Women's Awards: Cathy Lynch

Thousands of children and adults have benefited from the efforts of Cathy Lynch. Ms. Lynch, a 2008 recipient of the Marion P. Hammer Woman of Dis­tinc­tion Award, has promoted safety and the shooting sports to many people as a Boy Scouts of America Shooting Sports Director.

All throughout the year -- though, especially in the summertime -- Cathy can be found running around the Cascade Scout Reservation managing several ranges. She is the Shooting Sports Director in charge of Rifle, Shotgun and Muzzle Loading ranges at Boy Scout Camp Pigott, and the BB gun range at Cub Scout Camp Brinkley.

Cathy Lynch has been a positive role model not only for women, but for everyone she has worked with in the shooting sports.
- Jerry Harrott

In total, Cathy runs 22 ranges where in 2007 she gave over 1,100 scouts access to the range for shooting. This is her fourth year of instructing rifle and shotgun courses and is NRA Certified as a Rifle, Shotgun, and Muzzle Loading instructor.

Lynch also serves as a Range Safety Officer. Lynch, a school bus driver for the Kent School District, first became involved in the shooting world when she volunteered to be her son’s Cub Scout BB gun coach.

Cathy serves as a role model for the many youth here at camp. She shows that a woman can become involved in the world of shooting sports. It is a lesson not lost on the female as well as male staff here at camp and the many scouts and their leaders.
- Steven Dazey

Her time with the Boy Scouts of America has also allowed Cathy to promote the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification program. In 2007, Cathy produced 114 Pro-marksmen, 93 Marksmen, 64 Marksmen 1st Class, 44 Sharpshooters, 22 Experts and 11 Distinguished Experts. Jerry Stein, an NRA Life Member, said that Cathy has encouraged many young men and women to take shooting sports as a serious endeavor that has become a life long sport for them either in marksmanship or as a hunter.

Cathy is truly promoting shooting sports and firearm safety in our community; she is generous with her time to help our young people, giving of her knowledge and expertise when it comes to the shooting sports. Cathy Lynch is a great example of selflessness and devotion to helping our community and promoting all the principles the NRA stand for; she deserves an award for all she does.
- Jerry Stein

If you know a woman like Cathy who deserves a little recognition, I would strongly recommend that you nominate that woman for either the Marion P. Hammer Woman of Distinction Award or the Sybil Ludington Women's Freedom Award. The deadline is November 1st.