Important Statement Concerning the PPGC Range Safety Officer Program

As alluded to in earlier editions of the Waltonian and on the web-site, the Club is in the process of implementing a Range Safety Officer (RSO) program for the rifle and pistol ranges. The need for this program is due to the increasing number of safety violations and the ongoing damage to range infrastructure. The Governing Board has directed me to establish this program and train the RSOs. This program will commence January 2nd, 2010 and will be in force every weekend thereafter.

The RSO program will be staffed by volunteer members of the Club, with an RSO Coordinator handling the scheduling. RSOs will be assigned to work one half-day (5 hours) per weekend and so we will need four RSOs each -- and every -- weekend. For each half-day worked, RSOs will be given a "chit" for a free day's shooting.

PLEASE NOTE: If there are no RSOs available for any of the four weekend time slots, the rifle and pistol ranges will be closed during that time. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

If you read the previous paragraph carefully, you will have noticed that four RSOs each weekend means that we need 208 RSOs every year. That's 208 RSOs a year in order to keep the rifle and pistol ranges open every weekend. This program will not work with just 20 RSOs, or even 50 RSOs. We will need 100+ RSOs to make the program successful. Our goal is 200 trained RSOs.

I cannot emphasize enough how important this program is. (The Governing Board has certainly emphasized it to me!) The Club has well over 1,400 members -- the bulk of whom are rifle and pistol shooters -- and now is the time for the membership to step-up. We cannot have members saying to themselves, "I don't need to help -- certainly someone else will volunteer." No. This is your Club and it needs your help. Not someone else's help. Your help. If the program fails, the Board will be forced to take unpopular measures concerning the availability of the rifle and pistol ranges.

RSO training classes will begin the first weekend of December, with at least two classes each weekend. The class will take less than two hours to complete and the Club will provide the materials. Only those members that have completed the class will be permitted to act as an RSO. Additionally, we will be asking for a few of the early-trained RSOs to assume the role of instructor for later classes. Remember, our goal is 200 RSOs. To train that many people, we'll need more instructors. Sign-up sheets for the classes will be available at the Clubhouse starting the weekend of November 21st. You may sign-up in person or over the phone at 683-4420.

I realized that this seems like a daunting task, and in some ways, it is. But if we pull together as a Club, if we stop assuming someone else will step-up, we can make this RSO program a success! But we need your help in order to do so.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to seeing you in class!

Scott Wright

Rifle and Pistol Range Coordinator