Fire Women

ONGOING
Women, if the thought of shooting a gun triggers anxiety, consider this: In her act with the Wild West Show, Annie Oakley used to shoot cigarettes out of her husband's mouth. That's just one possible benefit of learning to handle a firearm at the free Annie Oakley Sure Shots program for women at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. Whether you're ready to learn to shoot or your aim is to improve your skills, fire away -- you don't even have to own a gun. The range provides loaners as well as free ammunition and ear and eye protection. The Sure Shots program, says director Trish Sampiere, offers unique firearms training "designed by women, for women, in a very comfortable atmosphere." Under the patient coaching of female instructors, students learn everything from gun safety to target shooting in a revolving 10-week course. And after the first round of basic training, many women stay in the program to gain expertise in hunting, home defense, tactical firearms, sporting clays and archery. Annie Oakley herself knew something about aiming high -- the famous sharpshooter once admitted that she had successfully avoided housework all her life. The Sure Shots meet from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday nights at Ben Avery, located just west of I-17 on Carefree Highway. For more information, visit www.basf.com or call 623-582-8313.- Kim Toms

Nice shot: Women take aim at Ben Avery.

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More About

• Annie Oakley
• Trish Sampiere
• Ben Avery
• Kim Toms
• Jill Koch

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The Fast Action Hero

Top Speedtakes velocity to the IMAX

7/3-9/30
Top Speed takes IMAX viewers on "a thrilling ride into the world of motion, acceleration and dynamics." Uniting the fast and the curious, the film shows viewers how the world looks (blurry!) to Olympic sprinter Marion Jones, racecar driver Lucas Luhr, downhill mountain biker Marla Streb and high-performance auto designer Stephen Murkett. Tickets are $9 for adults, $8 for seniors and $7 for children. Call 480-897-IMAX or see www.imax .com/tempe for showtimes.- Jill Koch