Alan Lavender, EAGC Club President/Owner
Alan Lavender, EAGC Club President/Owner
I started shooting as soon as I was big enough to hold my first BB gun and have continued to pursue my interest in shooting both recreationally and later competitively. In early 2006, I started shooting pistol matches, first with IDPA and later both USPSA and IDPA. I was hooked on the sport and started meeting some really great people through shooting matches around the area. In April of 2008, I rented a huge track loader and started pushing up berms and moving dirt on the back part of my property in Phenix City, Alabama, so that some of my new friends could have a place to practice. I rented the equipment for a week, and by week's end had managed to push up six pistol bays and part of a rifle range. In June of 2008, I opened this new range under the name of East Alabama Gun Club and started taking memberships to try and recover some of the expense incurred in building the facility.
Today EAGC hosts USPSA, IDPA, SASS, 3-Gun, Multi-Gun, Tactical Shotgun, Carbine, and Rimfire Steel matches as well as supports close to 500 members. EAGC hosted the 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 USPSA Alabama Sectional Championship matches. I have been very fortunate to meet and make some very close friends along my shooting journey, including EAGC's Vice President Mark Kauder and EAGC's Senior Range Officer Jason Hammett. I am proud to have met Bobby and Susan Keigans and to have become a part of their Freedom Gunworks Shooting Team. Through shooting, I also met my wife Leigh, who shares a passion for the shooting industry and who has helped keep my head above water on many occasions. Along the way, there have been so many others who have put blood, sweat, and tears in helping me establish EAGC, and I am eternally grateful for their dedication.
When I'm not on the range, I work for Kemira Chemicals as a Production Shift Supervisor. I have worked in the chemical industry for over twenty years.
I am thankful for the opportunity to open up what is our home so that families and friends can come out and make memories sharing in what is a very practical, enjoyable sport. What makes me feel really good about having EAGC is seeing parents teaching their kids safe gun handling, a group of buddies enjoying some friendly competition through a day on the range, soldiers practicing their shooting skills in preparation of an upcoming deployment. This is the very heart of EAGC.
Today EAGC hosts USPSA, IDPA, SASS, 3-Gun, Multi-Gun, Tactical Shotgun, Carbine, and Rimfire Steel matches as well as supports close to 500 members. EAGC hosted the 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 USPSA Alabama Sectional Championship matches. I have been very fortunate to meet and make some very close friends along my shooting journey, including EAGC's Vice President Mark Kauder and EAGC's Senior Range Officer Jason Hammett. I am proud to have met Bobby and Susan Keigans and to have become a part of their Freedom Gunworks Shooting Team. Through shooting, I also met my wife Leigh, who shares a passion for the shooting industry and who has helped keep my head above water on many occasions. Along the way, there have been so many others who have put blood, sweat, and tears in helping me establish EAGC, and I am eternally grateful for their dedication.
When I'm not on the range, I work for Kemira Chemicals as a Production Shift Supervisor. I have worked in the chemical industry for over twenty years.
I am thankful for the opportunity to open up what is our home so that families and friends can come out and make memories sharing in what is a very practical, enjoyable sport. What makes me feel really good about having EAGC is seeing parents teaching their kids safe gun handling, a group of buddies enjoying some friendly competition through a day on the range, soldiers practicing their shooting skills in preparation of an upcoming deployment. This is the very heart of EAGC.
Leigh Lavender, EAGC Manager/Co-Owner
Leigh Lavender, Manager/Co-owner
I began shooting in 2006, when I decided that I needed a truly sound means for personal and home defense. After an informal shooting lesson from a friend, I purchased my first of many pistols and completely fell in love with shooting. I began shooting on my own four to five days per week to better my skills, and I continue shooting for recreation today.
When I'm not patrolling the range, I am usually at work behind-the-scenes with the club website and other administrative duties. I am also employed at St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, Georgia, as a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer.
I am very honored to be part of EAGC. I share in Alan's vision of providing a safe, clean, family-friendly environment for shooting enthusiasts to enjoy.
When I'm not patrolling the range, I am usually at work behind-the-scenes with the club website and other administrative duties. I am also employed at St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, Georgia, as a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer.
I am very honored to be part of EAGC. I share in Alan's vision of providing a safe, clean, family-friendly environment for shooting enthusiasts to enjoy.
Mark Kauder, EAGC Club Vice President
Mark Kauder, EAGC Club Vice President
I spent 20 years in the U.S. Army as an Intelligence Analyst/linguist, working against Russian Army communications systems. During that 20 years, I also did seven years as an International Rifle Shooter and U.S. National Team member with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. That is how I ended up here in this area, when I retired at Ft. Benning in 1995. I now work for the W.C. Bradley Co. in Columbus (Charbroil Grills, Zebco Fishing equipment).
I started pistol shooting in 2007 after the Virginia Tech massacre. My daughter was a student there, and only one building away during the shooting, and she lost some friends in it. I decided I need to carry a pistol. One thing led to another, and I started USPSA shooting. I have been shooting USPSA Pistol, 3-Gun, and IDPA for 5 years now.
When Alan started EAGC, I started setting up and helping run matches, and now am Match Director for our local USPSA Pistol and the Tactical Shotgun matches. I love promoting the sport, and enjoy running matches, though running matches slows my progress as a shooter, but I still have a heck of a lot of fun! I am that annoying guy that observes someone looking at a gun magazine in a store, or wearing a shooting hat, and just has to go up to see if they know about our club and the matches.
I started pistol shooting in 2007 after the Virginia Tech massacre. My daughter was a student there, and only one building away during the shooting, and she lost some friends in it. I decided I need to carry a pistol. One thing led to another, and I started USPSA shooting. I have been shooting USPSA Pistol, 3-Gun, and IDPA for 5 years now.
When Alan started EAGC, I started setting up and helping run matches, and now am Match Director for our local USPSA Pistol and the Tactical Shotgun matches. I love promoting the sport, and enjoy running matches, though running matches slows my progress as a shooter, but I still have a heck of a lot of fun! I am that annoying guy that observes someone looking at a gun magazine in a store, or wearing a shooting hat, and just has to go up to see if they know about our club and the matches.
Jason Hammett, EAGC Senior Range Officer
Jason Hammett, Sr. Range Officer
Bio Pending
Madison, Range Assistant
Madison was introduced to shooting in 2007. When she isn't painting, playing tennis, or playing the oboe, she enjoys shooting EAGC's Outlaw Steel matches. Madison also assists with special events and works in the EAGC Pro Shop.
Range Officers