There’s so much debate about gun ownership and gun safety happening these days that it can be hard to know where to turn – but the one thing we all can agree on is that each person has the right to be safe in their own home. While some people believe that owning a firearm is a part of their self-defense strategy, Jack Gilroy, the President of the Veterans for Peace, says that oftentimes when a gun is kept in the home, “family members tell of the fear of children using the guns, or of guns being used accidentally, in anger, or in domestic violence or suicide.”

If you have a gun that you are uncomfortable with for any reason, there’s no reason to continue feeling unsafe! On Saturday, May 12, from 9 am to 12 pm, the American Civic Association is partnering with Veterans for Peace of Broome County and the Broome County Sheriff’s Office to provide a safe way to dispose of your unwanted firearm. Bring the unwanted gun to the American Civic Association, located at 131 Front Street in Binghamton to discreetly turn it in. No questions will be asked! In exchange, the Veterans for Peace will issue a $50 grocery certificate for every working long gun (rifle or shotgun) and a $100 certificate for every handgun or assault-style weapon. The weapons will be melted down to prevent future use.

This Mother’s Day weekend, let’s make our community safer for everyone.