I grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, where you would find me as a youngster wandering the farm with my Daisy pump action BB gun in my hand. I never really had any exposure to pistols until 2012 when my husband and I decided we should get our concealed carry licenses. Then one day I came across a table in Cabela’s sponsored by The Well Armed Woman (now the Armed Women of America). I had never heard of that group before, but jumped at the idea of learning around women, and learning so much more than just how to shoot a pistol. The passion then turned into me working towards being a leader of the local chapter, and getting certified to teach. The premise behind the name and use of “Spirit” is three-fold. One is for our 2nd amendment right for firearm ownership (American spirit), but also spirit is in the sense of empowering people (especially women) through education and practice to protect themselves, as well as showing that firearms can also be an enjoyable pastime, as in competitions and hunting. Finally, the third represents my Christian beliefs and the Trinity, especially the Holy Spirit, who is with us and guides us at all times, as a part of God and Jesus in my life.
