editor’s note
OUTDOOR WOMEN UNLIMITED: A TRADITION
“The break of dawn is hope….encouragement
motivates challenge….education drives success”
As an outdoor enthusiast, the excitement in “breaking my
first clay, hooking my first bass, or harvesting my first rack
buck empowered my adventurous spirit. My desire to continue to develop my skills became addictive. My driving
passion to create an organization for women that support
diverse outdoor education activities and to provide opportunity for advancement motivated my efforts and basically,
Blazed the Trail!
Humbling my thoughts provided me the insight to premier
the women who pioneered the journey for opportunity…
The Women of the West. My perception of women of the
west focuses on the stories and films of the Old West. Being
recognized as pure, self-sacrificing supporting characters
was only a shadow of the reality. Women of the West were
more than wives and domestic engineers, teachers and healers. When settling, men cultivated and established the first
means of order. Then the ladies became the “land tamers.”
Creativity was a gift that became a lifeline for the family. The
vast, infinite aura of the plains was extremely intimidating.
However, “Accepting No Limits,” the rustic nature of a prairie
cabin, became a home, school and a church.
Blaze introduces four women who made a difference in
the Old West just as women of the plains; their patience
strengthened their pursuit to overcome and reach their goal.
Welcome to BLAZE!
Rebecca
OWU Mission Statement
OWU is an organization dedicated to providing women and families with the education and the excitement of the outdoor experience through teaching outdoor life
skills, sharing the knowledge of our natural resources, while building self esteem,
strengthening individual character, and promoting self-reliance in a safe and professional environment.
Definition of BLAZE(n)
1a: an intensely burning fire b: intense direct light often accompanied by heat c: an active burning; especially: a sudden bursting forth of flame
2: something that resembles the blaze of a fire: as a: a dazzling display b: a sudden outburst
3. (v) - an accomplishment of a task, challenge, or goal in an outdoor activity: to
harvest a trophy game; to break a target