It’s ladies’ night on Wednesdays — at the shooting range.
Women who visit Harry Beckwith Gun Dealer and Indoor Pistol Range in Micanopy on Wednesdays get to shoot at a discounted price, firearm instructor Michelle Pickett said.
“We were starting to get more and more women coming into the store,” Pickett said. “I was looking for something more to offer to the ladies.”
At the beginning of 2014, Pickett also launched a local chapter of The Well Armed Woman, a national organization providing educational resources to female gun owners.
Pickett invites members to a gathering once a month for a group discussion, guest lectures and a shooting session on the range together — living up to the organization’s slogan, “Where The Feminine and Firearms Meet.”
While ladies’ night may be just for fun, the monthly gatherings focus more on personal safety. The meetings typically take place on the second Sunday and third Tuesday of every month, but there won’t be a meeting this month.
Lindsay Tillman, 26, joined after taking an all-women concealed-weapon class at the range.
She said her experience with domestic violence showed her how important it is to take measures to protect herself.
Tillman said Pickett teaches the women self-defense without having to use a firearm. She said she also enjoys the empowering atmosphere created by the group, a bond Pickett compared to a sisterhood.
“It’s kind of like your own little cheerleading team. It’s a lot of fun,” Tillman said. “I definitely think that everybody should give it a shot.”
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 1/14/2015 under the headline “Local shooting range now hosts ladies' nights"]
