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A Letter from the President - 2023

Submitted by asc-admin on December 27, 2023 - 8:42am

As we come to the end of another year, I am sure 2023 will be one that most of us will not soon forget. With numerous changes and events that have effected all of us on a personal as well as a social level, to say it has been an interesting year would be an understatement.  I would like to take a moment and thank all of you that have helped to make 2023 another successful year at ASC. For all of you that have helped out at a range, special event, training event, community event, facilities event, monthly membership meetings, kitchen or behind the scenes, I THANK YOU.

To the officers and Board of directors. I thank you. Your effort and hard work is what makes ASC the best club around. I would like to share with you just a little of what it takes to make Andover Sportsmen’s Club  the best family orientated club around:

  • Vice President.  Organizing the kitchen which often served up to 50 meals per Sunday breakfast. Helped organized and  run Easter egg hunts, fireworks display, fishing derby, fishing trip, Italian dinner, Pig roast Kids Christmas party.
  • Secretary. Recorded all BOD and special Board meetings. Reports these meetings to the membership. Monitors all incoming calls and voice mails to the club. Handles all formal club correspondence.
  • Treasurer, Handles all financial transactions, 13 separate operating budgets. Responsible for cash management and paying all club bills.
  • Project manager and Facilities, responsible for improvements to club house, improvement to indoor archery building, building and improvements to our training range, building and improvements to our Ax range, over seen blasting and excavation of our long distance rifle range. Continues with feasibility studies for an ASC fishing pond as well as a separate training facility.
  • Outdoor rifle and pistol ranges. An incredible staff that maintains , welds and paints 90 + steel targets for your shooting pleasure. A training range that seriously diminishes the interruption of range time for our members that is utilized by 8 police departments.
  • Indoor pistol range. Works tirelessly to maintain the range so it is available to members 24 / 7. Where our pistol team practices and hold competitions. Replaced all air filtration filters. Has provided over 8000 targets this year.
  • Skeet and trap. Building of a new high house, maintains and improvements to two trap fields. Holds many special events for our membership.
  • Archery. Improvements to the indoor archery building. Replaced the complete target area of the indoor facility, Acquired  new target as well as Olympic style targets
  • Membership. has handled 400+ new members this year. Family and friends have joined to enjoy the club and all it offers.
  • Training. An incredible job revitalizing our training dept which was seriously effected by covid. From ax throwing training, Archery training, Shotgun training , LTC training, Youth training , Ladies night. Has brought Refuse To Be A Victim training, not only to our membership but also to our senior center and community.
  • Community Relations (Fishing derby, car show, Kids Christmas party, Easter egg hunt). Sponsors local High School students with College Scholarships. Donations to our vets at Veteran North East Out Reach center, Ironstone farms, Tewksbury youth trap league, local youth baseball team, Andover Day, guest speakers from GOAL.
  • Safety. Responsible for all club safety. Handles all club rule infractions which may or may not lead to disciplinary action taken by the board. Ensures all compliance with the state for the safe operation of all ranges.

 

As you can see, it takes a substantial amount of dedicated people and hard work to provide a Safe, Family atmosphere club for our membership. These are the many people, that make ASC a success and the best club around.

I wish you and your Family a very Happy and Safe Holiday season !

Thank you

Stephen Cioffi, ASC President

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Letter from the President - December 2022

Submitted by asc-admin on December 7, 2022 - 11:12am

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 2022

As we close the books on 2022 I believe it can be fairly stated it was the latest in an unbroken series of increasingly successful years commencing more than a decade and a half ago. Even during the worst of the COVID pandemic period the expansion of our membership base continued to increase from that which was less than 700 locally concentrated members to approximately 3600 members with a current footprint in more than 150 communities. The membership growth has been strategically matched by an extensive facilities construction program that has included both  recreational facilities and major infrastructure considerations along with the development of (i) an outstanding educational/training program, (ii) an increase in community affairs including numerous organizations to which we provide financial support, (iii) continuing education scholarships to  local high school graduates, youth  summer camps for ASC club member’s children as well as programs for local community youth and (iv) a significant increase in member’s social events that serve to promote the ASC  culture of being a safe, friendly, family oriented organization.

A unique financial management system has enabled us to absorb significant annual operating and long term capital investment requirements while at the same time adding substantially to our realizable net hard assets plus capital reserves to an extent not generally thought possible. 

The foregoing achievements were realized  primarily due to the unwavering  dedication by an extraordinary Board of Directors (BOD)  to the protection and annual implementation of a more than decade old  operating structure that can provide a solid base upon which readily identifiable future growth opportunities can be considered.

On a personal note I have decided to retire after having been Financial Director, Trap Director, Archery Director and ten years as President.  My successor as President will be Steve Cioffi (Training Director) for whom I have the highest regard and who deserves the respect and support of all members.  As this is my last annual President’s message, I conclude it by thanking the BOD, my fellow officers and all ASC members for your many years of cooperation and support without which none of the achievements described above would have been possible.  I wish all ASC members and your families a wonderful Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year.

Kind regards,

Dick Reichter, President

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Letter from the President - December 2020

Submitted by asc-admin on December 6, 2020 - 12:23pm

President’s Message

 

It has been my custom at the end of each year to summarize that year’s club activities.  

Although, during 2020, there were a substantial number of positive accomplishments the pervasive specter of COVID-19 has been brutal and we can only hope for a return to some degree of normalcy in 2021.

Throughout 2020 your Board of Directors has worked tirelessly to achieve the dual objectives of adhering to social guidelines while at the same time focusing on achieving as many things as possible on our members behalf.

I believe we have been successful in achieving both objectives inasmuch as the number of cases of ASC members having COVID-19 known by me is considerably less than the profile of a safe environment as defined by the heath authorities and, a lengthy shut down not withstanding, the project management function we created in 2019 allowed us to complete more than 100 facility related projects.

During the same period we continued to increase our membership base focused strongly on ASC being a friendly, safe and family oriented club and we enhanced the club’s already strong financial position.

Further, the reputation of ASC as a good neighbor has been sustained by the financial support we provide to several worthy causes. 

On behalf of your Board of Directors I wish all members and their families a joyous and safe Christmas Season and a healthy and prosperous new year in 2021

Sincerely,

Richard Reichter, President

 

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President's Message - December 2019

Submitted by asc-admin on December 11, 2019 - 12:00pm

I believe 2019 can be accurately described as another successful year of ASC operations involving all departments.

As we close 2019 it is appropriate that we express our appreciation to Mike Pierce upon his retirement as Facilities Director due to increasing work related demands on his time.

Skip Waelty, a long time ASC member,  is  Mike’s successor in the expanded position of Facilities Support Director. Skip brings to that position extraordinary expertise in all matters regarding the club’s ever expanding facilities.

Consistent with modern business practices a Project Management position has been  established within the office of the Financial Director. This position combines under a single responsibility all project development efforts from concept through completion. It is a well-established fact that a Project Management approach, versus  responsibilities spread among multiple departments,  will provide greater efficiency, fewer mistakes and more accurate financial planning.

Further enhancing the reputation of ASC as being a respected member of our community is our ever-growing participation in community activities and the financial support we provide several worthy causes.

The message we want to unrelentingly stress is that ASC is a friendly,  caring, family oriented club and to that end:

  1. We have an unusually extensive training department I believe to be second to none within the Sportsmen’s Club's community. During 2019 approximately 110 training classes will have been conducted for all family members, both youth and adults, conducted by a sizeable staff of certified instructors.
  2. We have a zero tolerance policy with respect to safety violations. Our accident prevention efforts include; new member orientation, a wide range of safety training courses,  published and enforced By Laws and Range Rules, an extensive  24/7 surveillance system  that assists in rapid safety violation identification and appropriate disciplinary response procedures and a substantial cadre of qualified range safety officers.

Our expanding physical facilities and related supporting activities offers increasing opportunities for the enjoyment of all ASC members. Needless to say, those efforts will continue unabated in the future.

I end my 2019  year end  report by pointing out that the rigid financial controls we established several years ago continue to insure that ASC remains in a sound financial position notwithstanding significant investments in physical facilities and annually increasing operating costs.

On behalf of your entire Board of Directors I wish all members and their families a joyous and safe Christmas Season and a healthy and prosperous new year in 2020

Sincerely,
Dick Reichter, President

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Letter from the President - December 2018

Submitted by asc-admin on December 5, 2018 - 2:28pm

My fellow members;

We will soon have completed that which I believe can be accurately described as another successful year of ASC operations involving all departments and within the constraints of sound financial planning and controls procedures.

As we close 2018 it is appropriate that we express our appreciation to Steve Cooper (Community Relations) and Cal Perry (Membership) who will be retiring from their ASC Board of Directors activities effective December 31, 2018.

During Steve’s current two year tenure the club's active participation in numerous community activities has increased dramatically thereby creating a platform for additional initiatives commencing in 2019. Assuming Steve’s position on the BOD as Community Relations Director is Stephen Pasco. Stephen's past business experiences and his having been a member of other local sporting clubs is expected to be of invaluable assistance in our developing a long range ASC Community Relations strategy.

Our sincere thanks also go to Cal Perry who stepped into the breech as Membership Director at a time when dramatically automated membership systems were being implemented. Cal is well known, and unreservedly applauded, for his avid support for our nation’s military veterans and as such he plans to devote additional time to the Veteran’s Outreach Program to which ASC provides financial support. Assuming Cal’s position as Membership Director will be Dave Williams. For decades Dave has been one of the most widely respected ASC members and has previously served on the Board of Directors in various capacities including that of Membership Director. Dave’s experience will be invaluable to the development of a long term strategic plan including additional activities for all ASC members and expounding the ASC footprint more deeply in the numerous communities in which ASC members reside.

On behalf of your entire Board of Directors I wish all members and their families a joyous and safe Christmas and New Year’s season

Respectfully,
Dick Reichter, President

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Letter from the President - December 2017

Submitted by asc-admin on December 9, 2017 - 9:56am

You will find elsewhere on the website year-end status reports from each of the club’s operating departments covering key aspects of our 2017 operations.

In addition to those reports I am pleased to add that during 2017 your club continued to operate on a financially sound basis while at the same time upgrading and expanding our facilities in order to serve our growing membership requirements.

With respect to membership we have continued our effort to be known as a dedicated friendly and welcoming family oriented club.

A dedicated Community Relations effort has continued with the objective of our club being thought of by the communities we serve as a “Good Neighbor”. Those efforts, among others, include; providing continuing education scholarships to local high school graduates, sponsoring youth summer camp attendance, holding the annual fishing derby for all local community youth, holding weekly tours open to the public for prospective members, providing monthly military veteran’s assistance financial support, supporting local law enforcement organizations by providing them training important facilities, supporting scouting and numerous other youth program and an extraordinarily extensive educational curricula.

On behalf of your entire Board of Directors we wish all ASC members and their families a Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy and prosperous 2018 New Year.

Respectfully,
Dick Reichter, President​

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Letter from the President - February 2015

Submitted by asc-admin on February 7, 2015 - 4:57pm

Dear members,

We hope that you are enjoying your winter! Typical for New England we are now buried in snow, none the less, all ASC operations have and are continuing including the re-development of the club house and kitchen, a significant increase in the number of members that enjoy breakfast at the club on Sunday, and an increase in the number of members that enjoy our mid-week poker break.

We look forward to seeing you at the club.

Mark Klove, President

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Letter from the President - December 2014

Submitted by asc-admin on December 5, 2014 - 12:00pm

Dear Members:

As I will be retiring (again) from my ASC responsibilities following the forthcoming December Membership meeting, I will leave my usual comments about club operations in the very capable hands of each Director to be related to you both in their December website updates and in their personal reports to the Membership on December 11.

Instead I will appreciate your indulgence of my using my last President’s message for the purpose of thanking those with whom I have had the pleasure to work in the continuing development of ASC into being the best sportsmen’s club possible. [...]

To read the full letter, please click the "Read More" link on the bottom right of this post.

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Letter from the President - December 2013

Submitted by asc-admin on December 14, 2013 - 9:26pm

My fellow members,

I sincerely hope everyone will make a conscientious effort to attend the December 12, 2013 Membership Dinner Meeting celebrating not only the commencement of the Christmas Holiday Season but also the end to that which I believe by all standards of measure has been an extremely successful year for ASC.

It has been a pleasure and honor for your Board of Directors to serve and attend the best interest of all members.

My best Holiday wishes to all members and your families.

Thank you,

Dick Reichter, President

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