Sisterhood is divine in the WFGA Ladies’ League

Ladies, have you ever yearned to learn how to shoot a bow, fire a gun, learn self-defence, operate a chainsaw, or throw a knife? If any of these activities have yielded a resounding Yes! then the Whitecourt Fish & Game Association (WFGA) Ladies’ League is the group to join. According to chairperson Kathleen Skrecek, the WFGA Ladies’ League is a perfect opportunity for women 18 and older to “learn something they’ve always wanted to do in an environment that doesn’t make them feel insecure.”

To preface the third year of the league, Kathleen and her associate, Shannon Hummel, held a casual meeting on Friday night to plan and discuss ideas for seven events in 2019. The energy emitted from the two women was palpable as they rattled off their ideas and discussed the benefits of joining the Ladies League. When it comes to the group, the word is solidarity, sister.

With 32 being the average age in Whitecourt, Kathleen and Shannon believe it’s imperative to organize community activities and events with a certain demographic in mind. The focus of the league is to give women, many of whom have families and lead busy lives, the chance to escape from it all whilst in the company of others with shared interests. By learning systematically and in a relaxed group setting, the pressure to know exactly what you are doing is off. 

Although the focus of events centered on hunting, fishing, and the outdoors, Kathleen and Shannon explained that they have held events such as self-defence classes and leather belt making. They have also held wild game cooking classes.

A league retreat is usually planned for a weekend in June where members go camping for a weekend and participate in a wish list of events. In previous years, the group has painted tree cookies, gone hiking and fishing, and learned how to operate a chainsaw. Of course, while all the activities during the weekend are optional, Kathleen and Shannon hinted that the wine and cheese in the evening is by far the most popular. Upcoming activities include six weeks of archery lessons in May as well as ice fishing at the beginning of March, weather permitting.

A paid membership is required for some of the league’s events and will provide access to the WFGA Firearms and Archery Range as well as insurance coverage. Memberships can be purchased from Moose Country Petro Canada or Big Guy Outdoor Sports. For those wishing to learn more about the WFGA Ladies’ League, visit www.WFGA.ca or the WFGA Ladies’ League Facebook page.