MERIDIAN —     Anyone thinking that Betty Lacy can't take care of herself better think twice because the 81-year-old widow from Meridian is packing heat.

    "I have a permit to carry my .38 and I know how to use it," says Lacy.

    Lacy is one of three remaining charter members of the Lauderdale Association of Women Shooters, LAWS, that just recently celebrated its 30th birthday. She says the organization, formed with the help and instruction of Meridian Police Department officers in August 1981, is still going strong with about 35 members.

    "The ladies range in age from 30 to my age," Lacy says. "We have a great many others whom we train to handle a gun."

    Seven of the LAWS members, including Lacy, are certified National Rifle Association (NRA) gun instructors. Lacy says the club takes women who want to learn about guns through all the steps including how to buy a gun, store a gun, clean it, and most importantly, how to operate and fire the weapon.

    Lacy says the women use revolvers because of their simplicity and reliability. She and her husband, T.M. Lacy, were able to find some acreage on their property to set up a shooting range in 1987. Once a month the ladies meet to go over the latest in firearm safety and operation and to go out and fire off some rounds.

    Lacy credits Tommy Long, a former MPD officer who is now deceased, with planting the idea of a women's shooting club. He was a primary instructor for civilian firearm safety and operation with the MPD for many years and thought a club would be perfect for those women who enjoyed the sport and who wanted to learn how to defend themselves.

    Lacy says once the club was started, Jimmy Cole, an NRA certified instructor from Starkville, came down to certify some of the women members so they too could pass that knowledge on to others. But Lacy says firearms aren't for everyone.

    "I grew up around guns and my husband had a lot of them," Lacy says. "Our idea of a good time when we were courting was going out in the country and shooting frogs. But some people who come to us find out guns aren't their cup of tea. That's good. At least they know they don't want to handle a gun. Then they can go find something else they are more comfortable with."

    Even for those who aren't sure, Lacy says they can come out and take one of the classes offered by the club. That way they can find out if guns are right for them or not.

    "We have guns they can shoot, the ammo and the targets," Lacy says. "Some people come to realize how much fun it is to shoot and they get hooked. But the guns are also for personal protection and we teach that as well."

    For example, Lacy says it is important for someone thinking about buying a gun to make sure it fits them. A handgun doesn't need to be too big, either in size or power, so that the person can handle it safely and efficiently.

    "That is why we use revolvers and not semi-automatics," Lacy says.

    For 30 years, the club, and their charter members, Lacy, Shirley Stodard Troupe and Pennie Dempsey, have preached the dos and don'ts of firearm safety and operation. For them, the lure of the club has always been the friends they have made through the years and the allure of shooting.

    To learn more about the club call Lacy at (601) 681-8575 or Mildred Thompson at (601) 485-5725.