The Words of the Ellanson Family
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The Words of the Ellanson Family |
The 2010 Family Firearms Workshop held on May 15 at New Hope Farms was sponsored by the newly formed Family Firearms Association and co-sponsored by Kahr Arms.
The one-day seminar was a joint effort, taught by Lowell and Lesa Ellanson, by Rob Pickell, and assisted by members of the Second Generation, all of whom were experienced shooters. Families came from Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey and New York; all were very interested in firearms education and training.
he main focus was to dispel ignorance about firearms; thus much of the content addressed the popular misconceptions about firearms and their use.
One salient point in addressing these misconceptions is the realization that a firearm (which is an inanimate object), its purpose, value and use always lies in, and is determined by, the user's purpose and motivation.
In other words, if a firearm is used with selfish intentions, the consequences are always evil. When a firearm is used with an unselfish motivation, the outcome is always moral, virtuous and just. While not seeking to totally persuade others in the often heated debate of guns and their use or misuse, there was unanimous agreement on the importance of gun safety, proper handling, sporting and career options.
The workshop also raised awareness on the benefit of firearms sports for the entire family. Since shooting has a wide appeal to many, it is a sport that can be enjoyed by parents and children, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, young and old, and by all socio-economic demographics.
The families received NRA literature on safety, opportunities for marksman scholarships, and reports on local gun clubs and teams. Following the ethical issues, the instructor's lectures covered the NRA gun safety course, an overview of types of firearms, range etiquette, sight picture, trigger pull, etc.
Following the classroom lectures and discussion, everyone was seated at the firing line, coached in range safety, and allowed to practice "plink" at targets under the watchful supervision of the staff. Then a "match" was held, challenging one member from each family to face off against a scored target. The winner was awarded with cash, a Kahr tee shirt and baseball cap.
Ultimately, the organizers hope to form shooting teams made up of FFWPU families and the Second Gen. There is ongoing preparation to host special firearms seminars for women and girls. In addition, FFA intends to assist talented Second Gen shooters to secure collegiate scholarships.
For further information on upcoming workshops, shooting seminars and family sports, or to have this presentation given to your church, youth groups, and/or small group, contact the Family Firearms Association.