Three days of healing....

Meet the winners of the first HELP ME HELP HER campaign, Elysia, Doris, Melissa, Michelle and Tracey!  Five amazing women with gut retching stories and the desire to heal and move beyond their fears.

It was a very disturbing news story back in May out of OR that prompted me to start this campaign.  A woman called 911 asking for help as a man was beating down her door and was told SORRY, due to budget cuts help is not coming.  As a woman I know that I am all I have, I am it, the police are not coming in time to save me.  I wanted to offer women across this country an opportunity to learn how to protect themselves and their family, all by themselves if needed. I wanted to offer a life changing weekend trip to WSA all expenses paid.

Many of you that are reading this post were the reason I was able to pull this extended weekend off. All the funds for this cause were donated from friends, family, past students and complete strangers.  The generosity was overwhelming and I will be forever grateful, THANK YOU.

We began our time together at a beautiful place, spectacular Lake Tahoe. Lunch at the Lone Eagle was the beginning of our bonding.  Having read all of their submission letters I knew that we had a lot to accomplish in a short amount of time.  I had to take it slow so that these women would trust me on this journey together.  I had originally thought this would be the place to read their letters and tell their stories but it was not private enough to do so.  Of course it would not be complete without a little sugar!

Time to head to the WSA classroom.  Time to put it all out there, there was not nearly enough tissue to go around.  Not a dry eye in the room as the gals told their stories and why they needed this time with WSA.  Let the bonding begin!  I decided to teach a pepper spray class and keep it simple.  Joey Walker, my self defense instructor gave the ladies an hour of his expertise on how to survive it you must with only the tools you carry everyday....your body.

Let's learn how to get the choke hold on!  I forgot to tell the ladies that Joey does not mince words or sugar coat the safety message.  We ended our first day together with a powerful message from Kirin, a local woman and friend with a tragic story.  A woman who is healing and ready to share her story to help others.  Again, lots of tears but all good.  I think our first day together was perfect.

Day 2, a full day of classroom instruction then a fun night at Harrah's enjoying a show.  As I headed to the classroom that morning I prayed for strength, I knew that I needed to be the rock, keep it together, Vicki needed to show up in all her strength.  At this point I figured that Sunday day three would be the toughest day, the day we would be at the range shooting guns.  WRONG, day two was by far the hardest.  These gals had to face their fears of firearms.  While the guns were sitting on the table from the time they walked in, it was the moment that they had to begin to handle them that I knew what we were really facing.

One of the gals lost her brother to a suicide 11 years ago, he choose to use a firearm to take his life. It was time for me to ask her to take the gun and learn how to load and unload it.  I can not describe the emotion, it was intense, I wanted to hit the ground in a fetal position.  That strength that I prayed for earlier that morning showed up.  I have never been more proud than when she was able to take that gun from my hand, this process took a long time, I waited in silence and gave her all the time she needed.  When she held that gun for the first time I knew that she was thinking about her brother and his last moments.  As she cried and learned how to load and unload that gun I knew we were well on our way to healing.

I was ready to keep pushing on and cramming in some more gun training when the ladies let me know they were done, enough for one day.  Time to lighten the mood.  What better way than a quick safety hour and stunning Elysia.  Yep, she wanted to know what it felt like to be stunned.  Had to laugh when she said she felt like kicking me!  LOL   We took a few hours off then headed out for a little night life!

A good time was had by all.  Cat, Christy and Kyla, I thank you for all your help, support and encouragement during this weekend.  Christy, I love you and couldn't have pulled this off without your help, thank you.  You are always the quiet one in the background.  Ladies, together we will do this again.  I have the BEST WSA team.  Most of my instructors were not present this weekend but know they were all there in spirit.

Day 3, let's go shoot some guns!  A full circle day for sure.  We started out very slow and controlled.  A typical ladies intro. class, starting with the .22 and ending with a .357.  WOW, not only did we finish with a "BANG", we also made some rather large up close and personal holes in our target.  HOLY MOLY, they wanted more, the ladies were ready to keep going.  We did some point and shooting, some moving drills and even some one handed shooting!

Five students and three instructors insured that everyone got the attention they deserved.  I remember looking at Melissa and saying, "are you going to cry" to which she replied, "F**K No". Their smiles said it all, we had climbed and conquered the mountain....together!

Our time was winding down, off to dinner we went.  Christy had arranged a private dining experience at an exclusive resort.  We were all so exhausted that the thought of one more event was almost too much.  We were tired, drained emotionally and dirty, but press on we did.

My dear friends Betsy and Tracey joined us and filmed our last few hours together.  As the women began to open up about what the weekend meant to them I realized that they received EXACTLY what they needed.  Again, lots of tears but this time they were far more joyful and happy tears!  It's been a few days now and I have had some time to process and reflect.  Here is just a little about what these beautiful women taught me!

Melissa-
My dear sweet friend.  You are the helper, the comforter the one who makes everyone feel loved.  Thanks for putting it all out there and smiling through it all.  I was very proud of you for allowing yourself to be vulnerable yet strong.  I know that this weekend will take some time to set in but when it does....watch out.  Melissa is not messing around!

Tracey-
I think your strength comes from deep inside.  You have a quiet gentle sense about you yet the mom side is right there ready to come out and defend if needed.  I truly enjoyed your humor and willingness to press on.  Thanks for sharing your story and allowing yourself to heal.  Pass on the gift, others can learn from you Tracey. You are stronger than you know!

Michelle-
You made me feel your emotion though no words were spoken.  You dug deep to find that inner strength, the strength that you always knew you had but just needed to unleash.  When you took that gun out of my hand you trusted and allowed me to do my part.  Thank you for being your brothers sister.  He was with you this weekend, you know he was.  Your babies need you to protect them, now you can, with more than a bat.

Elysia-
I learned from you that the human spirit can endure an awful lot. Your submission letter had me on edge from the beginning and I thought how does she do it.  After meeting you I know how you do it.  You have an unshakable faith that radiates from you.  It's OK to let your guard down, you are rough and tough yet funny and sensitive too.  Thanks for being stunned and not kicking me in the process.

Doris-
From you I learned to never quit, never give up.  You are one of the most amazing 80 year olds I know.  You have a beautiful soul, you take it all in and when you speak it is almost always filled with wisdom.  Thank you for just being you and keeping up with us all. Go back to Kentucky and carry what you learned.




Thank you ladies, I am forever changed.  I will treasure our time and carry it in my ♥ with me forever!

Blessings-

Vicki

WHEN DID SHE KNOW SHE WAS IN FEAR FOR HER LIFE?

This is a chilling story in the news right now that I want to share with you.  READ IT HERE...HER FINAL MOMENTS

Beverly Hope Melton woke up today expecting to live through the day.  It was just another regular and normal day in her life.  The cover photo for my blog today shows Beverly looking very unafraid.  However, at some point within a short time of this photo being taken, we know that she became VERY afraid.  WHY?  Because some random stranger decided he had other intentions for Beverly that day.

My heart and prayers go out to her family as they grieve their loss. 

I can't help but wonder if things could have gone differently that day.  What does it feel like to be in a situation where your life is clearly about to end and there is nothing you can do to prevent it?

From the story we know that Beverly had a cell phone and she did use it as soon as she suspected she was being followed. That phone call did not save her life.  The police could not save her.  She was no match (unarmed) for the man about to allegedly commit murder.

I wonder what the outcome would have been if she had been armed with a handgun, pepper spray, knife or kubaton.  Would she have used a gun, could she had used her gun?  I believe that answer would have been YES!  I believe she would have died, perhaps lived, fighting verses being defenseless if she had the ability to defend her life.  Her odds of survival would have increased dramatically if she was armed and capapble of meeting a greater force, the scum bag attacker, with an even greater force, a fully loaded handgun.  Don't believe that?  Ask any officer of the law who see's this behavior daily.

What about you, what would you have done?  Would you have had a firearm available to you in an instant?  I personally know a hundreds of women who would be able to answer that questions with a resounding, "HELL YEAH".  These women are women whom I know personally.  Mom's, sisters, daughters, aunts, grandmothers and the list goes on an on.  These are women that I have trained through The Women's Shooting & Safety Academy.  All of them at some point ended up in my "Ladies Introduction To Handguns" or my "Concealed Weapons" classes.  It takes guts and courage for women to step into the world of committed responsibility that is their personal safety.  I have first hand witnessed women who make the decision to arm and protect themselves.  When the actually do it, they have an epiphany of epic size and it changes their life forever!  They become confident in knowing they have a chance at surviving home invasions, carjacking and like Beverly, attack, rape and murder.

Right now, I wager if I asked you to think of three women in your life who could use some firearm training, I'm sure you would not be at a loss of names popping into your mind.  Perhaps one of those women is YOU.

With the beginning of 2012 comes new decisions, new habits, new choices....gone with the old in with the new.  Please do something in regards to your personal safety sooner rather than later.  Don't end up like Beverly.

If you would like some additional information on all the classes that we offer at The Women's Shooting Academy please click here:  WSA WEBSITE

It is my commitment to continue to EDUCATE - ENCOURAGE - EMPOWER as many women as I can on this journey we call life.  One woman can make a difference, many women can start a movement.

 Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.
Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.
- Marie Curie

Vicki Kawelmacher
Founder
(775) 772-7064

The Social Networking W.A.R.R.I.O.R.

When an idea reaches critical mass there is no stopping the shift its presence will induce.
 -Marianne Williamson

 

 

Here is just a small section taken out of The WARRIOR In Every Woman Book.  As my gift to you if you attend a seminar you will receive a copy of my book FREE!  It's full of lots of tips and advice to minimize your chances of becoming a statistic.

 

Let’s face it, who’s not on the internet these days. Between emails, facebook, online banking, and a whole host of other reasons, more and more women are spending increasing amounts of time on their computers. There are a lot of considerations we must make for our safety and privacy to remain intact.

We tend to give up our private and personal information too freely. Please, as of right now make some simple changes to get yourself going in the right direction.

I would recommend password protecting your computer. Be mindful of who may have access to your personal computer. By setting a password you will be the only one who can log onto your computer.

You will absolutely need a good antivirus program, spyware remover, and firewall. There are a variety of free programs available for download. Be sure to enable all or most of the security
features.

Change your passwords frequently. Try not to use the same password for everything or more than once. Make sure your password is something original and is difficult to guess.

Beware of phishing scams; these are spoof emails seeking personal and sensitive information. The email will usually tell you there is a problem and then seek account and password information. NEVER give this information out. Always verify the source seeking the information.

Never open email attachments from strangers. Sometimes you have to be cautious of opening email attachments from your friends as well. Viruses have many ways to enter and infect your computer.  

 

Social media is huge these days, between Facebook, Twitter, blogging and texting there is a way to stay connected 24/7. Let’s not forget one very important issue here ladies. Once you put it out there on the web it can go just about anywhere. You can lose your privacy without ever realizing it. It’s always a good idea to never write something you are unwilling to say publicly.

The more time you spend on the internet, surfing websites, doing money transactions, and shopping the more exposed you are to possible cyber fraud which is basically electronic theft on the internet. Take all the necessary precautions to avoid being scammed. You may even want to set up separate email accounts and perhaps even use a pseudonym to protect your identity.

 

Until next time....

 

-Vicki

 

 

It's My Trash And You're Not Gonna Take It!

By Jenny Teague
www.gunslinginghousewife.com

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley in a nice suburban neighborhood. Like every other city, we had our share of crime. One thing in particular I had never been exposed to until I moved to Reno were dumpster divers. For those of you who don't know what a dumpster diver is, consider them trash pirates. They go through trash looking for anything they can turn a profit from. Some people go for cans and recyclables, others go for discarded electronics and furniture. Then there are the really bad ones who look for your personal information. Bills and bank statements with your information on it. For the most part, the ones I have seen in town here are just looking for bottles and cans. But that still doesn't make what they do right.

Most people are unaware of their laws pertaining to trash diggers and dumpster divers where they live. In fact, if you ask a lot of law enforcement officers, they may not be aware of them either, or even handle the issue of these pesky people in a manner of waiting until something happens to do something about them. However, it is in fact illegal under certain circumstances to trash dig. The issue of privacy and trash came about in the 80's in the case of California vs. Greenwood, which police convicted a drug trafficker by digging through his trash and finding reasonable cause to get a search warrant. Some people thought it was in violation of the 4th Amendment, but in the end, it was stated if you put your trash on a curb, you are discarding it and leaving it to whoever gets it, be it the trash man, scavengers, kids, animals, etc. (http://www.fightidentitytheft.com/shred_supreme_court.html) However, many places consider trash digging in residential and commercial areas illegal (fortunately, here in Washoe County, Reno, NV it was deemed illegal as a health issue in 2008 http://www.saverenodumpsterdiving.com/1/post/2008/12/dumpster-divers-arrested-to-make-and-example-ofridiculous.html). It is definitely illegal in situations where the trash is located on private property where no-trespassing signs are posted. (For instance, our apartment has a communal dumpster in our parking lot. The lot is private property and only for the tenants to park in. There are no-trespassing signs posted on our building. When people come onto our lot and take trash, even though it is trash, they have now violated the no-trespassing law and have stolen from our complex.) The same goes for people who take from commercial trash. There is a reason grocery stores and other places have their dumpsters locked up and it's not because it is OK for people to dig through their trash. I have got a lot of grief from people who say that the dumpster divers are just trying to "make ends meet".

Perhaps they are, but a crime of passion is still a crime. I was the victim of a form of identity theft, most likely at the hands of a trash digger, fortunately, I am meticulous for checking my bank statements and when I noticed mysterious charges to my bank card, I called the company and told them to cancel the order as well as my bank telling them my card was stolen and to put a hold on my account.

So how do you deal with the issue of dumpster divers? In my personal experience, you need to be firm, knowledgeable, and persistent.

• Protect your identity. If you have a shredder, use it. If you don't take a ball point pen and scratch out the numbers of accounts and personal information. I've found Sharpies can offer a little hint of visibility and White-Out can be scratched off. Ball point pens will cover the information and wear down any ink printing. It's tedious, but a few minutes of prevention beat a few hours of repairs.

• Post the laws. If your trash is on your property and you have a no-trespassing sign, they are now trespassing and knowingly violating your trespassing warning.

• Know the laws. Tell the trash diggers they are breaking the law. Tell them they are being verbally warned and inform them that you will call the cops on them if the come back. Additionally, if you live in a state neighboring California, it is illegal to steal recyclables from one state and turn them in somewhere in California. California offers a higher redemption value for recyclables and people often will turn them in there instead for more money.

• Stand your ground. Yes, it is trash. But it is YOUR trash until the city comes to take it away. If anyone other than you takes it, they are stealing. You will call the cops.

I will say that due to the constant nagging my husband and I have done towards trash diggers, I gladly watch every Sunday as one of the more notorious diggers goes down our street and stops at every apartment complex and simply looks at our property and keeps walking by. Our diligence has resulted in a somewhat miniature revolution in cutting down potential crime. We're just two people. Imagine what can happen if everyone took a stand against trash diggers and says, "It's my trash and you're not gonna take it!"

Thanks Jenny.


Stay Vigilant...Safety is a Choice


-Vicki

From a students perspective...

If you are interested in a self defense awareness class, I would strongly recommend Vicki Kawelmacher’s.  I say self defense awareness, because that is what she does; she helps women (and men) be aware of many possible situations we may need to defend ourselves against, and gives us the tools and knowledge to use toward that end.

Hi.  I’m Freda Kurtz and my husband, Chris and I have taken most of Vicki’s classes and will hopefully have all of them under our belts soon.   In addition to that I have recommended her classes to my friends because I believe that she can help them to be better prepared in the event of a bad situation. 

I would really prefer to go into detail of what I like about each class but that would take more than my allotted space here, so I will summarize.
 

• 1. She has a passion about people’s safety and making sure that the bad guy will not take advantage of us.  Some of her family has been the target of abductors and home invasion, so she knows firsthand what can happen, prepared or not.

•  2. Her presentations are very detailed, passionate, humorous and easy to understand.  She makes sure that safety is the first priority, especially in her firearm courses. 

• 3. She makes you think of scenarios that we normally don’t worry about.  For instance, what do you do if someone breaks your front door down while you are home?  She helps you plan your scenarios so that you can maximize the potential of defending yourself or escaping safely with your family.

•  4. She helps you set up your house, car, travel, etc. so that a victimizer will hopefully not bother you, but look for an easier target.

• 5. She offers tools and makes recommendations of tools (security items, pepper spray, knives, signs, tazers) to carry on your person or have about your house to help safeguard against attackers.

• 6. She has an assistant that has earned a fourth degree black belt that teaches women how to use basic forms of Martial Arts to defend against attackers.

I appreciate that Vicki has added the Women’s Safety Academy to the Women’s Shooting Academy in her forum because she understands that firearms are not for everyone, and that we can still greatly enhance our chances of avoiding a bad situation, or getting away from a bad guy, by being aware of what’s out there.

Thank you for the kind words!
-Vicki

Is there really a Warrior in every woman, or in every man?

Written by:  Christopher W. Roode

Is it a gene that a person is born with, or only a condition that is born from necessity or emergency? Can being a Warrior be quantified and measured?

The human body has demonstrated itself to be whatever the brain has commanded it to withstand, or perform. The human brain has both the function of deciding and acting, but each person decides and acts to the same situation differently. This process of deciding and acting separates Warriors from non-Warriors. So are only certain people predisposed to conduct themselves as Warriors, and to understand the Warrior mentality? The Warrior mentality is one of waging war, or engaging in combat. This combat leaves no room for “rules of fair play” nor time for rational thinking of what the consequences of the persons conduct during that combat situation bring. To understand the coldness, and suddenness of combat needed when acting in defense, and being able to functionally react and live with the results of that action, lends me to believe that only certain people of both genders actually can possess the Warrior Spirit. This is plainly exampled in the history of humans that have been subjugated to crimes, torture, and death with no will whatsoever to neither resist nor protest verbally. They willingly let others determine their fate.

Necessity and emergency sometimes reveal the Warrior within. Those individuals react to a situation with force and tenacity, but with very little preparation or experience. They rely on luck, more than skill and training. The outcomes of these situations that are driven from desperation, sometimes result favorably by sheer chance, but less often than the encounters experienced by Warriors that train and plan for such events. Therefore I don’t believe that we can call these reactionaries Warriors, for they do not have forethought of what combat is, and make no plans for it. They might even vocally shun the idea of ever using force, or causing the demise of another human being, no matter the circumstance. It is only their unconscious instincts for survival that saved them from their peril, so they cannot be considered Warriors.

A Warrior always prepares and trains for battle, but may never utilize those skills. A Warrior is measured by what preparation has been made, and the willingness to execute the actions necessary when called upon. A Warrior believes that preserving life, theirs or someone else’s, is a necessity that must be considered, with steps taken to prepare for such an eventuality, regardless if the need ever arises. Humans are the only animal that turns toward danger, and a Warrior is the only human that will face it head-on instead of cowering, or retreating. As a Warrior, you may be misunderstood by those that do not possess the Warrior Spirit, but when the time comes they will look to you for salvation.

You know today, right now, if you possess the Warrior Spirit if you feel the need may ever arise to protect yourself or others. You know today, right now, if you posses the Warrior Spirit by your willingness to train and learn the techniques, and weapons, necessary to ensure a favorable outcome if the need to engage in combat ever arises. Good fortune to you Warrior as I leave you with this quote from former President Theodore Roosevelt:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”


Thank you Christopher for contributing your thoughts and opinions.
Would you like to be a guest writer? Please contact Vicki for more information.

Be safe...
-Vicki

WHAT IS IDENTITY THEFT?

Identity theft is when someone pretends to be someone else.  Typically this is done as a way to access credit and other financial gain.

There are multiple forms of identity theft, below are a few examples.

• Social Security Theft- A criminal can create a whole new identity with a social security number.  We give our social security number so freely to just about anyone who asks.  When you are at the doctor’s
• Drivers License Theft- Be very careful to protect your driver’s license number.  There have been a lot of people who have been stopped for a simple traffic violation only to find they are under arrest for multiple driving violations.  Unfortunately the offenses were committed by someone who had a fake license in your name.
• Medical Identity Theft- This is very serious with huge negative consequences.  Given the state of healthcare these days many people are desperate for medical care.  Once again, once they have access to your social security number they can assume you.  The dangerous part is when they start seeking medical care as you.  Next thing you know you go to the doctor for a routine appointment and find out you were recently diagnoses with HIV.  It could take years to get your proper medical charts back in order.
• Criminal Identity Theft- The criminal commits a crime and when they give up the documentation to support who they are they give up documentation with your information.  Imagine again finding out that you have been involved in a crime.  This can be a horrific experience and you may need to seek the advice and/or legal counsel from a professional.

In the event that you suspect that you may be the victim of any of these types of situations do your best to get out ahead of the problem.  Change your passwords immediately and notify the proper authorities and credit bureaus.

National Credit-Reporting Bureaus

Equifax   

P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374

800-685-1111

www.equifax.com

Experian

P.O. Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013

888-397-3742

www.experian.com

TransUnion  

P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19022

800-888-4213

www.transunion.com

Please feel free to comment if you have been the victim of any of these types of fraud.

Until next time...

-Vicki