John Willoughby: Greene Publishing, Inc.
Attention ladies of Madison County! Are you someone who likes to spend their time on a shooting range, looking to further your knowledge and expertise in skill and knowledge? Then a local chapter known as The Well Armed Woman (TWAW) of the Big Bend is looking to add you to their membership.
TWAW Shooting Chapter is a non-profit organization that organizes local groups of women around the country that meet monthly to practice, learn and grow as shooters. TWAW strives to create opportunities for women to be introduced to issues important to women shooters and works on building a system to learn safe gun handling skills and train together.
TWAW exists to expand the world of firearms to women all over the country in a safe, non-threatening way with the purpose of educating, equipping and empowering woman shooters. TWAW’s main purpose is to educate women on firearm safety, gun care and handling, develop gun handling skills and confidence, build defensive gun skills and awareness, network with women of like interests and meet new people.
Founded in March of 2017, the TWAW of the Big Bend was formed by Patricia Buhler, of Perry, for the purpose of helping ladies learn how to protect and defend themselves and families. Currently, there are 14 local chapter members in the Big Bend area. However, the organization as a whole has over 11,000 current members. Buhler, along with co-leaders Evelyn Risk and Betsy Palmer are National Rifle Association certified Instructors and Range Safety Officers.
Every year for the last four years, Florida has held a State Shoot for TWAW Chapters of Florida. TWAW has over 250 ladies who come for a day and learn from certified instructors to help better educate, equip and empower themselves. This year, TWAW of the Big Bend has been chosen to host the 2019 TWAW Florida State Shoot in Tallahassee.
To become a member of TWAW of the Big Bend, you must be 18 years or older. TWAW serves women who are just getting started, those who have some level of experience and want to advance, women who want to share their knowledge and expertise and those who want to have fun, enjoy learning and shooting in the company of other women.
TWAW of the Big Bend meets every third Sunday at Talon Range, located at 550 Commerce Blvd., in Midway, Fl., from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. An education class is held first, then range time follows. Yearly membership fee is $50 and the range fee is $20, which covers the range, targets, water and anything else that is needed for the day. Special events that are scheduled may have a separate fee, however, TWAW tries to do fundraisers to help offset the costs.
For more information about TWAW of the Big Bend, log onto Facebook.com/TWAWBigBend/. To learn more about the organization as a whole, log onto twawshootingchapters.org.