Only 18 percent of Texans who apply for concealed handgun licenses are women. However, one Conroe resident is trying to change that.

Donna Vandermolen has been recognized by the National Rifle Association (NRA) for doing her part in educating women about firearms and for her support of the right to bear arms.

"I just have fun. I enjoy it, it's a stress relief really," said Dottie Canterbury, a student of Vandermolen.

Canterbury has been going to the gun range for years now and has even gotten her daughter Angelina into the sport.

Usually the range is full of guys, but this posse is here to learn how to handle the big iron, each for their own reason.

"My husband, he is more into guns and he wanted guns in the house for safety, so I needed to learn," said Edith Breannan.

"I had an apartment that had the front door kicked in and luckily they saw me and left. After that I decided it was time to learn how to handle a gun if I was going to have one in the house," said college student Diane Howell.

Those are just some of the reasons that have these women seeking Vandermolen.

Vandermolen was recently awarded by the NRA with the Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award and she's the first woman Five-Gun Expert with the International Defensive Pistol Association.

"If you're going to shoot, you need to be able to handle your firearm safely so that you don't have any holes in anything you don't want holes in," said Vandermolen.

Her instructions on firearm safety brings in students from all over southeast Texas.

"She's good! She's just real safety minded and makes you feel real comfortable," said Canterbury

"If you're going to go through the time then you might as well go through the best," said Angelina Canterbury.

But it's not just the teaching of women that Donna takes to heart.

"Shooting sports need to continue just for the fun of it, the comradeship, as well as the personal defense. Lets support that second amendment and keep our freedoms intact," said Vandermolen.