOURNED AT 5:45PM   NEXT MEETING – Monday, July 1 at 5:00pm   Respectfully submitted:  Sam Parkinson, Secretary

President’s Message

(June 2013)

As I stated in my last President’s Message the construction of the handgun range has started. At this time we do not have a completion date. The berms are still in the process of being built.  Once this has been completed, we will pour a cement pad for the no sky shooting bench and add the target pulley system and the metal targets. The range safety rules have been finalized. Also, we are still in the process of developing a handgun orientation course that all members will have to take before using the range. Pistols and 22 rim fire rifles are the only guns allowed on the range.  Therefore, no center fire rifles or center fire rifle cartridges in any firearm configuration will be allowed.  If you have any comments or questions, please contact the committee chairman, Greg Baylander at 815-494-7321or email him gregbaylander@hotmail.com.

Some of the sporting guys will be on site this Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm, June 8, and Sunday June 9 from 10 am to 12 noon to give instructions on turning the machines on and off. Also, they will give shooting instructions for anyone that wants them. If you have any interest in learning this sport, I encourage you to come on out and give it a try.

All guests will be required to wear guest badges which are hanging on the bulletin board. As a reminder, all guests have to be logged in the guest book and a $5.00 daily guest fee is to be deposited in the drawer in an envelope with the guest’s and member’s name written on it. The guest’s rounds fees are to be added to the member’s rounds log sheet.

Larry Ohda will be painting three of the skeet houses as soon as the weather permits. One house was painted last summer. So please try not to shoot Larry until he is done painting.

All of the skeet field remotes have been repaired, installed,  and are operational.

2013Club Projects

• Handgun range
• Second coat of paint on 3 of the skeet houses      (one painted last year) – approved
• Electrical power and cameras for the 5 stand and      handgun range – under consideration

2013 Club Events

• Open House – August 17
• Land Fill Lunch – September 10
• Braggin Rights Shoot – October 5

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

President’s Message

(May 2013)

The construction of the handgun range has started. Our good neighbors at the landfill have started to build up the berms on three sides of the range. Once this has been completed, we will start to build the shooting bench which is currently being designed along with the target pulley system and the metal targets. The range safety rules have been finalized and will be published in the near future. Also we are developing a handgun orientation course that all members will have to take before using the range. Pistols and 22 rim fire rifles are the only guns allowed on the range.  Therefore, no center fire rifles or center fire rifle cartridges in any firearm configuration will be allowed.  If you have any comments or questions, please contact the committee chairman, Greg Baylander at 815-494-7321or email him gregbaylander@hotmail.com.

I would like to give thanks to the members that helped out during our Spring Cleanup Day which was held on May 4. The club looks great.

The 5 stand has been converted into a sporting clays course with six shooting stations, which includes one station in the trap tower and one in the woods. I’m really excited about this venue and encourage all of you to give it a try. Thanks to Greg Baylander and the members of his crew for putting this course in place.

Also thanks to Jaclyn Baylander for cleaning up the garden and for agreeing to maintain it this year.

All of the skeet remote control receivers were damaged during an electrical storm and had to be removed and sent to the manufacturer for repair. As a result, the pull cords will have to be used until the receivers are returned to us.

2013Club Projects

• Handgun range
• Second coat of paint on 3 of the skeet houses      (one painted last year) – approved
• Electrical power and cameras for the 5 stand and      handgun range – under consideration

2013 Club Events

• Open House – August 17
• Land Fill Lunch – September 10
• Braggin Rights Shoot – October 5

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club

BOD Meeting of 9 May 2013

PRESENT:  Sam Valenza, Larry Ohda, John Bailey, Sam Parkinson, and Gregg Beylander

ABSENT:  Harley Shepherd and Jim DeMaria

MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 1700 BY PRESIDENT SAM VALENZA

1. Approval      of minutes of 4/2/13 – Approved 4-0

2. Treasurers      Report – Presented, attached by reference

3. Club Projects

a. Hand gun range – in progress, dirt coming in now

b. Areas to be considered

i.      Shooting bench and roof

ii.      Safety rules

iii.      Safety course

iv.      Pulley system

v.      Iron targets

vi.      Range access fence

vii.      Shooting fees and collections of

viii.      Cement Pad

ix.      Erosion protection

x.      Camera(s)

3. Second coat of paint on skeet houses- as weather permits
4. Electrical power for 5 stand and hand gun range – tabled
3. 2013      events
   1. Open House – 17 August
   2. Land fill lunch – 10 September
   3. Braggin’ Rights shoot – 5 October
4. Garden maintenance – Gregg Beylander’s wife is taking care of it
5. New Business
   1. Lawn care – contracted to Tru Green (weed control)
   2. Skeet remotes – Company is working on, was hit by “air burst”
   3. In House Skeet tournament – concept introduced, tabled until next meeting
   4. 4-H shooting program – extremely complicated, passed on idea

MEETING ADJOURNED AT 1800

NEXT MEETING: Monday, 3 June, 1700

Respectfully submitted:  Sam Parkinson, Secretary

President’s Message

(April, 2013)

If you did not pick up your new badge at the club, you should have by now received it in the mail. If you did not receive your badge, please contact John Bailey at 815-520-2888. New members with temporary badges will have to complete the required signature signoff process prior to being issued a permanent badge.

Nothing new to report on the handgun range at this time. We are still in the process of getting bids, formulating range design, and safety procedures. If you have any comments or questions, please contact the committee chairman, Greg Baylander at 815-494-7321or email him gregbaylander@hotmail.com.

Spring cleanup day is May 4 from 9 to noon. Your help would be appreciated. Bring out your rakes, shovels, trimmer, etc. Lunch will be provided.

The low house machine on skeet field 2 has been breaking an inordinate amount of birds over the last few months. It has been worked on several times. As of now the machine works best when it is half full of birds. Therefore, only fill this machine about half full until a permanent fix is found.

The registered Silver Dollar Skeet Shoot scheduled for May 31 thru June 2 has been cancelled.

Club Projects

• Second coat of paint on 3 of the skeet houses      (one painted last year) – approved
• Electrical power for the 5 stand and handgun      range – under consideration

2013 Club Events

• Spring cleanup day – May 4
• Open House – August 17
• Land fill lunch – September 10
• Braggin Rights Shoot – October 5

Best Regards,

Sam Valenza

President, Rockford Skeet Club