KNOM, the Alaska Radio Mission, sent a reporter to a recent Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinic focused on personal protection of a very specific kind: bear defense.

KNOM Profiles features an in-depth interview with Women On Target volunteer Alexandra Brown, an NRA Certified Instructor and Training Counselor.

“Women On Target is for any woman anywhere who’d like a fun, safe introduction to various shooting sports,” Brown explains in the interview. “It allows the local people to choose a program to fit their needs.”

“So, bear safety for Alaska.”

Brown and her volunteers tailored the day's lessons to the very real possibility of a bear encounter. Above, Brown leads her participants through the safety briefing and range exercises.

Women On Target National Coordinator Diane Danielson was thrilled to see the creativity in making the range exercises as real as possible. "They did a great job of simulating a bear, with a target on movable skids," Danielson said. "They would start the target moving, with it making a path to the shooter, giving each participant the chance to actually shoot at a charging target rather than a stationary one."

More...

Since the inaugural Women's Forum in March, the NRA's Education and Training Division has been brainstorming ways to involve women in its programs. NRAblog has featured stories from several forum participants -- Kimberly Hobart, Penny Gilliam and Patricia Mcclelland Merydith -- and we're pleased to continue the series with NRA Certified Instructor Laura Whitlock.

Women On Target instructor Laura Whitlock was born and raised in North Carolina, went to graduate school in South Carolina, and recently moved to Virginia for a career with the federal government. Although she hasn’t held many Women On Target seminars yet, she explained that once she’s settled in her new home, “I would love to establish a WOT client base here.”

While she has plenty of room to grow as a Women On Target instructor, over the years Whitlock has “done a lot of teaching for women. As I got involved in law enforcement, I would be asked to teach wives, girlfriends, daughters, whatever, because it seemed that they would be more relaxed learning from a woman.”

A natural instructor who has experience teaching in the criminal justice and government fields, Whitlock soon became hooked: “I found out I really enjoyed it, and I got certified with the NRA. It’s so infectious to see people having a good time realizing that shooting can be a hobby in addition to self defense.” More...

"Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics has a new program coordinator," Beth Hellmann e-mailed NRAblog. "Beginning July 26, Diane Danielson will hit the ground running. We're thrilled to have a woman of her caliber (no pun intended) join the staff. Welcome aboard Diane!"

Danielson, pictured at right, comes to us from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she worked in the printing industry for 33 years. The hunter and NRA Certified Instructor says she has always aspired to a career at NRA HQ.

"I took a basic rifle course at age 10, with my mom as the instructor," Danielson said. "Shortly thereafter I became a junior member of the NRA."

Now an NRA Life Member, Danielson is ready to join the staff of NRA Women's Programs, which houses both Women On Target shooting clinics and Women On Target hunting excursions; the Refuse To Be A Victim program; the Women's Wilderness Escape; postal matches; and more.

These programs are not anything new to Danielson, who has coordinated shooting clinics for women in Wisconsin for the past four years.

"I'm eager to expand the Women On Target clinics, to share what I have learned, as well as all that I will learn," she said. "The main focus will be getting clinics into clubs that haven't hosted them before."

Danielson, who is in the process of moving to the northern Virginia area, lives with her two labrador retrievers.  

For more information about Women On Target Clinics coming to your area, contact NRA Women’s Programs at (703) 267-1398 or visitwww.nrahq.org/women/isc/clinics.asp.

NRA member and Dublin, Ireland, resident Declan Keogh became an NRA Certified Instructor in 2002. Keogh has taught Basic and First Steps Pistol courses for the past 8 years. In April 2008 he travelled to Melbourne, FL, and took an NRA Training Couselor course. He has since qualified 28 individuals from various clubs in Ireland and Northern Ireland as NRA Certified Instructors.

NRAblog would like to thank Keogh for sharing the following photos and report:

Having access to a number of Certified instructors helped facilitate the recent NRA Women on Target Program that was run in Ireland on June 19, 2010. The National Association of Sporting Rifle and Pistol clubs is an association which facilitates National and International participation in competitive shooting events and has almost all of the rifle and pistol clubs in Ireland affiliated to it, the NASRPC provided the funding to allow for the course to be provided free of charge to the participants.

Through cooperation with Elizabeth Hellmann of Women on Target®, a plan was put in place in May to run the first WOT program in Ireland. The venue chosen was Hilltop Sporting Club, which is based near Newtownmountkennedy in the heart of Wicklow, famous for its beautiful scenery and deer hunting opportunities. Hilltop Sporting Club is a very well developed shooting facility with indoor and outdoor pistol ranges, bench rest rifle, shotgun with compact sporting, Olympic trap and DTL. The Hilltop Sporting club has a large membership drawn from the local community.

The WOT program was facilitated by Hilltop Sporting Club who provided the use of their indoor classroom facility and indoor pistol range for free. More...

Virginia's Airfield Shooting Club played host to a group of ladies at their November 2009 Women On Target clinic. Below, read the article from Club Connection, as written by Dale Mullin:

Women On Target at the Airfield Shooting Club

Hurricane Ida was no longer at hurricane strength when it visited Southeastern Virginia the week of November 9, 2009, but it still boasted strong winds and lots of rain. Virginia’s Governor declared a state of emergency as the rains that started on Wednesday continued well into Friday.

Some of the ladies who’d signed up for our clinic the following day couldn’t attend due to flooding, but twenty-one intrepid ladies did attend and what a GREAT group they were! We started the morning with a safety briefing and then divided the ladies into three groups.

One group went to shoot pistols, another went to shoot rifles, and the third group went to shoot shotguns. The groups rotated on a fixed schedule and our two volunteer coordinators, Kelly and Linn, did a superb job of helping us to stay on schedule.

When all of the ladies had sampled each of the three shooting disciplines, we gathered in the Airfield 4-H Center’s dining room for a very nice luncheon buffet. After everyone had eaten, ASC President Tim Drewry told the ladies about the club and about other shooting opportunities available to them.

More...

An NRA member for thirty-plus years, Maryland resident Bob Culver recently sent NRAblog a few pictures of his trip to the Annual Meeting in Charlotte. We were able to catch up with Culver to learn a bit more about his impression of Charlotte.

But first, a little about Bob.

A long-time gun enthusiast, Culver was a member of his high school rifle team. He said he originally joined the NRA because the organization “supports my personal interests and ideas.” Family and friends share his interest in firearms, and Culver loves attending NRA Annual Meetings, gun shows, and local community fairs whenever possible.

Culver thinks it’s important to promote “gun involvement in a friendly way,” and he enjoys encouraging people in his Montgomery County, Maryland, community to become more involved in safety training programs and to “promote the American heritage of firearms.”

Culver’s wife, Cathy Nutter Culver, shares his strong interest in firearms and NRA programs; in addition to being an NRA member, Cathy volunteers as coordinator of Women on Target shooting clinics in her community.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Culver enjoy organizing and participating in events with the Monumental Rifle Pistol Club, which will be holding a shotgun event this Saturday.

When we asked Culver what he thought of this year’s Annual Meeting in Charlotte, Culver said he and his wife had a great time attending various seminars and the Friends of NRA National Foundation banquet.

The couple particularly enjoyed hearing Ted Nugent speak, since, as Culver said, “The Nuge is always good.”

The Culvers also enjoyed the hospitality of local Charlotte businesses. Culver said people in Charlotte “were extremely friendly and glad to see us, glad for the business,” which made the trip particularly pleasant.

"That sign sums it up," he said, referencing the photo at right. He snapped a quick picture of Cathy next to an advertisement for Matt's Chicago Dogs.

' 

Wakefield, VA’s Airfield Shooting Club hosted a fun-filled Women On Target event on May 22nd, and NRAblog had the chance to talk with Dale Mullin about his experience organizing the day’s festivities.

An NRA Life member for over thirty years, Mullin’s interest in firearms and shooting sports goes back to his childhood—both his mother and father enjoyed shooting, and his grandfather “was a wonderful shot with just about anything he picked up.”

His family even ran a hunting club while he was growing up, and today Mullin enjoys participating in NRA events because, he said, “It’s wonderful to be able to pass on the traditions and the skills to safely handle firearms.” Mullin also said that he likes the fact that anyone, old or young, can participate in shooting sports, and “because it was such an integral part of my life growing up, I’d like to see more people participating in shooting sports in a fun, safe way.”

The May 10th event was a great example of fun, safe shooting among friends—Mullin said that thirty women participated in total, and although the weather was a little on the hot side, fortunately it didn’t rain.

Mullin spent most of the day at the shotgun ranges, and he said it was particularly fun to see several women make an excellent shot that they weren’t expecting: “There were a couple of instances when women just hit a target and clobbered it, and a few of them would say, ‘Wow, I never thought I would be able to do that!’”

Overall, Mullin said that the event definitely met his expectations: “Later we had a nice meal at the Airfield Conference Center, and overall it was a very, very nice event.” While organizing shooting events requires a good deal of dedication and organization, Mullin said that he definitely plans to have another one next spring. While he’s thinking about planning a few smaller events in the meantime, he enjoys the friendly atmosphere that comes with a larger Women On Target event, since “there’s just something special about thirty or so people getting together, making friends and having fun on the range.”

For more information about Women On Target Clinics coming to your area, contact NRA Women’s Programs at (703) 267-1398 or by visiting http://www.nrahq.org/women/index.asp

Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinic Coordinator Elizabeth Hellmann shared some exciting news with NRAblog yesterday:

"We've passed the 50K mark! As of today, more than 50,000 women have attended clinics in the past ten years," she writes. "Please raise your coffee mugs and join me in saying, "Here's to the next 50,000 happy customers!"

At right, a clinic hosted May 21, 2010 by Women On Target® Clinic Director Cal Kittinger at the Multilakes Conservation Association in Commerce Township, Michigan, attracted 75 women.

If you’d like more info, click here to find out more about Instructional Shooting Clinics, or learn how your club can host one.

The Southern National Smallbore Rifle Silhouette Championship was in the news last week -- and for good reason. The Championship, held June 3 - 6, 2010 in Winnsboro, Louisiana, just celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Tune in here to listen to both David McLemore, President of the Winnsboro Gun Club, and competitor Carol Rosenqvist, pictured at left, who is also a Women On Target® clinic director.

“I can’t stop doing it,” Rosenqvist said of silhouette competition. “I encourage everyone, even women – especially women – to come out and try it. It’s a load of fun.”

"[The other participants] aren't competitors, they’re my family," Rosenqvist said. "I travel all over the country competing, and it’s just a very friendly, safe atmosphere."

"It’s a family-oriented sport."

Watch the entire myarklamiss.com video interview! 

Shooting black powder rifles are for more than just the average firearms enthusiast -- they are also for the military and cultural historians in us all. Just consider the fact that before the days of cartridges and shells, it was black powder that allowed the average American to hunt for food or defend their land. Even though they are antiquated by today's standards, some people still prefer to use the muzzle loaders for their shooting needs. It's an experience like no other -- you pull the trigger, see the spark, taste the smoke, and - as long as your aim is on - hit the target true.

The ladies who made it out to the Arlington-Fairfax Chapter of the Izaak Walton League on May 8, 2010 got to experience a little of that magic for themselves. Here's how one, known to her friends as Jessica, described her time behind the muzzle:

"They say you’ll always remember your very first kiss, but who cares about kisses when it comes to firing a muzzle loader! It was love at first sight! From a belly full of butterflies when I first saw them to anxious nervousness as my instructor guided me on loading to the unforgettable experience of being blown away by the power of the gun. Well, the experience left me breathless and wanting more! I was floating on cloud nine from there on out and spent the rest of the day trying out the different black powder rifles on the range."

Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics, like the on in Centreville, were developed to create more opportunities for women to learn all about firearms and gain confidence in their shooting skills. And as another shooter put it, "Most of us thought it would be a bunch of stodgy old guys who didn't want us there, but they were great. It was so much fun I started recruiting other women to shoot the black powder."

If you’d like to receive information on these clinics, e-mail womenontargetclinics@nrahq.org or find out more about Instructional Shooting Clinics and how your club can host one.

Beth Hellmann writes the following:

Imagine attending a Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinic.

Now, imagine attending one being held in Ireland!

Declan Keogh, an NRA Certified Instructor, has scheduled his first clinic, which is being hosted by the Hilltop Shooting Club in Tithewer, Newtown Mountkennedy, County Wickow. The clinic is a part of the Irish Sports Council's Women In Sport program.

Read about the clinic here.

From WBOY in West Virginia:

Women On Target Teaches Gun Safety to Ladies Only

SALEM -- Two years ago, Cynthia Cleland was terrified of guns and ammunition.

“I wouldn't pick up a pistol and handle it or move it,” said Cynthia, who is a self-proclaimed girly-girl. “I was afraid it would go off, I was afraid of a shotgun shell or a pistol cartridge ...just afraid that it would go off, just scared to death of firearms.”

But her curiosity got the best of her when she saw an ad for a women only shooting clinic.

“I loved it!” exclaimed Cleland. “I went home and I was so excited and told my husband, and he was excited because he couldn't believe that I had done all that that day.”

“She has grown very fond of enriching Cabela's pocketbooks and emptying mine,” laughed her husband Allen.

Now she's an instructor for the Women on Target Program, and is teaching other first-time Annie Oakleys the safe way to shoot.

Women on Target was developed less than a decade ago by the National Rifle Association.

“The thing that's good about Women on Target is the fact that women are teaching women and there's not any pressure because the women have all been there themselves,” said Mike Kozakewich, who helped start the program here in Harrison County. “It's just an excellent program that allows women to develop at their own rate and become comfortable with firearms.”

Continue reading here.

Elisbeth Meineke, a reporter at Human Events, joined NRAblog on the range for the May 8 Women On Target clinic here in Northern Virginia. With National Coordinator Beth Hellmann at the helm of this annual clinic, serving as the Clinic Director, it's one of the nation's finest examples of introductory firearms instruction for women. In addition to basic pistol, rifle, and shotgun instruction, participants can choose from archery and black powder instruction, which Elisabeth writes about; and courses such as Refuse To Be A Victim.

Below, read Meineke's perspective on her day at the range with the women of the NRA:

Elisabeth vs. the Blunderbuss

It was the only thing that could entice me to leave my apartment at 6:15 a.m. on a Saturday morning – the chance to shoot cool guns on a range and hang out with people who shared my excitement.

At least 85 other ladies agreed with me – that’s the number of participants who signed up for the Women on Target clinic that I attended Saturday, May 8 at Arlington-Fairfax Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America in Virginia. Actually, 300 ladies total agreed with me, but the organizers had to cap the clinic at 85 so that everyone could get individual instruction and enough time on the ranges. Seventy two of the ladies participated in the shooting events, and 13 other ladies went to the classes-only part of the clinic.

The guns lived up to expectations. At this particular clinic, you had the option to get instruction on the shotgun range, the rifle/handgun range, and even try your hand at archery. I made the mistake of venturing down to the section of the rifle/pistol range where they were using black powder, because I thought it would make a good story.

Instead, I became the story – they got me behind the barrel of a gun called a blunderbuss, and I had the thrill of shooting off ammo in a small cloud of smoke while completely missing the target.

Continue reading Meineke's article.

Interested? Find a clinic near you! 

Every Women On Target (WOT) event is a little different. Some focus solely on pistols, others on rifles, but the WOT outing preceding Mother’s Day in Centreville, Virginia saw a little bit of everything. According to those who spoke to NRAblog, their favorite event was shotgun.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” said 18-year old Madeleine Willner. “I never shot a gun before. But now, my first time out, and I'm knocking targets out of the air. It was cool.”

As her group rotated to the shotgun sectionals, they were met with safety and technical instructions. Safety broke down into eyes, ears, and no loading until ready for target. Technical took a little longer.

First they found the dominant eye. Instructors taped off the other (on the safety glasses) and went searching for the right gun – a fitting process that takes longer for some, as it’s not a “one shotgun fits all” kind of world. Next was stance, chin over your toes, following the target, and timing.

After plinking away at stationary clays, the ladies lined up for a crack at the flying versions. The instructors allowed each shooter to record one hit before opening the reaming time to a one-shot-a-turn rotation. For some that meant they only downed one, but that seemed to be more than enough.

“I’m really glad we chose shotgun today,” said Madeleine’s mom. “I always thought the recoil would hurt, but I hardly noticed the kick. If it wasn't for Women On Target, I probably would have gone through life without shooting a shotgun.”

NRAblog last heard from Patricia McLelland-Merydith.

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Penny Gilliam.

Gilliam recently participated in Focus Group discussions here at Headquarters on encouraging women to become instructors and clinic directors. She'sone of the original clinic directors who helped form Women On Target, and has seen it grow from a small program to one serving thousands of participants every year.

Gilliam, of Asheville, NC, tells us that she "came to the shooting world late in life" at the age of 33. What began as a mild interest is now a full-blown passion for promoting shooting sports and the Second Amendment, especially to women. After attending her first Friends of NRA banquet and local matches, her natural "take charge" attitude took over.

Soon, Gilliam became the Secretary-Treasurer of the Asheville Pistol Shooting Association, and, a year later, she became a committee member of the local Friends of NRA. In 2001, she was asked to organize a Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinic. Never one to say no, she jumped right in. With the support and help of several club members, a program was created. Her first clinic brought together 30 women who wanted to learn to shoot.

What started as a 'one-time thing' has turned into multiple clinics each year, and there’s always a waiting list. Gilliam spends countless hours talking to ladies about shooting and gently encouraging them to start, and gives advice on how to purchase a firearm. NRAblog recently met her at the 2010 Annual Meetings, where she was hard at work as an NRA Volunteer.

Gilliam can be reached at pgilliam@nrahq.org.