By Jen Zordan,
Second Amendment Sisters

I first met Maria Heil at Baltimore-Washington International Airport in January of this year. She was driving from her home in Pennsylvania to the CPAC convention in Arlington, VA, and picked me up on her way, as I was traveling as a delegate representing the Second Amendment Sisters (SAS).

We hit it off right away, discovering that we had much in common, which is good, considering that I was to be her roommate for the convention. I have to be honest. I didn't know what to expect from CPAC, or from the Second Amendment Sisters. My only contact with any of them was online and on the phone. It turns out that both CPAC and the SASters were wonderful! I had an absolute blast at the convention. From the get-go, Maria's job as our National Press Coordinator fascinated me. She was right in the middle of my Hollywood, introducing me to such people as Wayne LaPierre, Niger Innis, Sandy Froman and Kayne Robinson.

She spoke to a full room about women and the right to self-defense, and the audience hung on every word. The applause when she was through was deafening. Her closing to that speech is one of my favorite quotes: "there are three things you never ask a woman; how old she is, how much she weighs, or if she's packing heat. You assume that she's 29, 120 lbs and she's got a gun."

She did interview after interview, for television, Internet, radio and print, and I don't think she sat down for five minutes. Back in the room, she would collapse at night, exhausted. Through it all, Maria had a big grin on her face, and you could tell that she really loved what she was doing. Her energy was contagious, and she projected fun onto everyone she came into contact with. On Sunday of the convention, I was struck with one of my semi-annual migraines, and she found the time, despite all of her engagements, to find for me some Excedrin, and help with a cold cloth for my head and neck. I began to fondly refer to her as my "mom away from mom."

I again was fortunate to room with Maria for our S.A.F.E.R. event in Washington, D.C. on Mother's Day weekend. Again, she kept up a feverish pace of interviews, speeches, and telephone calls, all while juggling calls from her children about the usual family stuff. I knew that someday, I would like to follow in Maria's footsteps. I asked her to mentor me, so she took me under her wing, and I stuck by her during the events that I attended with her.

So it is with a heavy heart that I am writing about Maria's resignation as our National Press Coordinator. She was an integral part of making SAS what it is today, and she and her family made a lot of sacrifices to bring us here. Now, Maria is in semi-retirement enjoying her 4 beautiful children and her loving, supportive husband. She is getting some much needed rest, though I don't think that the fight to save the Second Amendment has seen the last of Maria Heil!

Unfortunately, I didn't get to work under Maria long enough to learn the ins and outs of being a National Spokesperson, so I stepped aside and am learning under our new National Press Coordinator, Melinda Meador. Maria has graciously agreed to give us a "leg-up" getting started. My very first venture is this regular article in Women & Guns Magazine. I am hoping to continue with the quality and insightfulness that Maria brought here.

I, too, have a passion for and a dedication to the right to self-defense, and I believe that women should be allowed to use their own discretion in determining how to best protect their families and themselves. It is with this passion and dedication that I step up to the plate to continue where Maria left off, and to continue to learn in the process. I hope that I can fill her shoes!

The Second Amendment Sisters will be forever grateful to Maria for all that she has done for our organization, and for helping to make us a force on the Second Amendment front. Godspeed, Maria!

As far as upcoming events, there's a free ladies' shoot in South Dakota this year, Sept. 26. Contact Nancy at SD_Coord@2asisters.org for more information.

Oct. 3 is Women's Day at Shongum Sportsmens Association in Hackettstown, NJ. Shongun also has a Women's League on the last Wednesday of each month, which is a free event open to any woman who wants to learn to safely handle firearms. For more info on these upcoming events, contact TheFramer@outdrs.net, or Marilyn at 908-879-9089.

The Gillette Gun Club, Gillette, WY, will be hosting their next Ladies Shoot on Sept. 25.. For more information, contact Jami at WY_Coord@2asisters.org. There is no cost to participants.

Don't forget our ongoing "Can the Ban" campaign to see the Assault Weapons Ban sunset as it should on September 13th. Log on for details at www.2asisters.org.

To get information by telephone regarding any SAS event, local, state, or national you may call our toll free number (877) 271-6216, or log onto our website at www.2asisters.org