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John took away all my fears!    And fearful I was, attending my first ‘Gun Class’, with no basic knowledge of how to simply hold a gun, much less aim and shoot one!    At 64 years old, I had avoided this kind of class all my life, thinking it would be dry and boring.  After all, I had absolutely no interest in guns, they seemed so,…….masculine.  

So, I sheepishly joined in with a group of ladies who had signed up for his class; and it was John’s warm personality that immediately punctured through my resistant barrier.  There are some people in this world who want to tell you everything they know in an effort to impress you with their knowledge, but it was clear that John wanted to impart his knowledge in a way which would build my confidence in this new endeavor.

There wasn’t a dull moment in the class-time as John clearly explained the Federal and Alabama gun laws, and gun safety as well as practical applications such as….. breathing!  He also explained that choosing a gun is a very personal decision, and should not be made prior to class so I could determine which type of weapon is most comfortable in my hand. He made everyone feel comfortable, so there were lots of questions among us, especially about carrying a gun in our purses!

I was shaking beyond control when I first put my hands on the gun, but John was there by my side, softly reminding me of everything we had learned in class earlier that day.   I was just standing there, shaking, holding the gun down range, frozen in fear, and afraid to press the trigger.  John softly said, “Donna, you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, but I’m here with you, so take all the time you need”.   It was at that moment that I became absolutely determined to fire the gun!   And guess what?  I hit the target!  Again and again and again!

And that, is the beginning of my story, my personal story, which took a new turn that day, building knowledge and especially my confidence.  I was so excited by the end of the day, that I immediately signed up for his next upcoming class!  And I would encourage you to also………

Donna Worley, S.A.F.E. student from Orange Beach, AL