Delaware Valley Pink Pistols Announces Pistol Competition During 2004 Philly Pride Week

The Delaware Valley Chapter of the Pink Pistols announces that they have agreed to join the 2004 SportsWeek participants for Philadelphia Pride Week. Their event is the Pink Pistols Speed and Accuracy Pistol Challenge, a charity shooting event where persons, GLBT or straight, are invited to come and try their skill in the real-life equivalent of the old-time shooting gallery. The use of a revolver in sport is related in spirit to the use of a revolver in self-defense. The Pink Pistols hope that some of the contestants will be GLBT or straight persons new to shooting, who will decide to explore it more fully after the competition.

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) April 24, 2004 --The Delaware Valley Chapter of the Pink Pistols announces that they have agreed to join the 2004 SportsWeek participants for Philadelphia Pride Week. The Pink Pistols were pleased to be invited by the William Way Center (www.waygay.org) to take part in the first annual SportsWeek, 10 days of competitive sporting events, health and fitness seminars, community festivals, a Corporate Challenge, and introducing the first Philadelphia LGBT Sports Pioneer Award culminating in a final tenth day of celebration and diversity - Philadelphia Pride Day.

The mission of SportsWeek is to raise the awareness, enthusiasm, and
participation in sports and to a increase the positive image of a healthy, vibrant and active lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, straight-allied community. Since it has always been the goal of the Pink Pistols to foster exactly these ideals, and to serve as a bridge between the GLBT and straight communities, they were more than pleased to participate.

We did our best to envision an event that would be challenging yet enjoyable, something both beginners and experts could take part in," said Delaware Valley Chapter founder Gwen Patton. Shooting sports are a valuable and exciting part of the Olympic experience, and we sought to bring a small portion of that experience to our community with this event."

The event Patton speaks of is the Pink Pistols Speed and Accuracy Pistol Challenge, a charity shooting event where persons, GLBT or straight, are invited to come and try their skill in the real-life equivalent of the old-time shooting gallery. Contestants will have 15 minutes to fire 15 shots from a .38 caliber revolver at plates down range. If they hit the plate, it will fall over, just like in a shooting gallery. A timer will time how quickly they fire each group of five shots. Their best group of five will be compared with the other contestants, and the top three contestants will receive trophies.

Revolvers were chosen instead of rifles because they are easier to shoot, and because the Pink Pistols as an organization is dedicated to the self-defense of the GLBT community with legally-owned firearms. The use of a revolver in sport is related in spirit to the use of a revolver in self-defense. The Pink Pistols hope that some of the contestants will be GLBT or straight persons new to shooting, who will decide to explore it more fully after the competition.

Proceeds of the competition will be donated to The Delaware Valley Legacy Fund (www.critpath.org/dvlf), an endowed fund of The Philadelphia Foundation, one of the nation's oldest foundations. The Delaware Valley Legacy Fund has been instrumental in supporting many good works in the GLBT community, and the Pink Pistols applaud their efforts.

SportsWeek will be held on June 4 through 13, and the Pink Pistols Speed & Accuracy Pistol Challenge will be on June 5th at the Classic Pistol Indoor Range (www.classicpistol.com) in Southampton, PA. The competition will be from 9AM to 5PM, and all entrants will pay an entry fee of $30. Entrants must be 21 or older, and must have no criminal record to be allowed to handle a firearm.

CONTACT INFORMATION
National Media Spokesperson
Gwendolyn S. Patton
Pink Pistols
POB 60342
King of Prussia, PA 19406
267-386-8907

Dolph Ward Goldenburg
Executive Director
William Way Community Center
1315 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-732-2220 - p
215-732-0770 - f

Delaware Valley Legacy Fund
P.O. Box 13296
Philadelphia, PA 19101
215-476-4645

John Ricco
Classic Pistol Indoor Range
1310 Industrial Boulevard
Southampton, PA 18966
215-953-7264