DIXON – Katie Hauck had three 6-year-olds come up to her at a friend’s house and say they found a gun in the bathroom.

The gun turned out to be harmless – it was a plunger in the shape of a shotgun – but she commended them on leaving the firearm in question alone and telling an adult.

Incidents like that are why Hauck, of Dixon, and the other leaders of the Sauk Valley chapter of The Well Armed Woman organization set out to teach children about gun safety during a free event Sunday.

“Every child at some point will be somewhere where’s there’s a gun, and it’s important that they know what to do,” she said.

About 15 children gathered at Brandywine Banquets to share safety tips they’ve learned, whether it was to wear a helmet when riding a bike, put on a life jacket before getting on a boat, or call 911, and “don’t jump in the fire” when there’s an emergency.

“But what do you do when there’s a real gun?” Hauck asked the group. “They’re not toys, and they can be very, very dangerous.”

The answer Hauck gave the kids was simple, and included 4 steps as told by cartoon character Eddie Eagle, a gun safety mascot of the National Rifle Association: Stop. Don’t touch. Run away. Tell a grown-up.

Chapter co-leader Liz Butler said parents don’t need to be gun enthusiasts – or even own a gun – to teach their children safety.

“Safety is No. 1, even if you don’t own guns,” Butler said.

Rock Falls resident Debby Hughes, who attended Sunday’s session, said that with a gun in her house, she wants to make sure that her 10 grandchildren know how to be safe.

“Too many children are being shot accidentally,” she said. “I don’t want to see any of them become another statistic.”

Hughes said she is thinking of joining local Well Armed Woman club and learning more about on gun safety.

“If I can teach myself, then I can educate my children and grandchildren,” she said.

Rich VanAusdoll, president of the Sinnissippi Rod and Gun Club and a member of the Armed Responsible Citizens safety group, said the only way an accidental discharge can occur is if the gun is being pointed at someone and the trigger is pulled.

If children come across a gun and know not to do either of those things, accidents won’t happen, he said.

“By following these two simple rules, no one can get hurt,” he said.

VanAusdoll said it’s also important for parents to know how to safely handle the weapon in case their children bring them a gun.

“If you don’t know how to be safe, how do you expect to teach your kids?” he asked.

By being comfortable talking about gun safety with children, they will be less likely to seek it out and risk injury, Hauck said.

“Talking about it takes away that mysteriousness of it,” she said.

Sunday was the group’s first gun safety course for kids, and Butler said they might make it an annual event.

The group’s Sauk Valley chapter of The Well Armed Woman was established in February 2014 and has 31 members. Nationwide, the group has about 100,000 members. The Sauk chapter is one of about 20 throughout Illinois. Other area chapters include Oregon, Freeport and Rockford.

MORE INFO

The Sauk Valley chapter of the Well Armed Woman meets at 6 p.m. the third Friday of each month at the Sinnissippi Rod and Gun Club, 23181 Moline Road, Sterling.

The first meeting is free, and the annual membership fee is $50.

Go to sinnissippirodandgunclub.weebly.com and click on the Well Armed Woman link, or find the group on Facebook for more information.

Go to the thewellarmedwoman.com for more information on the national group.

Go to projectchildsafe.org for more information on kids gun safety.

EDDIE EAGLE

Go to eddieeagle.nra.org to learn more about Eddie Eagle.