18 replies to this topic

[Moosehead]

 I am interested in joining LIPSA with my wife. We want to be able to shoot steel and we are both retired. It would be fun to be able to do that, however, I have written to them twice via email which has been received and read (based upon my software) with no response. Does anyone know what I need to do to get a response or is it customary for them to ignore efforts at contact?

[General.rr]

LIPSA is the best place in Long Island you could join. 

There are some places I would like, but again.. I can't.

I imagine the reason they didn't reply to your emails is because it read by someone who is authorized to READ email and escalate, but not RESPOND. 

Please be patient. Every business you know is operating shorthanded now. LIPSA is run by volunteers. Volunteers who are dealing with the same shit as the rest of us...mortgage, kids, traffic, overtime, leaking roof...etc. 

[david111jr]

 I am interested in joining LIPSA with my wife. We want to be able to shoot steel and we are both retired. It would be fun to be able to do that, however, I have written to them twice via email which has been received and read (based upon my software) with no response. Does anyone know what I need to do to get a response or is it customary for them to ignore efforts at contact?

same left them a email a couple weeks ago. Haven't heard anything back figured there busy. if i have time id like to stop down one day being im only 10-15 min away but just been to busy.

[pj4863]

https://www.lipsa.us/event/calendar/

 

Pick a date where there's a shoot that interests you. Bring the entrance fee, the appropriate number of rounds and a firearms. Shoot, meet people, and forget about someone not answering that email.  You'll meet someone who can help you move towards membership.  If nothing else, you just got to shoot a match, have fun, and meet some new people.

[MRR]

Joining LIPSA is difficult as they have a very limited number of members. You kinda have to know people as mentioned. Join and shoot the matches. Don't just leave after though. Help breakdown the stages, help set up the stages. Ask if you can be of any help. You basically have to be able and willing to do above and beyond to put you in good graces with the members. As this is an all volunteer group they want people willing and able to help. 

That being said I am not a member there (too far for me) but they have one of the best setups and matches there without going too far. I've always enjoyed shooting there and the matches are just plain old fun! Good luck!!

[paultm]

You might want to try there FB page and leave a private message. New membership very limited

[SeanKusmcRO]

The only way to join is to clean up after the members. There is no list you get put on. They want you to volunteer your weekends to setting up and tearing down the courses after matches. Then after an undisclosed amount of time they may offer you the opportunity to purchase a membership. Or open a gun store. Every time a new store opens up their is magically room for a new member. Good luck. There's several other private ranges upstate and in PA that offer more, charge less and don't have ridiculous hoops to jump through.

[Moosehead]

I am 70 years old and my wife is 73. We have so many orthopedic issues I can't even pick up my own leaves. I guess this club is only for the young and fit. All others can do without the dignity of a response. Interesting how others here responded but I can't get an answer from a club member. So sad. 

[packetloss]

If it's any consolation, Freeport Revolver and Rifle association is the same way.  I've sent them 4 or 5 emails over the last 6 months and haven't gotten any replies.   Not sure why these organizations bother having web pages and list email addresses if they don't read them or bother replying.

[Punisher1336]

LIPSA, like other gun clubs on Long Island are run by volunteers. No one is getting paid to sit by the club phone or handle correspondence. Ive run into similiar response situations from other clubs. Not aleays but generally. Thats the way it is. If you wish to join a club, go there during a shoot and make face to face inquiries. These are gun clubs not corporate America which has a professional customer service in place.

[Moosehead]

Punisher,

I completely understand what you are saying. I wrote to 3 different officers and I am not expecting much since as you say it's not corporate America but there should exist in our "American" culture something called "common courtesy" and I would have expected at least a one line acknowledgment like...."If you are interested, come talk to us at a Sunday shoot"   The original correspondence was written during the pandemic so I was hoping for the respect and courtesy of a reply not even knowing if they were open, but I guess I judge others by the standards I set for my self and those that served with me in non paying positions in clubs in which I was a member. However minimal I gave the courtesy of a reply. I suppose those days are gone. What surprises me is that no one in a leadership or committee position in that club has read these postings and PM'd me. So I guess that maintaining a good reputation does not concern them.

Edited by Moosehead, December 01 2020 - 08:18 PM.

[packetloss]

Exactly.  If they can't be bothered to even just acknowledge emails out of courtesy, then why would anyone want to join such an unorganized mess.  They are either saying we are too busy to be bothered or we don't even bother reading any emails.

[Moosehead]

The emails were read. It's just shows disregard., I agree

[Punisher1336]

You are completely correct Moosehead. I guess when you have plenty of shooters begging to join your club and  have no need to go looking for new members or recruit you can do as you please.

[packetloss]

You are completely correct Moosehead. I guess when you have plenty of shooters begging to join your club and  have no need to go looking for new members or recruit you can do as you please.

 

That's the difference between successfully run organizations and ones that will ultimately fail.  Demographics change, situations change and if you alienate people now, they are gone and won't ever look back.

[Moosehead]

Punisher & Packetloss,
Thank you for your support and insight. I am not looking for sympathy here but just as a matter of history, I retired late and am almost 70 years old. My wife is older. Whatever you do, don't retire, you start feeling crappy pretty soon after. I gifted her and myself a pair of Volquartsen pistols (photo attached) so we could shoot at a steel dueling tree or knock down long range animal targets. We decided it would be fun to just compete against each other, then to our surprise, we find out that the Long Island ranges will only allow paper targets.....no fun for sure. If it weren't for grandchildren we would move from NY. So now, the best we can hope for is to bring our little dueling tree to upstate when we go and do it then. With Covid (WE ARE AT HIGH RISK)  who's going to be traveling?
I have found the members of this group including you and others who have responded to this thread to be great people and I respect you for your candid replies. I hope you get to shoot whenever wherever you want!  To see more about me, stop by fishfreedom(dot)com. I like to fish and hunt and have 2 great pointing dogs that have far more stamina than I have!!
Again.....thank you...it's nice to have friends here.
 
Ray

Edited by Moosehead, December 02 2020 - 07:07 PM.

[packetloss]

No worries.  No one is blaming you for any of this, and it's perfectly ok in my book and in fact appreciated for you to present a counter argument.  If no one looks at both sides of why something is happening, you just never learn anything.

 

Btw, you might want to look into Calverton.  I think you might be allowed to set up steel targets there.  It might be getting a bit cold now, but with it being an outdoor range it's also a bit safer with respect to COVID.

[minuteman1970]

@Moosehead,

 

I'm not sure how far you are located from it, but I can confirm that the Freeport Club Range permits steel plate shooting.

[Moosehead]

Calverton said "no" but i will check freeport