By Jodi Stemler

Empowering. Uplifting. Amazing.

The one-word descriptions given by the women as the ROSE Retreat New Hampshire came to a close were repeated by every participant. For everyone, however, the most common theme was the gift that SIG has given us with the ROSE program. It’s a gift of strength and bravery, of pushing outside what is comfortable to embrace a community of loving, supportive women focused solely on lifting each other up along our respective journeys.

We all ventured to Portsmouth, New Hampshire in late May, anticipating the longer ROSE Retreat that offered two and a half days of training at the storied SIG Experience Center and the opportunity to look within the company to see that the culture and community begin from the top. It was the longest Retreat yet, but more important than the extra time on the range was the laughter, tears, and love that flowed in the hours in between.

The strength of the ROSE Community was evident throughout and is the silk thread that wove itself through all of us, woven more tightly each year within the growing ranks of event alumnae.

Among the 36 participants were 12 alumnae of previous ROSE Retreats serving as the big “SIGsters” in the growing community. They welcomed friends from past events and immediately reached beyond to welcome the newcomers—the brand new shooters, the two international guests, the SIG employees nominated by their bosses to participate in the event, and the women stepping far outside their normal comfort zone.

As always, the women of SIG’s ROSE program curated a special event—every detail was considered and every moment we felt celebrated. Their gift to us is allowing us to build confidence along our firearms journey and comfort in the camaraderie forged over our days together.

It’s the gift of leaving behind the burdens of our daily lives to take time for ourselves, to remember—or find—the joy of having a community of women not looking to tear each other down but to build the next chapters of our lives.

It’s a gift of new friendships between women across the country, women with shared interests regardless of their upbringing or their firearms skill level.

And as one participant simply stated, friends are family.

Since its launch just over three years ago, the ROSE has truly blossomed. The magic of the program is not made up through the products; it’s made up of every woman following their own path along their journey of life.

While most retreats conclude with the announcement of the next Retreat, this year the big reveal was for the ROSE Women’s Festival, planned for October 25-27 in Las Vegas—an event that will be the biggest yet with space for 300+.

The women of SIG know the value of community, of connection, and the opportunity to spend time together. As the ranks of SIGsters grows, they are planning an event that will bring back the growing fellowship of retreat alumnae and open the window for an even greater number of women to be welcomed into their ranks.

The ROSE Retreat in Portsmouth went out with a “Made in the USA” theme celebrating our nation’s 250th birthday and SIG’s commitment to American manufacturing and American workers. The red, white, and blue decor was mirrored in the creative outfits we all wore. It was a night of dancing, laughter, and the exchanging of contact information to keep the connection tight.

It was the end of our week of sisterhood, but it was truly the beginning of our lifelong friendships, and it’s a safe place for everyone. That’s the gift ROSE gives to us.

See you in Vegas