Local ladies learn more about firearms

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Safety and instruction was the theme of Saturday’s “Ladies Day” event held by the Van Wert County Outdoorsman Association. The free class was sponsored by the Outdoorsman Association and Friends of the NRA.

Certified instructors and RSOs (Range Safety Officers) were on hand at the Ringwald Rd. range to work with beginners and those with intermediate to advanced skills. It was open to anyone 10 and up. .22 caliber pistols and rifles were used for instruction but those attending could also bring their own firearms.

Judy Stuckey was one of the organizers of the event and she noted it was successful.

“The goal was mainly to get women more comfortable with a gun in general and to learn the fun of shooting – I don’t mean at anything – but just being able to shoot at a target and know that you can hit it,” she said. “That’s so satisfying to me. Some of the ladies shot a lot and others not very much but that was the whole point of it…any woman of any age and experience level could come out and have fun today.”

Jocelyn Wray was one of the participants and she said she said showed up to “join the club” so to speak.

“I have a lot of friends who to shoot and I’ve never done it before so it was a good opportunity just to come out,” she explained. “I learned a lot about safety and the ins and outs of shooting. There’s a learning curve – where to put your hands, how to do the sighting and a lot of it is how to keep things safe, including what position is the safety on, how to load a gun, how to be safe when other people are around, plus some of the terms they use.”

“I would said I’m much more comfortable and it’s something I would look into doing more of. It’s something you can do together…I could do it with my husband or friends.”

Britta Salinas described herself as a firearms beginner and said she learned a lot in a short amount of time.

“How to properly handle guns and how to make sure they’re always safe,” she said. “I’m more comfortable and confident (now).”

Ladies Day is an annual event but another one may be held as soon as late summer or fall.

“We try to do it every year but when COVID hit we had to stop,” Stuckey said.

The Van Wert County Outdoorsman Association has served the community for over 50 years to promote firearm safety and to promote the education of future generations of hunters and sportsmen. More information, including membership information, can be found at vwoutdoorsmen.com.