“Before you and your mom leave for camp, you need to pick out something to count on the way,” suggested Babbs. She and her daughter, Jackie, chose dead armadillos on their last road trip. Not being big fans of roadkill, Mom and I decided to choose something we could truly experience, so we watched for Dollar General Stores. Not only did we watch for them, we stopped and shopped at the ones that looked the most interesting.
Paige and Babes Video Goddess, Marilyn Vogel. Photo by Gwen Cox.
Our trip to camp came about when I started working with Deb Ferns on the babeswithbullets.com website. I’ve always wanted to meet Marilyn Vogel, the video goddess of Babes with Bullets, and Deb was happy to have someone who was willing to actually work with Marilyn on shooting and editing video during camp so she invited me to be part of the video team at the April 2010 camp in Princeton, La. The third member of the team was Melita Ellington, vice president of The WOMA and fearless leader of the membership team. Not liking to take solo road trips, I invited my mom and Suburban Housemom for the Suburban Housewives, Gwen, to go along. Deb gained another staff member when Mom pitched in and helped gourmet cook, Maryann, in the kitchen. That’s how we ended up on the road watching out for Dollar General Stores.
We arrived in Princeton just in time to meet and greet the 32 women who gathered at the Lake Bistineau State Park the night before camp started at the Shootout Range. The ladies bunked in deluxe cabins at the park during camp and the get together the first night gave campers, instructors and staff the chance to learn a little something about each other. Everyone enjoyed pizza, salad and talking about how excited they were to be at camp with other women who enjoy shooting.
Gourmet cook, Maryann Dabney, with kitchen assistant, Gwen. Photo by Paige Eissinger
As staff members, Mom and I bunked at the “cookhouse” on the range with Deb, Maryann, Marilyn, Melita and a couple of women from Otis Technology, Nancy and Barb, who were attending camp for the first time. When camp started early Thursday morning, Nancy and Barb joined the rest of the campers on the range while Melita and I grabbed video cameras and headed out with Deb to record an interview with Christy, the contest winner of a place at camp from a local radio station, KRMD, and Susan, the station’s general manager.
After that first interview, the rest of the week went by in a blur. Melita and I captured video footage on the range and delivered it to Marilyn back at the cabin where she used her Macbook Pro and Final Cut Pro video editing software to turn it into something you’ll be seeing soon on the Babes with Bullets website. I learned a lot about how to shoot video and developed a yearning for my own Macbook Pro with Final Cut Pro. My mom not only helped Maryann with food preparation, she also iced Maryann’s ankle when she took a fall in the driveway on the asphalt.
Needless to say, we didn’t stop at any Dollar General Stores on the way home. We were too tired to shop! Would we do it again? In a heartbeat!
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About Barbara Baird
We’re looking at Tampa in October, Melita. Who knows?
Paige and Gwen – we had so much fun! I’m so glad we got a chance to get together and share our passion…we have to do it again soon! When’s the next camp?!?
Wow, Paige, sounds like a great time at the camp and an incredible time with your mom. You two are very fortunate to have each other and to spend such quality time together.
Great piece Paige and we not only loved having you be part of the camera crew but loved your mom as well! You are both welcome to check out Dollar General Stores across the US as long as you join us at the other end. FYI – if you go to the BabeswithBullets.com website Marilyn just posted the new piece that you helped capture on tape. Like you already know God sent Marilyn to me many years ago and I”m NOT giving her back, she the backbone of our team. Thanks Paige for being part of that team!