From the great state of Illinois, the New Lenox Patriot brings us a story of how an NRA Certified Instructor brought firearm education to a group of Girl Scouts:

New Lenox Girl Scouts learn Gun safety

On the list of things they wanted to do before graduating from Girl Scouting in May was “learn to shoot a gun,” and that’s exactly what the members of New Lenox Girl Scout Troop 91 did when they visited the Oak Park Sportsmen’s Club in Plainfield.

Troop leaders Jeanne Meeks and Laurie Blackwood contacted Jan Rafac, the secretary of the Allied Illinois Markswomen and a certified NRA instructor. Because Troop 91 was the first Girl Scout group to ever contact AIM, Rafac gathered five certified instructors to create an introductory program.

Meeks said the eight girls were apprehensive about handling the guns, but were excited about the prospect of learning to shoot and relieved so much of the instruction focused on safety. After spending an hour and a half in the classroom, the girls were given ear and eye protection, and with one-on-one supervision each took about 10 shots at paper targets with different types of 22 caliber pistols.

“I am so doing this again,” said Julie Meeks, a member of Troop 91. "I have found my new sport."

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