Organization underway for a new fall youth program          

[April 21, 2007]  A citizen came before the city council earlier this month with a proposed activity for youth that could begin next fall with the school year. Jay Gaydosh is working on starting an air rifle program. Sixth grade students would be introduced to training and marksmanship using air rifles. The purpose of the program is to develop leadership, marksmanship and firearm skills.

Gaydosh has the support of the local VFW and Friends of the National Rifle Association. This is strictly an indoor, organized activity that is insured, he said.

Youth would be fully supervised by trained adult volunteers serving in positions of range officer and coaches. Members would participate in home range and away competitions.

A 33-foot standard range would be used. Paper targets backed by cardboard have a metal stop-plate and box catching the air-driven pellets. The VFW upstairs is being offered for use and has been deemed suitable in size. That space might provide up to 12 lanes, with between six to eight lanes expected to be going at once.

The air rifles would not pose a noise hazard.

Gaydosh said that he hoped to see one parent for every kid, at times there might be two kids to one parent, but the goal is to have family involvement.

“These kids aren’t just coming in and shooting at targets, they’re working for scores,” Gaydosh said, it’s not just shooting; it’s the discipline of marksmanship and achievements awarded through a national program. We’re looking to be safe and accurate, he said.

There would be two layers of range officer committees, one of adults and one of youth, Gaydosh said. He is looking for adults with experience as range instructors. Locally there are law enforcement and two prisons with advanced safety and marksmanship training officers that he hopes might like to do community youth outreach.

Alderman Kathy Horn was completely supportive of the program but wanted to be sure about security in handling the rifles and wanted assurance that they not get outside in the neighborhood of the activity, especially since she lives in that neighborhood.

Gaydosh said that parents secure the firearms in a locked cabinet for transportation home or to competitions.

He added that safety is number one, marksmanship is number two and leadership is the by-product of this program.

Alderman Dave Armbrust said that he thought that this is a good program. He recalled some of his best times as a youth were of doing this with his father and his Cub Scout troop at Boy Scout camp at Lake Bloomington.

Armbrust said that it would also provide kids with an understanding of what a firearm can do and that if they find themselves in a situation that someone shows up with something they shouldn’t have, they will have the understanding to know what it is, what it can do and they will “Get out of Dodge.”

Alderman Dave Armbrust said that he thought that this is a good program. He recalled some of his best times as a youth were of doing this with his father and his Cub Scout troop at Boy Scout camp at Lake Bloomington.

Armbrust said that it would also provide kids with an understanding of what a firearm can do and that if they find themselves in a situation that someone shows up with something they shouldn’t have, they will have the understanding to know what it is, what it can do and they will “Get out of Dodge.”

Gaydosh expects that the program might begin with an organizational meeting after the school year let’s out in late May or early June. He said that flyers would be distributed inviting fifth grade students moving up. Bloomington has a club sponsored by ISU that may send some of their nationally ranked members to that meeting to do a demonstration.  There might be some seminars during the summer. When the school year starts it would become like other after-school activities. Competitions would take place on Saturday’s and weekends, Gaydosh said.

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