An acquaintance of Stephanie Winn recently approached her with a request: Could Winn, an avid gun enthusiast for several decades, help her acquire a concealed carry permit? Winn said she'd be delighted to help, and directed the woman to a few ranges that offer classes.
There was a problem, though. The woman had recently been in a domestic violence situation, and the thought of seeing a man who looked like her abuser holding a firearm was too much to bear.
It was then Winn realized there weren't any spaces in Chattanooga specifically for women looking to learn how to shoot, either for self-defense, recreation or competitive sport.
That was in October. Now, Winn has formally organized a Chattanooga chapter of A Girl and A Gun Women's Shooting League, which held its inaugural meeting on March 11 at Shooter's Supply and Indoor Range in Hixson. Winn said the primary goal of the league is to provide a supportive network for women of all skill sets to come together and learn about firearms, safety, self-defense and competition.
"Specifically, we aim to do that in an environment by women, for women," Winn said. "That's something unique to our shooting league."
Winn has been a resident of Soddy-Daisy since 1993, and to her knowledge, this is the first women-specific shooting club in the region.
A Girl and A Gun, which originated in Austin, Texas, in 2011, has grown to include roughly 150 chapters and over 30,000 members nationwide. A major appeal of the club is its emphasis on community, said Winn. The Chattanooga chapter, like all chapters, strives to be sensitive to the schedules of working mothers and single parents. While there are several opportunities in Hamilton County for novice or experienced shooters to learn more and practice, many are at a time that isn't conducive to bringing women in, and in an environment that, at times, can feel unwelcoming, Winn said.
"We don't have people coming in and telling women how to do things or what to do," she said. "Our challenge is to make it comfortable for women to train, learn and perfect their skills."
By creating an environment where they can safely learn from other people like them, Winn hopes to bring in women who might otherwise not have come.
She said Larry and Cindy Hopper, the owners of Shooter's Supply, gladly agreed to host the group each month.
"I'm kind of in awe of all the women that showed up," Cindy Hopper said of the league's inaugural meeting. "There were over 15 women who signed up. I think the word of mouth around here is very good."
Winn said she's seen the number of female shooters at Shooter's Supply increase significantly in the last few months, which she attributes to the Hoppers' dedication to a family-oriented range.
Women interested in learning more about A Girl and A Gun can reach Winn via email at agagchattanooga@gmail.com, or contact Shooter's Supply at 875-4868. Monthly events will include a Girls' Night Out at the range and clinics and discussion-based educational workshops on Sundays.