Today marks the 249th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, the “shot heard ‘round the world” started the American Revolution and gave us not just the country we know today, but also started a chain of events that led to other countries freeing themselves from the yoke of tyranny.

Scores of patriots gave their lives or were injured that day to stop the British Crown from further brutalizing the people. Their sacrifices were not in vain, as April 19, 1775 marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War and culminated in independence. The glorious American Constitution and the Bill of Rights that we know and cherish today is attributable to the men who stood their ground and said “No” to the world’s most powerful man of that time: King George III.

A surprisingly large number of schoolchildren (and adults) these days don’t know that the chain of events was triggered by the British trying to disarm the colonists. The names and sacrifices of the men who died at Lexington and Concord are also not given the due weight they ought to be. Combined with constant attacks from anti-Second Amendment groups, it’s not just history that’s being forgotten, but also gun culture and marksmanship skills that were once ubiquitous among Americans.

That backsliding needs to be stopped, and what better way exists than learning and appreciating American history and also working on your marksmanship skills at the same time? Enter Project Appleseed, a movement run entirely by volunteers that seeks to do just that. Officially organized as the Revolutionary War Veterans Association, Project Appleseed describes its mission as follows:

Project Appleseed™ isn’t a gun club or a militia, nor is it a historical society. Instead, we are a non-partisan group of men and women (known as the Revolutionary War Veterans Association) who are committed to upholding the values and principles of America’s founding fathers. We use rifle marksmanship instruction as a gateway to help bring our nation’s history to life and to show that many of the values that our forefathers relied on to win our independence are still very much in demand today.

Through clinics and events, we teach rifle marksmanship and early American heritage to introduce individuals of all skill levels to the knowledge that was so crucial to the success of our nation’s founders. Aside from the fun and camaraderie of these events, the designed takeaway is a renewed sense of civic responsibility that each attendee can then implement in his or her own community. If we can reconnect enough people with the selfless civic virtue of our forefathers, we as a nation will all be better off.

Our goal is to create a nation of Riflemen. We’d love for you to join us.

Project Appleseed hosts several types of events; the most common one is their traditional rifle clinic, typically a 2-day weekend event, where you will learn the fundamentals of marksmanship taught by volunteers who are excellent instructors, storytellers, and “safety fanatics.” Interspersed between stories of patriots like Hezekiah Wyman, John Parker, Samuel Whittemore, and Sybil Ludington, you will learn the Rules of Safety, the Six Steps of Firing a Shot, and work on everything from breath control to your body’s Natural Point of Aim.

At the end of the clinic, you will have a chance to earn the cherished Rifleman patch by scoring at the highest tier at 25 meters with targets scaled from 100-400 yards from various shooting positions. To keep costs down, Appleseed encourages the use of .22LR ammunition with rifles as the Ruger 10/22 or the Tippmann Arms M4-22. For those who don’t own a .22LR rifle, loaner rifles are typically available. Earning a Rifleman patch isn’t easy and may take several attempts, but as Appleseeders say, a rifleman persists.

For those who earn their Rifleman patch, there are advanced Known Distance clinics available for both rimfire and centerfire shooting. There are dedicated “LadySeeds” for women, Pistol clinics, and also “LibertySeeds” which are history-oriented without marksmanship.

I strongly encourage gun owners to attend at least one Project Appleseed event. Learning marksmanship skills is a lot of fun, but hearing the sacrifices made by the founding generation will bring you a renewed appreciation for this country.

Also, please consider donating or getting a membership to the Revolutionary War Veterans Association to support the program even if you don’t think you will attend an Appleseed event. Your contribution will keep the lifeblood and the spirit of this country going.