Feb. 12. Lake Norman Area Faith Communities is planning a unique Gun Safe Surrender Event on Feb. 17 at Gethsemane Baptist Church in Davidson.

Anyone may bring an unloaded gun to be dismantled and transformed into garden tools and art by RAWtools South, an organization that turns guns into garden tools.

RAWtools South is part of a growing network of blacksmiths who forge dismantled guns into garden tools and art as per Micah 4:3: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.”

Background

Organizers of the event say 43,000 Americans die every year from gun violence. The majority of the deaths are from suicide, followed by homicide, family violence and unintentional shootings. Removing an unsecured, unwanted gun can prevent deaths.

Those donating guns will receive a gift card to local groceries or home improvement stores: $100 card for rifles and shotguns, $150 for handguns, and $200 for assault weapons after that gun has been disabled.

Details

—Individuals may safely dispose of unwanted guns anonymously.

—Trained volunteers will use power tools to make cuts to the gun according to guidelines from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Once these cuts are made it is no longer legally a gun, so there is no transfer of ownership

—The public is asked, when bringing their working and unloaded gun, to leave the UNLOADED gun(s) stored in the trunk of the vehicle or in a locked container.

—This is a drive-thru event, and only donors of guns and registered volunteers will be allowed on the property.

When

Feb. 17. 1 pm to 4 pm

Everyone is invited to a demonstration at 5 p.m. in which metal from a disabled gun is transformed into a gardening tool.

Sponsors

Davidson College Presbyterian Church, Cornelius Presbyterian Church, Gethsemane Baptist Church, Temple Kohl Tikvah.