Monica Ferrucci, whose father was in the Air Force and CIA, had not always been the comfortable around guns. She actually had to conquer her fear of them for the sake of her oldest son, Joe. He wanted to learn how to properly handle firearms and Monica was never one “to drop him off at the local range without knowing what the program was about”. She attended some training and eventually found herself volunteering, running a marksmanship program and accompanying women to buy their own guns.
Monica is a woman who believes in making informed decisions and lives her life trying to empower women to do just that. She knows that owning a gun is not for every woman, but she wants to be sure that women have all the information they need to make an informed decision. After accompanying several different women shopping for their frst firearm at various stores in the area, Monica recognized a need for more women on staff to help women (the largest growing demographic of gun owners) with their purchases. Monica called Randy VanDam, owner of D&R Monica Ferrucci Sports Center, to suggest that he hire a woman for just that purpose. Recognizing a great idea when he saw it, he hired Monica and the rest is history.
In her position as Manager and Buyer at D&R, Monica loves helping people figure out what works for them. She believes in informing women of the facts of firearms and safety, enabling them to make educated decisions (not based on fear) and encouraging them to refuse to be a victim. She says “It is about educating people with the knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary to avoid possible life-threatening encounters. Whether or not they choose to incorporate a firearm is their decision. I hope that they learn to be more aware of their environment and make safe choices to keep them from becoming victims. I encounter many wives or mothers that don’t feel safe around their husband’s firearms. Merely learning how to load and unload the firearm and understanding how the firearm functions eases their mind.”
Monica, a Personal Defense Specialist is passionate about empowering women to protect themselves and she does her best to bring her “Refuse to be a Victim” training to any group that requests it. Monica has been gifted with a grant to conduct a “Refuse to Be A Victim” Program at Paw Paw Conservation Club in Paw Paw, Michigan (date to be set in early fall). Monica is also a certified NRA instructor for teaching personal carry classes (CPL). If your group is interested in having Monica come and educate women on how to defend themselves or you’d like to attend one of her classes, you can email her at [email protected] for more information.
Monica is a busy mom who found herself divorced after 17 years of marriage. She is mother to two young men and a daughter, whom she home schooled through the ninth grade. Her daughter, Jessica, is a Junior at Mattawan High School and her middle son, Corey, is a cook. Joe, the oldest, is a certified welder and assists her in classes when his schedule allows.
