Second Amendment Sisters Early Spring Update By Maria Heil, Contributing Editor National Spokeswoman, SAS SAS is pleased to announce that it is taking part in a program that will help abused women in their quest for safety and survival. In conjunction with the Wireless Foundation and Motorola, we will be collecting old and unused cell phones for the Donate a Phone Call to Protect campaign. Why would SAS join a campaign which encourages abused women to call 911 for help in a potentially dangerous situation? The question should be "why not?" SAS is viewed as a pro-gun women's group, and as such, many people mistakenly believe that we want everyone to own a gun, when in actuality, we want everyone to have the "Basic Human Right to Self-Defense." If a person is not comfortable owning or using a gun, for whatever reason, then they have the right to choose not to own a gun. We know that access to a telephone is not enough-however, in some situations it is the only available option for women who are in abusive situations. "One of our goals is to help people who are uncommitted, but leaning towards 'anti-gun,' to learn that we are not the enemy," states Juli Bednarzyk, President and Co-Founder of SAS. "Until these battered women can regain their lives and hopefully leave the abusive situation, the only thing we can do is to help educate them, and make some kind of self-defense mechanism available." There are several ways to get the phones to the Wireless Foundation. You may drop off the phone, battery, and recharger at any SAS table or event. You can always send the items to our National Office at 900 RR 620 S, Suite C101, PMB 228, Lakeway, TX 78734 or visit our website www.2asisters.org for more information. Patriettes Program The Patrick Henry Center for Individual Liberty (PHC) in collaboration with Second Amendment Sisters (SAS) and Law Enforcement Alliance of America (LEAA) has launched the Patriettes Program. The Patriettes is an educational, hands-on self-defense firearms program that will empower women across the country with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle and protect themselves with a firearm, thus exercising their Second Amendment rights. Our joint initiative was inspired by a concern for the safety of America's women. Patriettes refuses to accept that women should remain easy targets for violent predators. The Patriettes Program provides a comfortable, women's-only environment allowing women to raise questions they may otherwise be too intimidated to ask in a mixed gender setting. Included is one-on-one hands-on firearms training, with a licensed NRA firearms instructor. A major benefit in some states, such as Virginia, is that the program provides the necessary instruction required by state law to qualify and apply for a Concealed Carry Permit. Additionally, the program provides the opportunity to raise concerns and fears about guns and gun safety and is an excellent resource for networking with other like-minded women. Patriettes is about more than enabling women to prevent themselves from falling victim to a crime, it's about providing them with a feeling of confidence and alleviating their fears of vulnerability. The class was designed for all women who are interested in empowering and protecting themselves with the use of a firearm. We are planning to hold classes across the nation. If you would like us to come to your area, let us know! For more information, or to sign up, please contact Leah Holcomb, Director of Communications and Programs, (703) 691-2301 or leahphc@aol.com Spring Fundraiser Massad Ayoob and Walt Rauch together in Philly! Massad Ayoob is Director of the Lethal Force Institute, training hundreds of civilians and law enforcement personnel each year in judicious use of deadly force, armed and unarmed combat, threat management and officer survival. He has authored over one thousand published articles on weapons and self-defense, and several authoritative books. Walt Rauch is the author of Real-World Survival! What Has Worked For Me. Unlike a lot of today's firearms luminaries, Walt Rauch has really been there. Whether it was while he was a Special Agent for the U.S. Secret Service or as part of the Philadelphia Warrant Squad or while working as a high-risk investigator on the docks of Philly, Rauch has seen what fighting is like from the inside. The event is a weekend lecture by both gentlemen on April 5 and April 6, 2003.The weekend is being kicked off by a dinner on Friday night, and is open to anyone, regardless of whether they are attending the weekend lecture or not. Cost for the dinner is $35 per person. The lecture fee is $350 per person ($300 for SAS members. Additional $30 discount for each student signed up by that member). The fee includes a buffet lunch both days. This event is lecture only-no hands-on training. For more information please call Penni Bacheler at 1-877-212-4170 (Accepts Voice or Fax) or email Penni at pa_phillyarea@2asisters.org. Information is also listed on-line at www.2asisters.net/pa/events.htm I hope you will do your part in preserving your Second Amendment Rights by participating in one or more of our programs!