Case one: A woman, standing alongside a disabled vehicle, waved hopefully at oncoming vehicles. She was well-dressed and flashed a big smile as she shrugged her shoulders, palms up in a universal gesture of confusion.

Nate knew his way around under the hood of a car, so he pulled over to see if he could help. As he opened the hood of her car, the woman and the man who had been under a blanket in the back seat of her car hopped into Nate's car, giving a cheery toot of the horn as they roared by him.Now it was Nate's turn to try to flag down a motorist, since his wallet and cellphone were in his vehicle.Case two: Neighbors said you could set your clock by them. Each afternoon, after watching the midday news, the retired couple took a dawdling walk around their neighborhood. They liked to walk slowly, taking in the signs of the changing seasons, and also took time to check on elderly neighbors.One day when they returned to the house, they found their front door ajar. In their absence, their house had been ransacked.It's a sad comment on the state of the world that those who are kind to others may be the perfect target for a criminal. But there are ways to live true to your ideals while protecting yourself and your family.When members of the Blue Ridge Cherry Valley Rod & Gun Club discussed their goals for the new year, they found a couple recurring themes: find a way to be more involved in the community, and educate people about personal safety.The Refuse to Be a Victim seminar, which is an award-winning crime prevention program, was the perfect fit.The club will host two seminars of the program at 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. April 25, at the clubhouse, located at 2178 Smith Road, Sciota."For our club, this is going to be the year of personal protection," said club Michael Sak, vice president. "The seminar is open to the public, men, women and children age 12 and up."Preregistration is required at www.brcv-rodgun.org or by emailing vp@brvc-rodgun.org, or by calling 732-208-7588.Refuse to Be a Victim seminars teach people of all ages how to avoid dangerous situations and prevent criminal confrontations. Seminar topics include personal safety, as well as home, automobile, telephone, technological and travel security.The program was developed by the National Rifle Association in 1993. Nationally there are more than 4,000 instructors, and seminars have been held in all 50 states; more than 100,000 people have taken the seminars.And what have they learned?"Millions of crimes are committed each year against people in our communities," said club secretary Peg Kraft. "Most of these crimes might have been avoided if people had basic knowledge on how to take the necessary precautions to reduce their chances of being victimized."The seminar provides information about how to reduce a person's chance of becoming a victim of identity theft, home break-ins, assault, workplace violence, domestic violence, stalking and more.Kraft said the club decided to host the seminar as a public service for the surrounding communities, so that people can get strategies to use in everyday life to reduce their chance of becoming a victim."These seminars will teach people how to improve their personal safety strategies, and what techniques and tactics can be used to help avoid becoming easy victims of crime," Sak said."They include common-sense crime prevention that can be integrated in daily lives.About the clubThe club was organized by local farmers and sportsmen and was chartered in 1874. Approximately 8 acres were acquired in 1952 and a one-room clubhouse was built by members.As the club grew, two more rooms were added. In 2008, by membership vote, the club became 100 percent NRA membership. The club has a trap range and rifle/pistol ranges.New members must pay a $50 application fee, and yearly membership is $100.As part of the club's 2015 goal to reach out to the community, Blue Ridge Cherry Valley is having two membership drives, waiving the $50 application fee for women and students.All new members must take the NRA Basic Pistol Course, which is $55; this fee is being waived for new students members in 2015.