NH Guns to Gardens Event Allows Granite Staters to Turn Unwanted Firearms Into Garden Tools

*** Media Advisory for Saturday, June 10th ***

NH Guns to Gardens Event Allows Granite Staters to Turn Unwanted Firearms Into Garden Tools

GunSense NH, NH Council of Churches, Kent Street Coalition, and other members of the NH Gun Violence Prevention Coalition offer opportunity for Granite Staters to safely dispose of unwanted guns without putting them back out on the market; giveback gun program is the first New Hampshire event of national effort

CONCORD, NH – On Saturday, June 10th from 10 am to 2 pm, GunSense NH, a project of Granite State Progress, the NH Council of Churches, Kent Street Coalition, and other members of the NH Gun Violence Prevention Coalition will host a “Guns to Gardens” event at the Concord Wesley United Methodist Church in Concord.

Guns to Gardens provides the opportunity for gun owners to bring their unwanted firearms to a location for volunteers to provide the service of disabling those firearms and turning them into garden tools. Under state law, New Hampshire law enforcement officials are prohibited from destroying firearms which come into their possession and must either store the firearms, use them, or sell them back out on the market.  Guns to Gardens provides an opportunity for Granite Staters to remove unwanted firearms from circulation.

“This is a great opportunity for Granite Staters who want to remove unwanted firearms from their homes without putting them back out on the market,” said Zandra Rice Hawkins, director of GunSense NH, a project of Granite State Progress. “We are thrilled to bring Guns to Gardens to our state to reduce unwanted firearms in our homes and instead transform them into something more useful, and less harmful, to our community.”

“Many Americans are realizing that having a firearm in the home can increase the chances of someone creating harm to themselves or others,” said Nancy Brown, Guns to Gardens Project Coordinator. “I’m excited that Gun Sense NH and our coalition partners are sponsoring the first of what, we hope, will become an annual Guns to Gardens event. This event provides the opportunity for unwanted guns to be permanently taken out of circulation, making our homes and communities safer places to live, work, go to school, and play.”

“We are at a watershed moment in this country when it comes to preventing gun violence,” said Rev. Heidi Carrington Heath, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Council of Churches. “It should be easier to get rid of unwanted guns, and when laws prevent that, we must do it ourselves. This event is a step toward creating a world with fewer guns, and less gun violence.”

To participate, interested community members should bring unloaded firearms in the trunk of the car or bed of truck and remain in the vehicle at all times. Guns will be removed from vehicles by a volunteer and delivered to the chop saw operator, who will disable the firearm. Scrap metal from the firearms will then be donated and go to a metal artist to be later transformed into garden tools and other works of art. The identity of those relinquishing firearms can remain anonymous.

What:       NH Guns to Gardens Event

When:      Saturday, June 10th, 10 AM – 2 PM

Where:     Wesley United Methodist Church, 79 Clinton St, Concord, NH

How:        Learn more details about the Guns to Garden event and how it works

Members of the media interested in attending should contact info@granitestateprogress.org by Friday at 4:00 PM. The event is not open for general public or media viewing.

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The NH Gun Violence Prevention Coalition has worked together for the last decade to protect and advance common sense public safety laws. Members include gun violence prevention advocates, moms, medical professionals, gun owners, veterans, law enforcement, elected officials, school administrators, educators, students, and faith leaders, and organizations representing various constituencies.  The coalition is convened by GunSense NH, a project of Granite State Progress.