Register today for the 2009 Women's Wilderness Escape

Registration is open for the 2009 Women's Wilderness Escape!

Scheduled this year for September 24 - October 2, 2009, the Escape provides women 18 and older with a nine-day "get away" opportunity to experience the softer side of firearm education.

If you need any persuasion that this trip is one you should take, check out the 2008 Women's Wilderness Escape Scrapbook. The inaugural attendees enjoyed a wide spectrum of activities, from silhouettes on the range to archery in the field.

Spots are expected to fill quickly, so request your information and registration form today! Grab a friend or a relative or go alone and make friends there.

Women On Target® see increase in participation

2008 has been a good year for the NRA's Women On Target® Program!

Program Coordinator Beth Hellman brings us the following update:

We have had a record-breaking number of Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics so far this year — 239 — and a record-breaking number of participants — more than 7,000!

To learn more about how Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics can help clubs, click here. To request a Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinic Guidebook, contact us online or call 800-861-1166 for more information.

The above photograph is from a clinic held at Coon Creek, California, directed by Patricia McLelland-Merydith. To have a photo from your clinic posted on the blog, e-mail it to Danielle at dsturgis@nrahq.org!

2009 LEAD Instructor Schools are online

As an organization, the NRA has been providing firearms training, competition, and safety programs since its inception in 1871. The Law Enforcement Activities Division has trained more than 50,000 law enforcement firearm instructors in the past 45 years.

2009 Law Enforcement Instructors Development Schools are now posted online. Don't wait too long to register as spots fill up quickly.

Courses are offered in the following disciplines:

• Handgun Instructor
  
• Handgun / Shotgun Instructor
  
• Tactical Shooting Instructor
  
• Tactical Shotgun Instructor
  
• Patrol Rifle Instructor
  
• Select-Fire Instructor
  
• Precision Rifle Instructor

If you have questions, call (703) 267-1640 or e-mail Lead@nrahq.org.

Tips for Safer Holiday Shopping

Refuse To Be A Victim®, the nation's premiere safety program for men and women, operates on the premise that the most important step to ensuring your personal safety is making the decision to refuse to be a victim. That means having an overall personal safety strategy in place before you need it.

Through a three to four hour seminar, Refuse To Be A Victim® participants learn the personal safety tips and techniques needed to avoid dangerous situations and avoid becoming a victim.

Just in time for the madness of holiday shopping, the Refuse To Be A Victim® staff has gathered a list of tips for safer holiday shopping:

• Shop with a friend, and shop during busy hours. If you must travel alone, let someone know your schedule. Carry a charged cell phone with you.



• Keep your car keys easily accessible, or in your hands, to and from the parking lot. If you have a panic or alarm button on your keypad, keep your finger near the button. Lock your door immediately after entering your car.



• Park in an open, well-lit area. Ask a mall security guard to escort you to your car. Be aware that a criminal may be following you back to your car, so be especially vigilant in parking lots. Walk with confidence and strength.



• Be aware of your surroundings. Criminals look for an easy victim who is preoccupied or easily distracted. Take time to scan your surroundings and make quick eye contact with people you see.



• Carry only one credit card. Make a copy of all of your ID and credit information and keep it in a safe place at home. Don’t flash your cash.



• Dress comfortably, and wear shoes that allow you to move quickly.



• Keep your arms free. Carrying a lot of packages, a large purse, or other items makes you a target.



• Trust your instincts. Be vocal. Yell and catch people’s attention if you think someone may be up to no good. Be specific. Yell in your loudest voice, “Back off!” “Go away!” or “Leave me alone!” It’s better to make a scene — even if you are wrong — than to be a victim.



• Don’t reveal personal information about your holiday plans or travel schedule in public. If you are talking over a cell phone, for example, be aware that others are listening.



• Protect your identity and your credit information. Verify the security of online sites you visit. Don’t reveal personal information over the phone or in public. Holiday scams may include telemarketing ploys, fake charities, and prize drawings, and other means of identity theft. For example, no one needs your Social Security information.

Look for a Refuse to Be a Victim® seminar near you to learn the comprehensive program.

Happy Thanksgiving!

From everyone here in General Operations at the NRA — including the National Firearms Museum, the Education and Training Division, the Competitive Shooting Division, the NRA Range, the Law Enforcement Activities Division, Friends of NRA, NRA Clubs and Associations, and the Media Relations Division — a very happy Thanksgiving!

Above, Andrea Cerwinske, our Deputy Executive Director, poses with a turkey she harvested during a Women On Target® hunt last March. For more information on future hunts, look here.

Winchester Qualification Program

The Winchester/NRA Qualification Program has courses of fire designed to take shooters from beginning skill levels (Pro-Marksman, Marksman) through intermediate levels (Marksman 1st Class, Sharpshooter, Expert) up to a nationally recognized skill level — Distinguished Expert — the pinnacle of the program.

By the time a shooter completes the Distinguished Expert rating, he or she has attained a proficiency level paralleling that of a competitively classified Sharpshooter.

After you take the basic NRA safety course and are comfortable with your firearm of choice, the Winchester/NRA Qualification Program will help you stay motivated and advance your skills.

For more information, visit the website or call the NRA Qualification Coordinator at (703) 267-1505.