Church trades groceries for guns in buyback program
Associated Press
AKRON — As the struggling economy continues to sputter, a Northeast Ohio church is offering a swap of guns for groceries.
Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church in Akron said it collected about 580 guns on Friday as part of its Goods for Guns buyback program. In exchange for turning in rifles, shotguns and handguns, people can receive $100 grocery certificates from Acme Fresh Market stores.
The program yielded 950 guns in 2007.
Bill Holland, an inspector with the Summit County Sheriff’s Department, said gun-toting people were already lined up outside the church at 9 a.m. on Friday.
Police officers checked weapons at the door to ensure they were not loaded. The weapons, which will be destroyed, were loaded into a large plastic garbage can.
As people waited in line outside the church, some gun collectors tried to buy weapons, but they were asked to leave, Holland said.
The Rev. Marc Neal, pastor of Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church, said he thinks the program will help prevent accidental shootings at home. Last year, someone turned in a gun found beneath a mattress. Another loaded gun was discovered in an Easter basket, he said.
“It relieves the easy access of guns being available inside the home,” Neal said.
Gun enthusiasts nationwide have been stocking up on firearms since President-elect Barack Obama won the election out of fears that his administration and a Democrat-dominated Congress will enact tough new gun laws.
Marlayna McKinley-Harmon, 62, and her husband, Kenneth Harmon, 57, of Akron, brought in two handguns — a .32-caliber pistol and a .25-caliber pistol — because they don’t want their 5-year-old grandson to “get a hold of it.”
“It will make things safer around the house,” said McKinley-Harmon, whose purse was imprinted with her grandson’s photograph.
Paul Raymond, 46, of Akron, turned in his late father’s .32-caliber pistol, but did not plan to keep the grocery card.
“There are three families in our parish that can use some food,” he said.
Neal said each year there are about 4,800 accidental shootings in the United States.
The program is sponsored by the church, Summit CountyCrimestoppers, the city of Akron, Summit County Sheriff Drew Alexander, Acme Fresh Market grocery stores, the Thomarios Co., Medical Mutual, the Dellagnese Co., Summit County Juvenile Court and Oriana House.
About 100 grocery gift cards are left to be distributed on Saturday.
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Filed by Associated Press November 23rd, 2008 in Local and State. Popularity: 1% |
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