- May 22, 2005
- 122,889
So, this coming week represents a milestone in the life of this community that many of us old-timers could have never imagined way back in 2005….the 10th anniversary of the forum's founding.
It's hard for many of us to imagine what being a gun owner in Maryland was like before the advent of mdshooters.com, but there is no question that we are all a lot better off with this community than without.
Way back in 2005, many of us were communicating over at the original High Road and had put together some group shoots and attended some events in Pennsylvania. We had put together some meal times and we found that we liked each other's company.
But, we still didn't have a home of our own.
Then one day this dude from Arizona decides to start a community for Maryland gun owners and some of us begin to trickle in. I managed to fool that dude into thinking that I had a couple of functional brain cells and might not be the worst idea of a person to help manage the place and he asked me to sign on as a moderator.
Thinking then, it couldn't be that hard to corral the 100 members we had, I agreed to do it.
I remember hitting "new posts" over and over looking to see if there was at least 2-5 posts A NIGHT and marveling at every new registration…never conceiving that we would be well over 22k members and that threads would be getting posts faster than I could read them.
It hasn't always been easy, and we haven't always pleased everyone, but I think we largely get it right even with the occasional stumbles.
This community has become so intertwined with my life because of the friendships, collegial relationships and fellowship that i have to concede that it is now part of who I am.
I've shared your triumphs and tragedies, our victories and defeats, your family's births and deaths and we've sustained each other at our highest and lowest moments.
My partners in crime, zoostation, JoppaJ, and 2SAM22 are my friends, my advisors and trusted confidants. We've shared much in our lives, even as we've faced personal challenges in our family lives, health and careers. Thank you my brothers.
DD214 entrusts us with the management of this community for our membership and even though life's twists and turns have lead him far from us at times, he's always there working quietly in the background keeping the lights on for us.
Don, you've been a model of the citizen activist and patriot. I'm sorry that we don't have more time together, but still reminisce fondly at some of our ventures back in those simpler times. The next umbrella drink is on me.
For our members - you've been a source of pride, inspiration, wonderment, frustration, despair, and anger….sometimes all at the same time. You've brought me some of my highest moments, whether that was as your erstwhile leader in the 2A fight, or the joy of seeing new shooters at our group shoots, and for that I thank you. You've sustained me through the darkest moments of my personal and professional life, you've taught me much about myself.
We've done a remarkable thing here in growing to one of the most significant gun related communities in the world. Of that, I am immensely proud; as you should be.
Here's to the next decade….cheers my friends.
It's hard for many of us to imagine what being a gun owner in Maryland was like before the advent of mdshooters.com, but there is no question that we are all a lot better off with this community than without.
Way back in 2005, many of us were communicating over at the original High Road and had put together some group shoots and attended some events in Pennsylvania. We had put together some meal times and we found that we liked each other's company.
But, we still didn't have a home of our own.
Then one day this dude from Arizona decides to start a community for Maryland gun owners and some of us begin to trickle in. I managed to fool that dude into thinking that I had a couple of functional brain cells and might not be the worst idea of a person to help manage the place and he asked me to sign on as a moderator.
Thinking then, it couldn't be that hard to corral the 100 members we had, I agreed to do it.
I remember hitting "new posts" over and over looking to see if there was at least 2-5 posts A NIGHT and marveling at every new registration…never conceiving that we would be well over 22k members and that threads would be getting posts faster than I could read them.
It hasn't always been easy, and we haven't always pleased everyone, but I think we largely get it right even with the occasional stumbles.
This community has become so intertwined with my life because of the friendships, collegial relationships and fellowship that i have to concede that it is now part of who I am.
I've shared your triumphs and tragedies, our victories and defeats, your family's births and deaths and we've sustained each other at our highest and lowest moments.
My partners in crime, zoostation, JoppaJ, and 2SAM22 are my friends, my advisors and trusted confidants. We've shared much in our lives, even as we've faced personal challenges in our family lives, health and careers. Thank you my brothers.
DD214 entrusts us with the management of this community for our membership and even though life's twists and turns have lead him far from us at times, he's always there working quietly in the background keeping the lights on for us.
Don, you've been a model of the citizen activist and patriot. I'm sorry that we don't have more time together, but still reminisce fondly at some of our ventures back in those simpler times. The next umbrella drink is on me.
For our members - you've been a source of pride, inspiration, wonderment, frustration, despair, and anger….sometimes all at the same time. You've brought me some of my highest moments, whether that was as your erstwhile leader in the 2A fight, or the joy of seeing new shooters at our group shoots, and for that I thank you. You've sustained me through the darkest moments of my personal and professional life, you've taught me much about myself.
We've done a remarkable thing here in growing to one of the most significant gun related communities in the world. Of that, I am immensely proud; as you should be.
Here's to the next decade….cheers my friends.