Dismantled firearms to be turned into art and garden tools
TOLEDO — Area residents are invited to safely dispose of unwanted firearms June 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at a drive-through event hosted by Monroe Street United Methodist Church.
Organized by the Multifaith Coalition to Reduce Gun Violence and other partners, the event gives community members a secure and responsible way to remove unwanted guns from their homes. Trained staff will handle the disposal of firearms on site, with guns to be dismantled by chop saws or melted down in forges.
Disarmory Ministries, a nonprofit based in Berkley, Mich., is providing technical assistance for the event. Once the guns are dismantled by chop saws, volunteers will be creating artwork on site by reassembling the parts into peace signs or words such as “peace,” “hope” or “love.”
Pastor Joel Shenk of Toledo Mennonite Church and Rev. Rosalind Hughes of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio will also be at the event using mobile forges to melt down gun parts and create garden tools in connection with the national Guns to Gardens movement. The concept draws inspiration from the biblical passage in Isaiah 2:4 that describes beating “swords into ploughshares” and “spears into pruning-hooks.”
Gun owners are asked to ensure firearms are unloaded and secured in the back of their vehicles as they drive through the line. When they exit, they are eligible to receive a gift card for Meijer or Kroger in the following amounts, at a maximum of $300 per person:
- $50 for long guns
- $100 for handguns
- $200 for assault-style rifles
Free gun locks and information about safely storing firearms will also be available from the Toledo chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Other partners include Northwest Ohio Parents of Murdered Children and Sisters 4 Unity, a local support group for mothers who have lost children to gun violence. A grant from Cities United, a fund of Tides Center, provided support for the event.
Sherin Henley, lead survivor for Moms Demand Action, said many young people have become desensitized to seeing guns and even gravitate toward them. “It’s very concerning. It’s an uphill battle, but someone has to fight it,” said Henley. Her son, Darrin Smith Jr., was killed at 20 years old after he stood up to a young man who was shooting a gun in the neighborhood.
“So I picked up that torch. I stand on the hill for fighting gun violence,” said Henley. “If my son can do it, I can do it.”
Approximately 40 volunteers from at least 10 local faith communities are expected on Saturday, according to Rev. Meribah Mansfield, a deacon at Trinity Episcopal Church in Toledo and co-founder of the Multifaith Coalition to Reduce Gun Violence.
The Coalition is a grassroots network of more than 30 faith communities across northwest Ohio working together to promote education, awareness and action around gun violence prevention.
Rev. Mansfield founded the coalition three years ago with Mike Linehan, a layperson from Olivet Lutheran Church in Sylvania. While marching in the Old West End Festival parade with members of Moms Demand Action and representatives from other faith communities, the two realized that many churches already have gun violence task forces in place and thought it made sense to coordinate their efforts.
“Reducing preventable harm bridges across all faiths,” said Linehan.
The coalition has hosted educational forums at churches and built a mailing list with more than 200 people that shares information about local events. They collaborate on the issue with other organizations including the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE).
Linehan said the group is not anti-gun, but rather is focused on getting unwanted firearms off the street and out of homes. “It’s about creating a safer community,” he said.
“It’s also about raising awareness about gun safety and gun violence prevention,” added Rev. Meribah.
Saturday’s event coincides with Gun Violence Awareness Month. Other related upcoming events include:
- Gun Violence Prevention panel at the Main Library on Thursday, June 18 at 5:30 p.m. featuring speakers about the impacts of gun violence and how to get involved to be a part of the solution.
- Cease Fire event at the Glass City Picnic Pavilion on Thursday, July 2 from 2 to 6 p.m., a community barbeque and peace-building event planned by the MONSE Save Our Community program.
- Save Our Community is hosting summer outreach barbecues focused on violence prevention, youth engagement and summer activities from 12-5 p.m. on June 10 at Willys Park, June 14 at Wilson Park, June 23 at Navarre Park, July 28 at Roosevelt Park and Aug. 5 at Jamie Farr Splash Pad.
In addition, Toledo City Council has partnered with the Toledo Lucas County Public Library to hand out free cable gun locks at all branch locations. According to the Locks Save Lives initiative, safe firearm storage is one of the most effective ways to prevent accidental shootings, youth access to firearms and gun theft. Library patrons can request up to two free gun locks.
