GSC Newsletter - Groton Sportsmen`s Club

OCTOBER 2015
GROTON SPORTSMEN’S CLUB
NEWSLETTER
Stonington Clubhouse
421 Al Harvey Road
Stonington, CT 06378-9512
Voluntown/North Stonington Clubhouse
237 Tom Wheeler Road
North Stonington, CT 06359
GSC Website: http://www.grotonsportsmen.com
Stonington Clubhouse
Voluntown/North Stonington
(860) 535-2077
(860) 599-5902
Newsletter Headlines
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Annual Update from the President
Fall has arrived!
From the President
The Floor approved a range day for a group of CT legislators. It will be held during the week on an October
day to be determined soon. Volunteers are needed on the rifle, pistol and shotgun ranges as well as in the
kitchen. If you can help out, please contact Warren Speh at 860 536-6640.
Please welcome back Michelle Marceau, who will be joined by John Stevens as Membership Co-chair.
The Floor approved the current membership limit of 525 Regular members at the Annual Meeting and voted to
maintain the current requirement for ten work hours to be paid at a rate of $15 per hour if not worked.
The “Condition of the Business of the Groton Sportsmen's Club” was presented at the September Club meeting. It is offered here for those who were not able to attend.
The Club Bylaws (Art. IV) require that the President preset a report on the condition of the business of the
Club at each Annual Meeting. I am happy to again report that we are in very good shape due to the efforts of
our officers, committee chairs and members.
1. Board - We have an effective Board that acts in the best interests of the Club. We work well together, do not
always agree, but strive for consensus. We operate in strict accordance with the By-laws. The Board developed
the second issue of the Five Year Plan, wrote an advertising policy and is now working on a donations policy.
Thanks Bob Girard who is stepping down and welcome back John Stevens who returns as Membership
co-chair. Michelle Marceau has volunteered to stay on and we will vote her back later tonight. Theirs is a complex and time consuming job as you will see when we vote in almost fifty new members tonight.
Stu Pucci took John's place as Treasurer in February, he has been our accountant for many years and therefore
is eminently qualified for the position. We had a very nice testimonial dinner for John last February, thanks
Chris Marquette and team.
2. Committee Chairs - They are the backbone of the Club and earn their work hours many times over. Please
take the time to thank them for their service, I can assure you that they appreciate hearing it.
This year Membership implemented an electronic billing system that will significantly reduce the billing cost
and workload.
Mike Isabella is now the Field Day co-chair with Wayne Carbone.
Peter Trahan assumed the Archery Chair position.
Lucille Lupinacci stepped down after nine years as Sunshine committee chair, thank you Lucille. Richard Giudice will assume the chair.
The Board has continued to invite selected committee chairs to the Board meetings in order to discuss committee issues, 10 of 16 committees have met to date.
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3. Finances - The Club has healthy finances, our cash assets are over $600K, while our annual expenses are
about $250K. We receive rent from the cell tower and contracted with Hull Forest Products for the 440 Al Harvey Rd property. We paid off the 440 mortgage, and the capital loan, saving over $6K annually. The Club is
now debt free. The Board studied the issue of investments, but failed to achieve consensus on higher yield
funds. We did agree to place our savings in three year CD's at a rate of 1.5%, an increase from .25%. This is
still slightly less than the rate of inflation, but has no risk.
4. Budget - The Board ensures that the Club operates to the budget that is approved by the floor in June. Financial Secretary Bill Isabella sees to that. He ensured that we ended the year with a surplus. We funded some projects in the 3rd quarter and added the budgeted amount to savings. Bill works closely with each committee to
develop the budget, he presents it to the Board and then to the Floor each June. Thanks.
5. Five Year Plan Projects - The major improvements to the outdoor ranges continued.
The 500 Yd range was completed and was in service for the first time last month.
Thanks Tom Phelps and your committee who worked very hard in hot weather to complete the work in time to
shoot.
The habitat improvement and road repair projects on the North Stonington / Voluntown property have continued due to the hard work of Bill Salisbury, Ray Thiel and friends.
Ventilation upgrades for the indoor range are in place and operational due to the hard work of Mike Kopyceinski and a very small work party, great job.
Thanks to John Stevens for his efforts to improve safety. Phones, emergency signs and first aid kits were placed
at all ranges and houses. John also re-instated the tradition of issuing brass life membership cards.
6. Planning - Our Five Year Plan is now two years old. We are continuing this process with a Stonington House
renovation committee and the Indoor range improvement project will continue with the addition of a heating
system. This fall the Board will vote on a list of projects for the next budget year which will be issued in the
newsletter and voted on by the Floor in the June budget.
7. Activities - The Clay Grinders youth team and the Trap League were again a big success, thanks to Bill Vorra
and Bob Butler.
The Youth Hunts were held last fall and will repeat this fall, thanks Ray Thiel.
The Field Days were more successful this year, thanks Wayne Carbone and team.
Joe Rendeiro has passed the Scholarship chair to Jeff Pollard after many years of service. They put on a delicious fish fry and raised $2.5K.
The Game Dinner was a huge success, thanks John Roy, Jeff Pollard and team who donated the proceeds to
scholarship this year.
The Indoor range is cleaned regularly, thanks to Mike Kopycienski and your team. The grounds look great,
thanks Bud Brovero and team.
The Skeet house is always clean and comfortable, thanks Jack Babcock.
8. Challenges - There have been some major challenges this year. Our member attorney won an eviction of our
tenants at the 440 property for failure to pay rent and for numerous violations of the lease. There was damage
from the epic party last summer as well as some malicious damage to the house, to the grounds and to our sign
at Rt 184. Several arrests have resulted and several are pending. We received $11K from our insurance policy
but are out of pocket for the deductible and some necessary upgrades.
We have not received a rent check since July 2014. Frank Fox will report on this later tonight but he is owed
many thanks for his leadership of the repair efforts which have consumed a significant amount of his time over
the past year. Thanks also to Chuck Norris, John Stevens, Brian Kennedy, Perry Sawyer, Peter Merritt, Ernest
Celotto, Bill Vorra and many others. The project is nearing completion and I hope to report soon that we have
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found a responsible tenant.
The Kitchen committee is still short of help for Sunday breakfasts. The slack has been repeatedly taken up by
Jeff and Ben Pollard and volunteers, thanks to all.
9. There were some other significant actions taken this year. The Blue Trail was closed following a Special
Meeting vote. The trail was a potential liability and an excuse to trespass. We met with a representative of the
CT Trails Council to explain the reasons for our decision.
The election rules in the Bylaws were revised and several errors and discrepancies were changed in the Bylaws.
A very generous member donated a .22 rifle for the Game Dinner but most significantly, he donated this beautiful wood stove. Brian Kennedy and Frank Fox installed it and will be firing it up but hopefully not for several
months. Thank you Greg.
10. We lost several life members last year: Herbert Hall, Harold Margolis, Ed Northrup and Henry Reed. Our
condolences to their families.
11. The Club has continued a policy of generosity towards local needs, Mike Riley lead a clothing and food
collection drive last year and he transported many van loads to the Pawcatuck Neighborhood center and to the
Westerly Warm shelter. He plans another drive, so please clean out your closets.
We made a donation to a local family whose son has brain cancer. Bob Girard reports that Alex is better and
that his family is optimistic for his recovery.
The Archery committee had a shoot to raise money for Autism awareness, thanks Peter Trahan.
Submitted by:
Paul O'Neill
GSC President
Groton Sportsmen's Club
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Why Didn’t I get my newsletter?
Every month, the Newsletter is sent out based on the membership database. If you change your email address
or mailing address, it is your responsibility to contact the Membership Committee to update the appropriate
information. While I strive to maintain the digital newsletter at a manageable size, different email service providers have different file size limits. We always have emails that are rejected, but it is not always clear why. If
you do not receive your newsletter via the expected delivery method (email or mail), you may always get it off
the club website at http://www.grotonsportsmen.com. You should also check spam filters and verify your information is correct in the membership database.
Rob Sawyer
Newsletter Coordinator
Archery News
The archery committee will be supporting the fall field day, Sunday November 22nd. It was a big hit last year,
and we're looking for a repeat! In preparation for field day we are planning an overhaul of the archery range on
the Stonington property. Volunteers please contact Pete Trahan at [email protected] for details. This is a
great opportunity for work hours and to spruce up the range. Lunch provided.
Pete Trahan
Archery Committee Chairman
The Club’s Upland Bird Hunting Season Starts October 10th
The Club’s upland bird hunting season kicks off on October 10th. We’ll be stocking 25 Chukar Partridge on
both the 10th and 11th and there’s no limit! This should be an exciting way to start our season. Regular
pheasant stocking will start on October 17th. As usual, members earn work hours by stocking our birds.
Contact me (Ray Thiel, [email protected] or (860)564-2443) if you can help stock. You can sign up to stock
when you’re available on the stocking schedule, which will be in the upland bird hunting log book in the
Voluntown/North Stonington clubhouse.
Remember that all members using the North Stonington/Voluntown property for any purpose during hunting
season (September 15th through March 31st) must wear 400 square inches of hunter orange clothing above the
waist AND an orange hat. Archery hunters must wear orange moving to and from their stands.
Thanks and see you in the fields.
Ray Thiel
Game Committee Chairman
Signing In/Out When Hunting On The Stonington Property, Clarified
The rules covering hunting on the Stonington property have been updated to explicitly require signing in and
out in the log book opposite the vending machines when hunting. This has been the standard practice in the
past, but was not included in the written hunting rules. The sign in and out requirement applies to all types of
hunting (i.e., turkey, deer, small game and waterfowl) conducted on the Stonington Grounds. The revised
hunting rules are posted on the Club web site.
Ray Thiel
Game Committee Chairman
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Work Hour Opportunities In Voluntown/North Stonington
As usual, there’s always something that needs to be done to maintain our property. In Voluntown/North Stonington, we have several projects that need to be worked on. The projects include maintenance the deer exclusion fences around the shrubs we planted as part of our habitat improvement work, cutting back brush along
the Club roads, cutting, splitting and stacking firewood, bird stocking, and probably a lot of other things that
we just haven’t thought of recently. Contact Bill Salisbury ([email protected] or (401) 364-8949) or Ray
Thiel ([email protected] or (860) 564-2443) if you want to earn work hours and we will set you up. Don’t
wait until February to realize you need work hours. It’s often too cold and snowy by then to work on many of
our projects.
Thanks,
Bill Salisbury, Voluntown/North Stonington Grounds Chairman
Ray Thiel, Game Committee Chairman
Youth Hunting Opportunities
Last month I announced that the Club was again holding a youth deer hunt (November 7th) and a youth
pheasant hunt (December 6th). Openings are still available for both of these activities. To be eligible for the
youth deer hunt, the licensed junior hunter must be a child, or grandchild of a Club member, must have a valid
private land shotgun/rifle deer permit, and written consent from the Club. An adult mentor who is a Club
member must accompany the junior hunter. The adult mentor must also have a valid private land deer permit
and written consent from the Club, but they cannot carry a firearm. Contact Ray Thiel ([email protected] or
(860) 564-2443) for more information about the youth deer hunt. Tim Milette ([email protected] or 860376-4274) is the contact person to sign up for the youth pheasant hunt. A flier for the youth pheasant hunt is
provided in the digital newsletter.
Ray Thiel
Game Committee Chairman
Voluntown/North Stonington Grounds Rules Updated
The Voluntown/North Stonington Grounds Rules have been updated to reflect new sign in/out requirements. In
particular, anyone using the grounds for any reason must now sign in a log book in the clubhouse. The
complete Grounds Rules are posted in the clubhouse and are on the Club web site. The rule regarding signing
in and out is provided below.
“Log in and out, in the clubhouse whenever using the Club property for any purpose. Use the log book
appropriate for your activity (i.e., the miscellaneous activities log book which covers activities such as target
shooting on the 500 yard range, fishing, hiking, work parties, using the parking area to hunt the state forest,
turkey hunting and archery practice, and the upland bird hunting, deer hunting, and dog training log books).
There are supplemental log books in the 500 yard range shooting house, and in the fishing sign in box which
must also be used. If for any reason you can’t gain access to the clubhouse to sign in or out, there is a box with
a notepad outside the clubhouse door where you must sign in and out.”
Thanks.
Bill Salisbury
Voluntown/North Stonington Grounds Chairman
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A Great Crowd For The GSC Pig Roast
A pig roast was held on the Voluntown/North Stonington property on Saturday September 5th. Over 80 Club
members, their families and friends attended. The pig roast was organized by the Game Committee as a
combined social event and fund raiser. The food was excellent. Member Jeff Freitas and his family handled all
the cooking duties. (Thank Jeff if you see him.) They started preparing the pig early Friday evening, camped
out and monitored the cooking process all night, and didn’t finish cleaning up until late Saturday afternoon.
The meat was cooked to perfection (although it took longer than expected due mostly to the size of the pig),
and the potatoes and corn made the ideal side dishes to the pork. It all must have been good since there wasn’t
much left of a 200+ pound pig! The digital newsletter contains several pictures from the pig roast. You’ll
notice that there aren’t any pictures after the meal was served. Everybody was too busy eating!
Thanks to the people that helped set up (particularly Bill Salisbury and Norm Boiselle), provided tents (Kevin
Gross and Scott Davidson), and helped preparing and serving the food and cleaning up (Rich Harens, Natalie
McDermott, Jim Wollschlager, Mike Gates, and Mark McNeil). If I missed anyone, I’m sorry but know that all
the help we got was much appreciated. At the end of the meal, the cleanup went quickly since nearly everyone
there helped wash and pack up the tables and chairs, and pull down the tents.
The 2015 pig roast raised $550.00 for the Club. Based on the feedback we’ve received, we’ll try to hold
another, even better pig roast next year.
Ray Thiel
Game Committee Chairman
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The Crowd Begins To Gather And Socialize While The Food Is Cooking.
Jeff Freitas And His Father Harold Wrestling The 200+ Pound Pig Out Of Their Smoker.
Mike Gates Is Ready To Lend A Hand If Needed.
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The Proud Cooks Pose With Their Prized Smoked Pig. We’re Hungry! Are You Going To
Carve It Or Just Admire Your Work?????
A Hungry Crowd Anxiously Waits While The Pig Is Being Carved.
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Range Safety Officer Course
A Range Safety Officer Course will be held on 7 November 2015, from 8:00am to 5:00 pm in the Barn Attic
Meeting Room on the Stonington Property.
Below is some information about the RSO course that I wish to share with you.
Please let me know ASAP if there is a problem registering.
1. To be an NRA certified RSO you do not need be an NRA member.
2. To Register for the course follow the link below to the web site and search for the RSO course in Stonington
on 11/07/15 and complete pre-registration for the course.
(use zip code 06378 and 25 mile radius to search) (Either paste the link in your web browser or press “Ctrl”
and click the link)
http://www.nrainstructors.org/searchcourse.aspx
3. Once you find the course at Stonington select “click for details”.
4. Next select “Sign up for the class.”
5. Fill in all your personal information so that when you complete the course the instructors can finish the
course completion information.
6. Save the web site because you will need to come back to this site to complete your registration/certification.
7. When the course is complete there is a $30 fee to be paid to the NRA for your certification. (This is in
addition to the price of the course)
8. Just like your NRA membership, the RSO certification (like other NRA instructor certs) needs to be renewed
based on the schedule/price you choose.
9. The price of the course is $125 for 9 or less students, if we get 10 or more students then the course will drop
to $100 (bring a friend).
10. Please make the check out to Ken Sheldon or bring cash ($).
11. No firearms or ammunition are allowed in the classroom, no live fire required for this course.
Feel free to email [email protected] with any questions you have or call me at (860) 443-5567.
Michael Peterson
Fish Fry
The SECOND ANNUAL FISH FRY to benefit the CHUCK CHENETTE SCHOLARSHIP FUND, will be
held on NOVEMBER 7TH.
If you attended last year’s fundraiser, you certainly will want to be there this year as well. If you could not
make it, then you will not want to miss this cornucopia of delicious seafood and more on Saturday night, the
7th of November. Once the menu and other details are finalized, look for more information in a soon-to-be
delivered GSC “eblast”. Mark your calendars now…this will likely be a sellout!
For more information, tickets, or to volunteer to assist, contact Bill Isabella at (401) 792-0751 or
[email protected] or Jeff Pollard at (860) 235-5714or [email protected].
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Membership Updates
This year twenty six members went to life member status; congratulations to these sexagenarians and
septuagenarians!!!
On another note, sixty-one folks left the club, opening the rolls for those on the waiting list.
Invitations have been sent to the remaining names on the waiting list.
We will be conducting orientations on Oct 4 (9 am) and Oct 5 (7 pm). If you have a friend you sponsored,
please have them watch their emails. Those that did not have emails on the application were sent letters. After
these invitees are approved, we will be very close to our membership maximum.
The Membership Committee
Legislators Range Day
Coalition of CT Sportsmen have been the longest established lobbying group representing Connecticut Hunting, Fishing, Trapping, outdoor activities, and more, especially our firearm rights at the Connecticut Legislature hearings. Headed by Retired Army Major Robert Crook, and now joined by his son, they are our only two
registered Gun Lobbyists in CT. They have presented many favorable proposals which have been voted into
law or as Regulations and often swayed the defeat of negative Legislation.
They suggested having a Legislators Range Day in South Eastern CT, as they have had several times in other
sections of CT, where Legislators are invited to a Range Day to learn and experience shooting firearms. Maybe
as many as 10 or so will attend.
At the September Groton Sportsmans Club Special Meeting it was unanimously voted to permit a Legislative
Range Day.
Coalition of CT Sportsmen Legislative Range date is set for Wednesday October 14th, 2015. This event will be
conducted between approximately 10 A.M. and 4 P.M. with setup and clean up adding 1 hour prior to and 1
hour after the event. It is intended to have 3 one hour periods for shooting Shotgun, Rifle, and Handgun,
therefore, we will require an adequate number of Range Safety Officers (RSO'S), personnel to administer
lunch, and help setup.
We are expecting a grant from the National Shooting Sports Foundation which is designated to offset
expenditures of the event: cost of clay targets used, ammunition, and food expenses for a lunch.
Volunteers can contact Warren Speh at [email protected] or (860) 536-6640
Warren Speh
Legislative Chairman
Pictures For The Newsletter Are Always Welcome
We’re always looking for interesting and/or informative input for the Club’s newsletter, but the pictures we’ve
been putting into the digital newsletter make it all the more fun to read. Summer camping adventures, pictures
of big fish or your kid’s first fish or just about any outdoor activity are always great. Photographs of Club
activities are also always welcome. You get the idea; more pictures will mean we can give you a more
interesting newsletter. Send pictures, stories or any newsworthy items to Rob Sawyer at
[email protected]. The more input we get, the better the newsletter will be.
The standard deadline for newsletter submissions is the 25th of the month.
Thanks,
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Rob Sawyer
Web Links For Pro-Sportsmen Organizations
The following web links are being provided to make it easier for our members to support these organizations
by joining or making donations so that they can continue the battle to maintain sportsmen’s rights.
John Stevens has signed up to be an NRA recruiter for the convenience of the membership. Members joining
the NRA for the first time through John will receive a discount relative to the normal NRA membership
cost. John will be available to sign anyone up at most Club regular membership meetings and most Sunday
mornings either at breakfast or on the skeet field.
National Rifle Association Membership http://membership.nrahq.org/default.asp
Connecticut Citizens Defense League www.ccdl.us
National Shooting Sports Foundation www.nssf.org
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TO PROTECT THE FUTURE OF OUR CLUB, PLEASE KEEP FIREARMS SAFETY IN MIND AT ALL TIMES!
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
EVENT
GSC General Membership
Meeting
GSC Board of Directors
Meeting
Indoor range work party
(VERIFY DATES AND TIMES BEFORE YOU GO)
EVENT DATE
CONTACT / INFORMATION
Third Wednesday - 7:30 pm
Club Officers
Second Wednesday - 7:00 pm
Club Officers and Board Members
6pm Second Tuesday
of Every month
Every Sunday 7:00 - 8:30 am
Mike Kopycienski (860) 536-2541
Legislators Range Day
October 14, 2015 9:00 am –
5:00 pm
at the GSC Stonington Property
Warren Speh (860) 536-6640
[email protected]
Youth Deer Hunt
November 7, 2015
at the GSC Voluntown/
North Stonington Property
November 7, 2015 8:00 am –
5:00 pm
at the GSC Stonington Property
Ray Thiel (860) 564-2443
[email protected]
Chuck Chenette
Scholarship Fund Fish Fry
November 7, 2015
at the GSC Stonington Property
Bill Isabella (401) 792-0751
[email protected]
Jeff Pollard (860) 235-5714
[email protected]
See flier in digital newsletter
Fall Field Day
November 22,2015
at the GSC Stonington Property
Wayne Carbone (860) 599-5504
[email protected]
Junior Pheasant Hunt
December 6, 2015
at the GSC Voluntown/
North Stonington Property
Tim Milette (860) 376-4274
[email protected]
See flier in digital newsletter
Sunday Breakfasts
Range Safety Officer
Course
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George Crouse (860) 536-0806
Michael Peterson (860) 443-5567
[email protected]
Contact Information For Club Officers And Committee Chairpersons
Officers:
President
Vice President
Secretary
Paul O’Neill
(860) 599-3607 [email protected]
Frank Fox
(860) 535-2787
Michelle Marceau
[email protected]
Bob Butler
(860) 625-1627
Membership
John
Stevens
[email protected]
Directors
[email protected]
Treasurer
Stewart Pucci
(401) 596-1926
Ray Thiel (860) 564-2443
[email protected]
[email protected]
Financial
Bill Isabella
(401) 792-0751 Directors-at-Large Bill Salisbury (401) 364-8949
[email protected]
Secretary
[email protected]
Jeff Pollard (860) 235-5714
[email protected]
Committee Chairmen:
Fish
Bill Swanson (860) 535-1892
[email protected]
Game
Ray Thiel (860) 564-2443
[email protected]
Stonington House Brian Kennedy (860) 867-7570
[email protected]
Sunshine
Richard Giudice (401) 741-2148
[email protected]
Field DayWayne Carbone (860) 599-5504
[email protected]
Recreation
Mike Isabella
(401) 742-2078
[email protected]
Stonington Grounds Bud Brovero (860) 376-8730
[email protected]
Kitchen
George Crouse (860) 536-0806
N. Stonington
Bill Salisbury (401) 364-8949
House/Grounds
[email protected]
Skeet/Sporting Clays Bill Vorra (860) 535-1037
[email protected]
Archery
Peter Trahan
(860) 235-1082
[email protected]
Legislative Action Warren Speh (860) 536-6640
Scholarship
Education/
Instruction
Work Hours
Newsletter
Coordinator
Joe Rendeiro
(860) 536-9138
Peter Davis
(860) 535-2526
[email protected]
Rob Sawyer
(860) 884-0110
[email protected]
Tom Phelps
(860) 376-5680
[email protected]
Outdoor Ranges Chris Marquette (860) 464-2695
[email protected]
Indoor Range
Club Publicity
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Mike Kopycienski (860) 536-2541
[email protected]
Mike Peterson (860) 443-5567
[email protected]
Dan Sawyer (860) 460-4125
[email protected]
JUNIOR PHEASANT HUNTING DAY
Sponsored By The Groton Sportsmen's Club Inc.
Hunt with volunteer Sportsmen over a trained bird dog with handler.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
At Groton Sportsmen's Club Voluntown/North Stonington Property
(237 Tom Wheeler Road, North Stonington, CT)
Open to Graduates of the Connecticut Conservation Education/Firearms Safety Program or equivalent.
Must be 12 through 15 years of age and possess a valid junior hunting license.
CT Pheasant Tags NOT Needed
Applicants must sign up by contacting:
Tim Milette
(860)376-4274
[email protected]
You must provide the following information:
Name, Address, City, State, Zip Code, Telephone Number, AND your E-mail address (if you have one,)
Hunting License Number, Date of Birth, and your Preferred Hunting Session and Alternates (8 a.m. - 10 a.m.;
10 a.m. - 12 noon; 12 p.m. - 2 p.m.; 2.p.m. - 4 p.m.).
The first twenty-four applicants will be accepted.
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Groton Sportsmen’s Club
Tickets $20/person—soda and/or beer INCLUDED
Dinner and Raffle Proceeds to benefit the
Chuck Chenette Scholarship Fund
FOR TICKETS CONTACT
JEFF POLLARD (860)235-5714 or
BILL ISABELLA (401)792-0751
ALL TICKETS available at GSC Sunday breakfasts and at the
October membership meeting.
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