Ruthann Sprague, NRA's Refuse To Be A Victim® Program Coordinator, sent up the following tips for keeping the little ones safe during their Halloween extravaganza:

Make your child's Halloween an unforgettable holiday memory that'll last a lifetime! Trick or Treating should be one of life's great adventures. Dressed up in scary costumes as they go door to door begging for treats from neighbors and friends. If they Trick-or-Treat safely then it's nothing but fun. Here's some preventative measures to make sure it stays that way.

1. Children should always go trick or treating with a responsible adult. If there's a group of kids, two or three parents should go along to keep an eye on things.
2. Have the older ones buddy up. Just make sure that they stay together as a group if you decide they're responsible enough to go without an adult.
3. If they're on their own, give them a cell phone and plan a safe route so you know where they'll will be at all times. And set a time for their return home.
4. Tell your children not to cut through back alleys or fields. Staying in populated, well lighted areas is always safer then going off the beaten track. Make sure to explain the dangers — if they're old enough to go it alone then they're old enough to know what can happen and how to prevent it from happening.

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Last week, NRA Headquarters here in Fairfax, Virginia was host to a group of women taking part in a Refuse To Be A Victim® (RTBAV) seminar. Taught by NRA Law Enforcement Division’s Jeff Overcash and RTBAV Program Coordinator Ruth Ann Sprague, the course focused on safety aspects for young women heading back to college or into the workforce for the first time.

“This time of year, many young women are heading back to college and this seminar focused on things they need to know including physical security, auto security, and security relating to technology,” said Sprague.

Although college campuses have security and/or university police forces, it’s important for all students, not just young women to have a personal security plan, especially in new and unfamiliar surroundings. Whether walking back to their dorm alone, spending late nights studying in a secluded part of the library, or sharing contact information with new friends and classmates, Refuse To Be A Victim® offers helpful tips and advice to help keep students safe and aware of dangers their environment might present.

Interested in attending a Refuse To Be A Victim® seminar in your area? Visit www.nrainstructors.org to find a seminar near you. You can also become a Refuse To Be A Victim® Instructor by participating in an online Instructor Development Workshop (IDW). Sprague tells us that after Labor Day, she’ll be opening registration for a November session. For more information about the Refuse To Be A Victim® program or how to get involved, contact Sprague at 703-267-1394 or rsprague@nrahq.org.

Ruthann Sprague, NRA's Refuse To Be A Victim Manager, received the following report on a Refuse seminar here in Virginia.

The Villa Lee Community Association sponsored a Refuse To Be A Victim seminar for homeowners and residents. The instructor for the cause was Mr. Rick Wehrheim.

This seminar and Mr. Wehrheim's instruction was excellent! The content and presentation of the course was very professional. It equips attendees to take action to better enable their personal safety as well as protect homes and personal property. The material is straightforward and provides simple, practical steps that attendees can immediately put the use and all them to be proactive regarding their personal safety. This course lives up to its name!

Mr. Wehrheim's instruction was professional and invaluable to the success of the course. Mr. Wehrheim not only presented the core elements of the course, but also provided insight and advice tailored to meet the needs and unique challenges of our neighborhood. He presented clearly and answered all of our questions.

I personally feel much more aware of the potential threats facing my home and family and have already taken action to implement some of the straight=forward recommendations of the Refuse To Be A Victim seminar.

I highly recommend this course to anyone and encourage all homeowner/condo associations to sponsor one for their residents.

Sincerely,

Andrew Maurer
President, Villa Lee Community Association

If you're at Camp Perry or in the area during the Smallbore phase, then consider taking this Refuse To Be A Victim® seminar in nearby Marblehead as featured in The Beacon: 

Refuse to be a victim

 Safety experts agree that the single most important step toward ensuring your personal safety is making the conscious decision to Refuse To Be A Victim. You stand a much better chance of preventing criminal attack if you develop a safety plan before you need it. That is why the Danbury Township Police Department is offering the National Rifle Association Refuse to Be A Victim crime prevention seminar.

The seminar teaches easy-to-understand methods you can use to increase awareness and prevent criminal confrontation. In just three hours, you will get the tools you need to develop your own personal safety strategy, including an 82-page booklet on personal protection and information about:

• The psychology of the criminal mind

• Home and phone security

• Automobile and travel security

• Personal and technological security

• Self-defense devices, training options and more

RTBAV Program (sponsored by the Danbury Township Police Department) will be 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, July 25, at the Danbury Senior Center, 8470 E. Harbor Road, Marblehead. There is no cost, but pre-registration is required as the class is limited to 20 students.

To register or for information, contact Chief Michael Meisler at the Danbury Township Police Department, 419-732-2549, or email policechief@danburytownship.com. 

Houston, Texas - NRA's Refuse To Be A Victim® seminars have been used by hundreds of federal, state, and local law enforcement officials across the country as part of their crime prevention and community policing initiatives. Even corporations, such as Aramco down in Houston, Texas, hosted a Refuse To Be A Victim® booth at their Annual Safety Fair. Here's more:

Casimer "Casey" Stawicki has been a part of NRA's Refuse To Be A Victim® programs for a few years now. A tireless worker, Casey holds seminars, teaches classes, and recently made a splash at the Aramco Annual Safety Fair.

There along side representatives from the Houston Police Dept., Harris County Emergency Management, Aramco Security and the Department of Homeland Security, Casey explained to the crowds how a few hours of learning a variety of personal safety tips and techniques can help anyone avoid dangerous situations and avoid becoming a victim.

"It's important to get out into the community so they know what the NRA has to offer," explained Stawicki. "Appearing at Aramoc's Safety Fair is just one example of how we can reach more people with our life saving seminars."

If you'd like to find a Refuse To Be A Victim® seminar near you, or if you're interested in becoming a Refuse instructor, just visit their website at www.nrahq.org/rtbav or contact Ruthann Sprague at 703-267-1394 rsprague@nrahq.org.

Front Royal, Virginia - With the summer season in full swing, why not step outside your usual lawn care, baseball games and family vacation routines to take part in a Refuse To Be A Victim®seminar? That's just what the group above did at Skyline High School in Front Royal, Virginia.

"I'm so proud of instructor Janice Hart for all her hard work," said Ruthann Sprague, NRA's National Coordinator for Refuse To Be A Victim®. "As the Front Royal Police Department's Crime Prevention Officer, she has the ability to add real life examples to almost every lesson we teach."

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Day one at the National Rifle Association's 140th Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was one to remember. Personally, I had a hard time finding the time to take focus on any one event. But here's what I've come up with for the top moments from day number one.

1. NRA President officially opened the Exhibition floor by cutting the ceremonial ribbon along with Wayne LaPierre.
   
   
2. The NRA Country Jam at the Stage AE Amphitheatre with Craig Morgan ...don't forget the fantastic opening offerings by Sarah Darling and Due West.
   
   
3. Refuse To Be A Victim Seminars held in Room 407. Best way to make sure you and your's are as safe as you can be.
   
   
4. The Celebration of American Values Leadership Forum. Newt Gingrich, Lt. Col. Oliver North, Senator Pat Toomey ... as if there could be a better way to spend your afternoon.
   
   
5. Female Pistol Instructor Course. Making sure that there are more women out there teaching even more women the proper way handle a pistol.
   
   
6. The #39 Bass Pro Shop NASCAR Car. Johnny Morris, owner of Bass Pro, is racing #39 at the fabled Daytona 500 as the NRA car ... and he brought it to Pittsburgh for all to see.
   
   
7. Glock. Not only does Glock have their top team shooters (Randi Rogers, Dave Seving and Tori Nonanka) on site, but if you were patient, and could muster a smile, you could also have walked away with a picture and autograph from R. Lee Ermery ... the Gunny.
   
   

8. Top Shot. The History Channel's Top Shot has been recording incredible numbers through season number 2. If you were paying attention, you might have caught a glimpse of George, Ashely and Chris Reed (winner of season #2) on the exhibit floor.
   
   
9. Conceal Carry Seminar. Taught by retired Chicago Cop Tom Marx, this seminar (also taking place today at 2) this conference told you everything you needed to know if your interest rests in ability to carry a firearm almost any where you wanted to go.
   
   
10. Steel for a Steal Raffle. Starting at 10 on Friday and running throughout the weekend, $20 bought you the chance to win one of 75 different firearms. The beauty of this raffle is that once they sell 100 tickets they draw a winner. And if you don't win, your ticket goes back into the pot for the next round. Sooner or later, you might just walk away with a heck of souvenir.

There are plenty of opportunities to experience NRA's award-winning Refuse To Be A Victim® program (RTBAV) at the 140th Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh next week. On Friday and Saturday, Instructor extraordinaire Ed O'Carroll will be heading up free Refuse seminars inside the David L. Lawrence Convention Center from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. And for those interested in becoming a RTBAV Instructor, there's a Development Workshop scheduled for Sunday.

David D'Eugenio of North Palm Beach, Florida (smiling on the left) took advantage of a similar offer in 2010. Since his initiation into the program last June, he's been responsible for seven RTBAV seminars in the beautiful Sunshine State. And his work has not gone unnoticed by NRA's National Refuse To Be A Victim Coordinator RuthAnn Sprague.

"David is a real go getter. He has at least one seminar schedule for each month of the year and participates in community safety/crime prevention events all throughout North Palm Beach. He's on fire with this program."

If you're not planning to be in Pittsburgh next week, there's still sure to be a seminar near you. Find it here at NRAinstructors.org. Simply click on "Refuse to Be a Victim seminars" then enter your zip code.

From The Kittanning Paper:

Local Trap Shooter Certified as Gun Trainer

Jack Bennett has been around firearms since he was 12-years-old.

From serving in the armed forces to hunting at a local gun club, he has seen his share of action and excitement.

Unfortunately, he has also seen and heard about disaster, which makes Bennett want to do whatever he can do help innocent victims. Bennett is taking classes to finalize his goal and teach individuals to protect themselves.

“My primary goal is to instruct women in self-defense,” Bennett said.

Bennett, 67, is currently awaiting to be enrolled in his last course, ‘Refuse To Be A Victim®,’ to be able to instruct women in self-defense situations. By reading about many victims over the years, Bennett said he wants the public to be ready.

“I’ve played that scenario in my mind and asked myself ‘What would I do in that situation?’ and I guess you never know until it happens. I have been trained for that situation, I practice for it…I hope it never comes about, but hoping does not prepare you should it occur.”

He has already successfully completed six National Rifle Association training and safety courses which lasted between a single day and a week at the Pony Farm Trap and Gun Club in Kittanning.

Read the entire article on The Kittanning Paper website.