Green River Mountain Men first started in 19XX by some members of Paul Bunyan Sportsman Club who lived in the area of Ravensdale, WA. The club became associated with Cascade Rifle and Pistol Club. They chartered the organization with the National Muzzle Loading Association as Green River Mountaineers on the 22nd of February 1990. The original charter members were Jack Rieve, Ellis Ronshaugen, Elon Sherrard, Leonard Hawkins, William Green, Richard Pogue, Bobbie Rieve, Melvin Bottleen, and Rat Gingras. This charter lapsed in 19XX as members went in many different directions.
For many years a rendezvous was held at the Cascade Rifle and Pistol Club outdoor range. When Cascade Rifle and Pistol Club built a new range on 292nd SE the rendezvous was moved also.
The Green River Mountain Men decided at a meeting in June of 2002 to look in to the possibility of forming a “not-for-profit” corporation in Washington State looking forward to becoming a 501c3. Jerry Jazbec began researching this possibility. Over the next year and a half he researched other 501c3 organizations on the internet. Several 501c3 corporations involved with shooting had posted copies of their Articles of Incorporation on the internet. Copies of the appropriate sections were downloaded and saved for reference. After rendezvous in the fall of 2003, with the help of a book on how incorporate a 501c3 in the state of Washington. The Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws were written by Jerry Jazbec. The group then read, modified, and approved them in October of 2003.
The following people signed the original Articles of Incorporation : Robert Burns, Sharon Burns, Don Downing, Frederick Forcuer Jr., Cecile LeFevre, Russell LeFevre, Jerry Jazbec, Steven Shear, Mike Shurr, Vickie Shurr, James Smith, Laura Smith, Patricia Tyree, and James Warfield. (David Rieve and Jack Rieve were also part of the organizing group but had been unavailable to sign the paperwork before it was submitted to the state. The following were chosen as the original Board of Directors: Steve Shear, James Smith, and Jim Warfield.
Early in November of that year, Jerry Jazbec and Steve Shear drove to Olympia, Washington and filed the Articles of Incorporation with the State of Washington. So on November 4, 2003 Green River Mountain Men was officially incorporated as a “not-for-profit” corporation in the State of Washington.
With the Incorporation a meeting of the group was held to begin the process of electing officers. Don Downing was elected President. was elected Vice President. was elected Secretary. Sharon Burns was elected Secretary. Russ Lefevere was the Booshway for the 2004 Rendezvous. Jerry Jazbec was appointed Registered Agent.
Work was then started on the application for IRS to get approval as a 501c3. The paperwork was submitted in June of 2004 and everyone waited for the results. In February of 2005 a letter was received from the IRS requesting a change in the wording in the Articles of Incorporation in the section about dissolution. Changes were made at an Executive Board meeting and submitted to the State for approval. Once the State approved, the changes were sent to the IRS.
On March 7 we received the results from the IRS. Green River Mountain Men was accepted as a 501c3 by the IRS. Three years of steady work had paid off.
The next step was to decide what projects the club would take on. A list
of ideas was developed and discussed. Several ideas were put onto a “future
ideas list” and the rest were looked at by the following criteria: a) what
was the description of the project, b) who would
benefit from the project, c) what materials were needed to accomplish the
project, d) how much would it cost, and e) who were likely donors.
The first year there was no grass and the sun was hot thus it become known as the “Dust Bowl.” The second year there was still no grass and there was rain the days before and it became the “Mud Bowl.” Grass was planted in October of 2004 and we are looking forward to better camping.