# Outdoor Adventure Day @ Unicoi: TNGirl's Pictures added!



## trad bow (Aug 8, 2012)

TBG will again be hosting the archery portion of this program. The date will be Sept 22. I will post details as soon as the DNR passes them on to me. Put it on your calander and we will need all the volunteers we can get. Thanks!  Jeff


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## Jake Allen (Aug 8, 2012)

Not too far away; about 6 weeks

Unicoi Park in late September is a mighty pretty place.

Some pictures of 2011 Outdoor Adventure Day @ Unicoi:

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=645924&highlight=unicoi

Ya'll join us! Be mighty proud to have you.


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## Jake Allen (Aug 23, 2012)

_For those who are interested, and would like some background on this event, I will quote Joel Smith from a few years back:_


"This event is the Kid's Outdoor Adventure Day held every National Hunting and Fishing Day at Unicoi State Park right outside Helen, Georgia. It is put on by the DNR with the help of sponsors like the Weatherby Foundation to give kids (and their parents) a chance to learn the fun of outdoor activies like archery, shotgun shooting, canoeing, trout fishing, etc.

For several years now TBG has set up and run the archery part of this experience for the DNR. We will have between 900 and 1200 kids there and most of them will want to try shooting a bow. We usually set up 12 targets and lanes and most of the day we will have a line of around 30-40 kids waiting to shoot, many will shoot and immediately get back in line. It's a tremendous chance for us to spread the message of the fun and simplicity of traditional archery to a lot of kids and parents in one day. We also have a rare opportunity to show the public that bowhunters are not the awful sadists that the anti-hunting crowd wants them to believe.

The work itself is pure pleasure, helping willing children shoot what for some of them is their first arrow from a bow. You get a chance to give each of these children a gift that will introduce many of them to a sport they may not have been exposed to any other way. Many of the kids and parents tell us every year that our venue was the most fun they had all day and quite a few ask questions about getting into archery and where to get equipment.

The hard part is having enough people to run an operation like this without wearing everybody to a frazzle. Because of the sheer numbers of kids wanting to do this, we have to have a lot of lanes open to keep the line moving and waits from being too long. 

As I said earlier we try to keep twelve lanes running and that takes one person minimum for each lane plus we have to have someone keeping the line in order and matching the kids with tackle that is at least close to their size and strength. We have to have at least afew people to relieve the other workers for lunches, bathroom breaks, etc.

Bottom line we really need at least 15 or 16 people willing to give up just one day that can change some kids whole life. 

Simple math, one day for a whole life of the joy of archery (and maybe support at the polls for our way of life). Some of us who don't get weekends off will be taking vacation time to do this and some who are off are sacrificing a day of bowhunting during an all too short season. But every year it gets a little harder to get enough people to carry out this event. That's the part I'll never understand...."

_We met and get started before 9. The event starts at 10.
Parking is free with your pass and lunch is on the DNR.
Anyone wishing more details, please pm Trad Bow or me.
Thank you.
Also, I will have an open seat in my truck for someone. Ferry service from Powder Springs to there, and back.
Hard to beat that. _


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## Jake Allen (Sep 22, 2012)

trad bow said:


> Thanks to everyone that helped out today. We were busy to say the least.



Yep, busy day.
Thanks for planning and setting this up Jeff. Excellent job!

Good day for our club, and for Traditional Archery.
 I don't know how many folks we had come thru our set up,
 but I do not remember a time after 10:15 or so when we did not have a line. Sometimes the line was quite long.
I heard from the DNR that around 1300 folks were present.

Our Volunteers today:
Dave Thomas
Dave Bureau
Dennis Rice
Gene Bramblett
Tomilee
Tony Smith of Course
Chuck (just met him today and I cannot remember his last name)
Jeff Roberts
Thanks you all!!!!!! 

Man, did the new targets look good!
And the best part, many laughs, smiles, amazement, appreciations and thanks from our participants. 
Glad to be there. Tomi took quite a few pictures inspite
of her and Dennis being busy all day with the youngest shooters.

Rock Ranch days coming up the next 2 Saturdays, and the first two Saturdays in November.
If you would like to join us, we will be happy to have you there.


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## TNGIRL (Sep 26, 2012)

I am so sorry for the delay on posting my pics....you can't believe how busy I have been since I got home Monday. Anyway, here they are!!!! I would like to add my Thank You to all those Jeff listed and esp to Jeff!!!!! 
We are growing ya'll and getting stronger and stronger!!!!  And a really Big Thank You to Jeff H. for the 2 new TBG banners he had made for us!!! They turned out great!

We all converged on Unicoi and by 8:45 we were ready for action!!! both Jeffs, both Daves, Chuck and Tony got started repairing arows!!!! Both Daves worked the line to get folks with an arm cover and the right bow and in the right line and WE WERE OFF and running!!!!! The lines never slowed down thru the day except when we took a lunch break....then they just hung out waiting!!!


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## TNGIRL (Sep 26, 2012)

2nd batch:

"Your feet go here" "Your fingers go here" "You tilt the bow a little" "Don't close your eyes" "Pullllllll back some more" "Let go!" can't begin to tell you how many times those were said!!! And got lots of happy yells when they hit the targets!!!!!!
Got a shot of our DNR Officer Kevin Lowery, he jumped in and lent a hand whenever needed! He's the one that makes it all happen at Unicoi for us every year!!! Thanks Kevin!!


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## TNGIRL (Sep 26, 2012)

3rd batch:

TBG was so grateful to recieve a large package back in the spring from Compton's Traditional Bowhunters, filled with bows, arrows and equipment! We were asked to give away any or all of the bows to deserving folks, as we seen fit. Well, leave it to Gene Bramblett to pick out a perfect young lady to give one to!!!!  She and her family came thru twice and asked alot of questions on our club and how to find the bows etc.....Gene saw the chance to put one in her hands! And boy was she HAPPY!!!! That's the Blessings Bro Gene!!!!
I got lots of pictures of families enjoying the day together. that's what it's all about!!!! Course sometimes Mommas just had to let "little sisters" hang on no matter what!!!!


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## TNGIRL (Sep 26, 2012)

4th bunch:

I gotta give Dennis a HUGE  "pat on the back" for working with the littlest ones. He has such patience and you can see how much enjoyment he gets in return!!! He met his match with "Little Miss Georgia" tho!!!  He helped her brother and she wasn't gonna shoot. Then she changed her mind, she had the bow in hand and was set and ready, then she changed her mind again and refused to shoot!!!!! Then Dennis had another little gal that couldn't shoot enough!!!! She loved it!! 

Last Picture is of our happy and tired group just before we packed it all up!!!! between Dave and Dennis, I believe I got an arrow in my head!!!!!  Sure glad ya'll like me enough to let me tag along!!!!! Honest folks, I worked to, just nobody took MY picture!!!!!
Now the Rock Ranch events are coming up.......ya'll come and help and make them a success too!!!!


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## markland (Sep 26, 2012)

Good job people ya'll are doing a heck of a job with this and we all appreciate your sacrifices and efforts!


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## dutchman (Sep 26, 2012)

Honesty compels me to say that Jeff Hampton had a huge hand in the gifting of that bow to that young lady. He overheard the conversation between her dad and me and it was Jeff's idea to give one away. Good deal, Jeff! We made a good friend in that young lady and her family.


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## Dennis (Sep 26, 2012)

Ya'll both did good!


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## longbowdave1 (Sep 26, 2012)

Great job as usual donating your time for the youth archery program, outstanding!


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## Waxwing (Sep 27, 2012)

*Thanks for making Unicoi a special event for my boys*

My boys, ages 6 and 4, were thrilled to step to the line with TBG volunteers. They'd been excited all week about the archery and both were able to stick a few in their targets. The only downside was that the experience cost me a couple of socks when we got home and made arm guards.  

Thanks for making this a special event for so many kids.


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## Jake Allen (Sep 27, 2012)

Waxwing said:


> My boys, ages 6 and 4, were thrilled to step to the line with TBG volunteers. They'd been excited all week about the archery and both were able to stick a few in their targets. The only downside was that the experience cost me a couple of socks when we got home and made arm guards.
> 
> Thanks for making this a special event for so many kids.



You are very welcome.
Thank you for you comment, and reading it, makes the entire long day even more worthwhile to me. The more I put into this Archery thing,
 the more this Archery thing gives back to me. 

These are great pictures Tomi!  Thank you for taking, and posting them.
You did work side by side with all of us for this long day, and I am sorry I did not grab your camera and take pictures of you on the line with the kids.

this is great by the way.  I might just steal it to use on our next banner....
_"Your feet go here" "Your fingers go here" "You tilt the bow a little" "Don't close your eyes" "Pullllllll back some more" "Let go!" 
can't begin to tell you how many times those were said!!! And got lots of happy yells when they hit the targets!!!!!!_


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## TNGIRL (Sep 27, 2012)

Waxwing said:


> My boys, ages 6 and 4, were thrilled to step to the line with TBG volunteers. They'd been excited all week about the archery and both were able to stick a few in their targets. The only downside was that the experience cost me a couple of socks when we got home and made arm guards.
> 
> Thanks for making this a special event for so many kids.



THANK YOU!!!! I have always known what "we" get out of this passion but to have you come on and tell us what it meant to your family!!!! Well, that's about The Best It Gets Right There!!! And sorry about the socks!!!!

I know Jeff, just funning ya'll..... besides my action pictures of me personally are never pleasing to me!!! haha!


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## johnweaver (Sep 28, 2012)

Way to go guys!!!


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## Al33 (Sep 28, 2012)

Great job folks and thanks for all the pic's Tomi!!! I would have loved to have been there.


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## selfbowman (Oct 11, 2012)

My hat is off to you folks. It takes  so much in the patience department to do that for hours on end. I promice though its people like yourselfs that will keep the trad bows alive and well.Congrats on job well done.


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## trad bow (Oct 11, 2012)

This event never gets old. I really appreciate everyones help in putting on this and all the other youth events that TBG puts on. This is where we really make a difference folks.


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## F.A.R.R. (Oct 11, 2012)

This looks like a great event, great pictures. I commend everyone who dedicated their time planing the event and working with all the kids.

I know all kids develope at different rates -but for those that have spent time teaching kids archery at what age range do you feel the kids can really start to put it all togather?


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