Save the future of shooting. Help save our range.

The shooting sports are an integral part of Americana, but unfortunately many of our live fire ranges are under pressure to close. Our small range is facing a similar crisis in Dahlonega, GA .

 

 

We are Brian and Shelley Hill and we are owners and instructors over at The Complete Combatant . Our training facility occupies about 2 acres on a 27 acre plot of land in the beautiful North GA Mountains. We believe that if you are your first responder, then you are responsible for a wide array of skill sets. Seeing, recognizing, and believing danger is the first task. Having a plan for avoidance, deselection and escalation is second. If these fail, the fight is on, and it must be won. The first time you have to use the different levels of force, and everything is on the line, should not be the first time you practice your non-lethal (mindset, verbal, walk away, flashlight, etc.), less then lethal (OC/pepper spray, combatives, etc.) and lethal options (firearms, advanced combatives, etc.).

 

 

We have received complaints from our neighbors about the noise coming from our live fire classes and this has gotten the attention of the Lumpkin County Board which has shut down the live fire portion of our business. We have a business license for The Complete Combatant's NON live fire classes so we are not going anywhere but the live fire portion of TCC needs your help. We needed to meet the Zoning and Planning "Special Land Use" rules to have a live fire range, which we have. There is not a "noise ordinance" here in Lumpkin County but we want to be good neighbors so we need to control the sound coming from our range. The closest neognbor is 320 + or 1 yards away through hills and trees BUT if we don't reduce the noise, the harassment and irrationality may never stop.

• Taller back berm
• 8 foot dirt walls to enclose the shooting area ("U" shaped live fire area)
• Plant around thirty to fifty 5-6 foot cypress trees
• Add sound reducing panels/blankets
• Plant additional landscaping and dirt walls as need that focus on soundproofing
• Grotrax  grass seed blankets for hills and slopes

Our goal is $25,000. Between our savings and donations from others, we feel this number will put a big dent in this project.

 

We would like to share a bit more about the property. We have been loving on these 2 acres for about 10 years. It has captured our hearts and the hearts of others. My father, Tom Luehder passed away at my birthday in May 2020 and Brian's mom, Lucy Hill, passed away 6 weeks later. We have built 2 beautiful Willow Tree memorials on this land to honor them. Twice a year we host a "Clean & Pew ". This is where we have roughly 20 alumni volunteer to come to the range and work work work. We start at 10am and we control weeds, trim trees, remove debris from creek, do maintenance on the pavilion, and so much more. We stop about 1pm for a picnic lunch and then we spend the afternoon on the range "pewing". Get it? Clean & Pew! What business do you know that people volunteer to help keep your land beautiful? The Complete Combatant's range is more than a place of education, it is a place of bonding with others, personal growth, empowerment and overcoming personal challenges. We encourage you to click on this link, scroll to the bottom of the page, and take a gander that the stunning photos of everyone's little slice of heaven.

 

Brian and I host 1 or 2 fundraisers per year on the range benefitting the charity Racheal's Rest . In the past 8 years we have raised over $100,000.00! Guess what? 100% of that $100,000.00 went to Racheal's Rest's scholarship fund to help women and children who experienced sexual abuse and acts of violence find balance in life, find the triggers that can cause poor decisions, and to break the cycle of abuse.

 

 

It is not in our nature to ask for help for ourselves, but this is about more than just a small business trying to survive. Yes, this fundraising project is about compromising with others, but this is also about our chance to keep a small part of our shooting culture alive.

 

We will be posting our noise reduction plans, ideas and photos throughout this campaign. We will also honor the people that donated by including them with progress updates AFTER the fundraiser is over, and we have reached our financial goal. Please email me after you have donated and I will place you on a separate email list where you will receive Range Updates only.

 

 

We need to have all the funds raised by October 1st, 2021, that gives us a little over a month to raise the funds needed to put a sound reduction plan into action and save the live fire part of our business. You can donate in many ways:

• Here on GFM
• VENMO at thecompletecombatant (6986)
• CASH APP at The Complete Combatant ($TheCompleteCombatant)
• Check make out to The Complete Combatant and mailed directly to the range at 2755 Porter Springs Rd, Dahlonega, GA 30533. Please add "SAVE RANGE" in the memo section.

 

Please support this plan so men, women and teens can still have a safe place to train to protect ourselves and others.

 

Thank you,

Brian and Shelley Hill