2005 BOW – 10th Annual or Budget Cuts?
The PGC has supported a program dubbed BOW, Becoming an Outdoors-Woman, for 9 years.
Since 1996, PGC has sponsored various workshops
BOW Workshops are designed to provide high-quality learning experiences to women interested in learning outdoor skills and are generally held at camps or resorts. The atmosphere is usually rustic and “outdoorsy,” but comfortable.
Apparently, the PGC has not decided whether it should continue to fund such workshops. I think that is a shame.
Look at some of the photos from previous BOW events.
Past participants have nothing but great comments about BOW. They need your help. Support BOW by contacting Vern Ross, the executive director for the PGC, and tell him you believe the Commission should continue to support BOW in Pennsylvania. He can be reached at (717) 787-4250 or you can email him at vross@state.pa.us.
The photos obtained from the BOW website are credited to the BOW program and are used by permission.
Outside the Beltway is hosting a traffic jam trying to get funding for BOW!
I attended the Fall 2004 BOW weekend and had an awesome time. I met some interesting women from all over the Commonwealth, and had a great time at four workshops–I chose Outdoor Survival Skills, Intro to Firearms, Orienteering with Topo Map/Compass (what are you gonna do when the satellites get taken out and your GPS doesn’t work?) and Tree ID. I already enjoyed the outdoors through hiking, camping, birding and just plain ol’ sittin’ and appreciatin’ Nature, but the BOW program added more to the experience, and even got me wanting to do some shooting/hunting. PA needs new hunters right?
Anyway, I wholeheartedly support BOW, and I hope it continues to introduce women of all ages to the outdoors…
My wife attended several BOW workshops and had a great time. I think it was an excellent learning experience for here. Females and kids represent the best growth segment for outdoors sports. I’m all for getting interested women involved and BOW seems like a good program. I would hate to see it go away.
Hi
I have attended the BOW workshops for the past 3 years. At the first workshop that I attended I took Archery.
I had wanted to get involved with target shooting to spend more time with my husband. The instructors were grreat and even
determined that I was left eye dominant so they taught me to shoot left handed. Well I became proficient with a bow (That my husband bought me for my Birthday the next year) and became interested in hunting deer with him as well. I had hunted with my father when I was 12
till about the time I turned 15. I had been away from it all this time. Well on Oct 2 2004 I bagged my first deer an 8
point buck. None of this would have been possible without BOW. I was really looking forward to taking Riflery this year. Also, The shotgunning classes with Connie were out of this world. I sure hope we can enjoy BOW again and that it will introduce more women to the outdoors and to hunting and fishing!
Thank You
Donna Waldenberger
UPDATE:
Subject: PA BOW Update
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 14:26:44 -0500
From: “GM, PA BOW Coordinator”
Thank you for your interest and concern about the
Pennsylvania Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has sponsored this
program since 1996. Currently, the agency is
experiencing a very difficult financial situation,
and in addition to the BOW program, numerous other
services will be curtailed to get us through this
difficult period.
The BOW program has not been terminated, but rather
put on hold. Though there are no BOW workshops
scheduled at this time, we plan to maintain the BOW
section on the agency’s website and will continue to
post outdoor skills events for women being offered
by other organizations in this convenient “one-stop”
location.
When our financial situation improves we will
re-evaluate the BOW program and determine the most
effective way to reach women who are interested in
hunting, furtaking, wildlife viewing and other
related recreational opportunities.
Thanks again for your interest in BOW and we wish
you continued enjoyment of Pennsylvania’s great
outdoors.