Fremont police participate in gun drive event

FREMONT — The second annual Guns to Gardens event took place Saturday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Residents from Fremont and surrounding areas joined the community event to support gun safety and promote gun violence prevention.

“Last year the event was able to raise eight firearms from donors,” said event administrator Kay Klein. “This year we received 32 guns to turn into gardening tools. Once the guns were cut into pieces, the people who returned them received a total of $4,150,” said the woman, who is also senior warden of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Fremont police inspect guns for safety reasons

The event allowed people to anonymously turn in their unwanted firearms. Fremont police officers inspected the weapons to ensure they were unloaded. Then, a chop saw operator dismantled and deactivated the firearms. Toledo blacksmiths Carolyn Powers and Ken Glass melted down the weapons and forged them into gardening tools.

“We use the whole gun to make the tools, we cut the pieces up and make handles, like the wooden part of a shotgun,” blacksmith Ken Glass said.

Klein said, “There are two reasons for this event: one to get guns off the street and two, to get back guns that people no longer want, or that don’t work properly, or that they have inherited, and it’s really about gun safety. »

The blacksmithing demonstration showed how weapon parts can be reused. Various community groups will provide valuable resources on gun violence and safety knowledge. There was also music, crafts for children and a food truck.