Women in Pike County had the opportunity to attend a gun safety class Saturday morning offered by the Pike County Sheriffs Department.

The participants were given a safety class followed by the opportunity to be able to learn how to correctly hold and fire a gun.

“Sheriff Thomas put on these classes for women mostly,” said Lt. Henry Wentland. “It’s to teach them basic handling skills and to get them over their fear of holding a gun. We taught the basic self-defense tactics and different calibers they can use. We want to make them comfortable with what they use.”

Whether they were firing their weapons for the first time or they were veteran shooters, the dozen women who attended the event learned something new.

“It’s fun and educational,” said camp participant Beverly Casey. “It’s the same way for everybody. If you buy a pistol you can’t be scared of it. These gentleman have a done a great job teaching us to feel confident with the weapons we choose.”

Participants in the class were taught how to load and unload their weapon and were also taught fundamentals that are important while owning a firearm.

“People could hold a gun differently,” Casey said. “If you do it the wrong way, it’s going to do you harm or it’s going to spray and hurt someone else.”

Even veteran gun owners learned new things.

“This is something I have done before,” Angela Ogleclark said. “It’s very good to get trained by people who do this for a living. I feel like I am getting a lot of pointers that I wouldn’t get if I was practicing on my own.”

When owning a gun it’s important to know all the safety tips, whether you’re shooting on the fire range or it’s locked in a gun safe.

“I have always been taught, no gun is unloaded,” Ogleclark said. “Treat every gun like it’s loaded. I definitely think people need to be well trained if they’re going to own a weapon. I think people need to take the responsibility in seeking out classes.”

Wentland hopes the participants get more out of the class than the basic fundamentals of owning and firing a weapon.

“I hope they understand they have the right to protect themselves and others in their home,” he said. “I hope they learn how to handle a gun safely in their home. The world is a lot more violent. I hope they feel comfortable at home.”