At our first local Guns to Gardens event held May 4th, 2024, 17 individuals surrendered 27 firearms which were dismantled on site. There were 4 single shot rifles/shotguns, 16 handguns, and 7 semi-automatic weapons.
All firearms were dismantled with chop saws and our partner non-profit, RAWTools-South, took the gun parts to their forge in Asheville, NC where they were reformed into jewelry, art and garden tools (available for sale at https://south.rawtools.org).
In addition, RAWTools-South sent a variety of garden tools and jewelry to Charleston’s First Presbyterian Church for sale at their annual Hope Village Craft Sale.
Reasons for surrendering guns included:
- I inherited the gun and never wanted to own it
- I am worried a child will find it and use it.
- I don’t like guns and don’t want it to fall in the wrong hands.
- I don’t want it in the house.
- The gun needed repaired, I don’t know how to do it, and I want peace of mind.
- The gun is old and unsafe.
- I no longer need the gun.
One man said he would rather not say why he was surrendering the gun but asked it he could watch it be cut up. He filmed the sawing with his cell phone. We wondered if that gun had been used in a suicide- a common reason guns are brought to Guns to Gardens events.
Income (Donations)
- Temple Israel–$200
- Judicial and Advocacy Committee of WV United Methodist Church–$1,000
- McJunkin Family Foundation–$1,000
- First Presbyterian Church–$2,753
- Daywood Foundation–$3,500
- Private donations–$2,510
Total $10,463
Expenditures
- RAWTools-South (Expertise, equipment- saws, bullet chambers, tents, misc. equipment–$3,500
- RAWTools-South Expenses–$527.69
- Gift cards (Krogers and Walmart)–$6,400 ( gift cards disbursed $3850)
Total $10,427.69
Balance
- Gifts Cards Not Used–$2,550
- Village Chapel Guns to Gardens Bank Account–$35.31
Total $2,585.31
Charleston Guns to Garden 