Shooting clubs have great aim for charity

Three groups raise $130,000 in just one year

Dec. 7, 2011 10:51 p.m.

The result shouldn’t be surprising.

Take folks who excel at hitting targets – especially moving ones – and combine their favorite sport with a charitable fundraiser.

It sounds something like “bang” and “cha-ching.”

Trap shooters at three clubs in southeastern Wisconsin contributed more than $130,000 to cancer research and programs in 2011.

“You find a group with the dedication that these clubs have and you know you’ll be successful,” said Cheryl Sykora of Women for MACC.

Since 1990, the Hartford Conservation and Gun Club has held the Shoot For A Cure Gene Johann Memorial Trapshoot to Fight Childhood Cancer.

The event is named after a club member who died from colon cancer at age 44. Hartford has partnered with Women for MACC to benefit Milwaukee Athletes Against Childhood Cancer (MACC Fund).

Kevin Rosenbaum of Hartford, who co-chaired the 2011 event with Gary DeSmidt, said Johann had lots of plans that “never got a chance.”

In the months after Johann lost his battle with cancer in 1990, members at the Hartford club decided to turn mourning into a course of action. And not just to help themselves cope, but for a larger goal.

“Gene was an avid trap shooter, participating in leagues year-round,” Rosenbaum said. “It seemed logical to try to honor him with a charity trap shoot.”

The club’s cancer fundraising efforts expanded a couple years ago with the addition of Michael King 3-D Archery Shoot.

The two events this year raised $62,855, pushing the club’s cumulative contribution to Women for MACC to $1.13 million.

Read the entire post here:

https://www.jsonline.com/sports/outdoors/shooting-clubs-have-great-aim-for-charity-0l3brtl-135222718.html

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From firearmapparel.com

Save 2nd Base

https://save2ndbase.com/store/trish-green-camouflage-fitted-t-shirt.html

Some of my favorite things from PackingInPink.com:

(click on the images to head over to the PIP site)

PS- stay tuned for some cool news from PIP in just a few days. They are on fire! And if pink is not exactly your thing, not to worry. Kim has got black and gray versions of all the clothing and hats you see on the site.

From Beach Handbags &Accessories:

(A personal fave of ours. They may not have been created for the range, but these bags are perfect for it!)

From Gunholstersandmore.com:

(and much more!)

And last but not least, TacticalGear.com is giving away a pink Survivor Bag by Bang Bang Boutique. The competition is already closed, but you can read about the winner and score a bag for yourself here.

Feel free to add any of your faves or items we might have missed in the comments section below. Take care of your girls, ladies!!

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Click here to view the embedded video.

Date: Sunday, February 20th, 2011

Time: 11:00 — 6:00 PM

Where: Shiloh Shooting Range

Click here for our post on the event:

https://girlsguidetoguns.com/2011/02/15/good-cause-target-cancer-benefit-shoot-out/

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Whether or not you’ve been directly affected by cancer, we all know it’s a terrible disease especially for those closest to the person who has it.  We’ve written about female-specific firearms items that help raise money for breast cancer, but this is a more personal fund-raise request for someone who is going through it right now.  Even if you can’t make it to the event this Saturday, you can donate directly to the cause through PayPal or purchase a raffle ticket.  The information below is directly from Alan’s post on TexasGunTalk.com.

Target Cancer Benefit Shoot-out

Some of you already know, but my mother was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer about three weeks ago.  She’s already been dealing with aggressive Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis for years to boot.  Needless to say, she’s going through a pretty rough time and is undergoing a pretty aggressive regimen of chemotherapy.

This event is a benefit shoot to raise funds to go towards assisting her through this rough time.  We will have a raffle at the event, and I’m planning on also selling tickets on the forum for those of you that want to help, but cannot attend.

Jeff at Shiloh Shooting Range has graciously offered to host the event, as we’ve done with past charity events, and for that I am very grateful.

Raffle Tickets are $5 each

Date: Sunday, February 20th, 2011

Time: 11:00 – 6:00 PM

Where: Shiloh Shooting Range (Click for Directions)

Raffle Items (so far):

• Free Pass to a Suarez International Defensive Pistol Skills Course hosted by Jon Payne
• Free NFA Trust by Sean Cody
• $100 Gift Certificate from Tucker Gun Leather
• Free Force on Force Class from Shiloh Shooting
• Free CHL Course from Shiloh Shooting
• NIB Remington 597 .22 LR Rifle from Codygjohnson

Thanks to Everyone that has Donated to the Cause already, it means a LOT to me.

Events:

1. IDPA – Intro to Competitive Shooting (Noon – 2 PM)
2. NFA Demo (Suppressors) from Rob & Chris from Talon Arms
3. Prize Drawings (See Above for Prizes)

Food and Drinks will be provided!

If you’d rather opt for a cash donation, I’ve setup this Paypal Donation Link: Click Here to Donate

Although we write a lot about guns, we’re also women and staying on top of our health is very important.  So always remember to get your annual exam and do a self-check from time to time.  These two things, along with other recommended steps to stay healthy – check with your doctor! – are the best forms of self defense for strong, empowered women. WebMd.com has great information on women’s health and it has a physician directory in case you need help finding one.

Also, if you’re reading this after the date of the benefit and still want to help donate towards the greater cause of breast cancer research, check out the Smith and Wesson M&P JG. Our dear friend Julie Goloski-Golob created it after a loved one was affected by cancer.  It’s got a perfect little ribbon engraved on the slide to let people know that every time you shoot, your thoughts are with those who struggle with this disease.  It’s a guaranteed conversation starter for anyone who is close enough to notice your bold statement. Plus it comes with a cute pink backstrap.

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We first came across The American Widow Project when we saw an article on them in a recent issue of People magazine (not available online yet, but we’ll update the article with a link once it is).  There are many Good Causes that feature our men and women who are serving in harm’s way, but it is often the case that the wives who are back home holding down the fort are overlooked.  The American Widow Project strives to close that gap and bring together these widows so they can celebrate their husband’s death in unique ways, instead of just mourning them.  This sounds perfect for our Girl’s Guide readers, some of whom might have suffered similar losses.

It was founded by Taryn Davis, and her story is easier to read rather than having us recreate it:

Taryn Davis, 23, was living the “normal” life; she had married her soul mate, was about to graduate college,and had her future with him to look forward to. That was until May 21, 2007. Her husband had been killed by multiple roadside bombs just an hour and a half after they last spoke. Feeling lost and alone in the new world she’d been thrown into, she began traveling around the country to hear other women’s stories of love, tragedy… and overall survival. In hearing their accounts, she hoped to learn more about the title that been had given to her… that of a military widow.

What began as her own personal journey, has expanded into a non-profit organization, a documentary film, and a growing website. She has grasped on and embraced her new life with all the enthusiasm and passion she had when Michael was still alive. Inspired solely off the willpower and strength of the women “in her shoes” she has found that true love is eternal, that the lessons and things her husband said and did still run through her veins, and mostly… she is not alone.

Amazing story, right?  We know we’d love to meet her someday and talk to her about her experiences as both Natalie’s dad served in his younger years and I was a “brat” growing up, and still have friends and family who serve.  We can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to lose a loved one overseas, let alone a husband, and we think what Ms. Davis is doing is incredible.

Their mission states: “The American Widow Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to the new generation of those who have lost the heroes of yesterday, today and tomorrow, with an emphasis on healing through sharing stories, tears and laughter… Military Widow to Military Widow.”  And boy, do they have stories! Like I said, we came across them in a short article which highlighted a few stories on some of the women, but check out some of the other stories on their website: Unexpected Blessings, Spigot, The Last Christmas, and Soul Mates from Opposite Ends of the World.  However, I must warn you, get your tissues ready because I was definitely tearing up while reading some of these!

One of the coolest things they do, in our opinion, is holding events to celebrate the lives they shared with their husbands.  Many times, the activities they plan are inspired by things their husband either did or always wanted to do with their wives but never got around to.  Which is a really important message: Don’t ever think tomorrow is a guarantee, embrace life and if you want to do something new, interesting, fun, unique, just get out there and do it!

In any case, if you believe in AWP’s mission and what they are doing to support military widows, please consider donating this Christmas season.  You can do so by clicking here or cutting & pasting this link into your browser: https://www.americanwidowproject.org/donate/

Got any other Good Causes you think we should highlight? Let us know in the comments!

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The first one has a deadline approaching, so we wanted to let y’all know about it as soon as possible.  It’s a new documentary called “A Girl and a Gun” and the film makers are raising funds in order to complete the film.

Here’s a description from the website:

What does a woman with a gun mean to you?

Does Sarah Palin, Amy Bishop, Annie Oakley, or Angelina Jolie first come to mind?

Or is it your mother, girlfriend, or the neighbor next-door?

A GIRL AND A GUN is a feature documentary that explores the complex relationship between women and their guns. Filmed throughout America, this documentary delves deep into the psyche of the American gun world, capturing its transformation from subculture to mainstream as women arm themselves in rapidly high numbers.

Penetrating far beyond Hollywood’s hyper-sexualized gun-toting goddesses, this documentary candidly portrays the modern American woman through intimate portraits that revolve around fundamental issues of preservation, power, feminism and violence.

…

MORE ON THE FILM: The narrative follows four women whose lives have been irrevocably touched by firearms. A Bronx social worker substitutes pistols for her loss of physical power; a gun-control activist from New Jersey reversed her stance on owning weapons after a stray bullet paralyzed her daughter; despite losing her brother in a hunting accident, a Tennessee nurse sees her own hunting as the ultimate way to provide for her family; a graphic designer from New Hampshire survived a violent rape in her thirties, and when she was viciously attacked again — she was prepared. “The second time, I had a gun.”

These journeys interweave with an eclectic cast of experts and supporting voices shaped by historical and pop-cultural imagery, photographs, advertisements, Hollywood clips, and the voices of scholars, historians, feminists, gun-rights activists, gun-control activists, and pop-culture critics who have been following this topic for decades.

We are really excited about seeing this film go to completion, and we hope you are too.  So if you are interested in helping out, please consider making a tax-deductible donation.  The documentary has non-profit status through their fiscal sponsor, Women Make Movies, a 501c3 organization based in New York City.  Depending on how much you donate, they have special prizes, video, pictures, and more!

Go to their Kickstarter website, and donate today, or cut and paste this link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1415597080/a-girl-and-a-gun-feature-documentary.

Check out a video preview of the film:

Click here to view the embedded video.

If a financial contribution is not feasible for you, consider  Liking them on Facebook or joining their Mailing List.

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