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Thanksgiving strategy is designed for getting highest participation
By Kathy Antoniotti
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Friday, Oct 24, 2008
Sponsors of the Goods for Guns program are hoping that the promise of a full belly will lure people to turn in their guns in exchange for $100 gift cards for Acme Fresh Markets.
The dates for the program, Nov. 21 and 22, were strategically selected this year to coincide with Thanksgiving because it's a time when thoughts traditionally turn to food, authorities said.
Last year, the event sponsored by the Summit County Crimestoppers, the Sheriff's Office, the Akron Police Department and several private corporations and nonprofit agencies removed 950 guns from the streets. This year, Crimestoppers hopes to purchase enough gift cards to increase that number and buy 1,200 guns.
In 2007, the program ran out of gift cards before the public ran out of guns.
''About 15 people turned in guns without receiving gift cards and the rest of them left,'' said Christine Croce, executive director of administration for the Summit County Sheriff's Office and the secretary/treasurer of Crimestoppers Inc.
After authorities left, a stream of people continued to the Jerusalem Baptist Church, said Marc Neal, who has served as pastor of the church for 15 years. Not all of them went away empty handed, he said.
''I will admit to it, I wrote a couple of checks to some of the people who came late,'' Neal said Thursday.
''There were people who were really in need. Some of them had small children in their cars. I'm a sucker for things like that.''
Guns will be collected from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days at two Akron campuses of the Jerusalem Baptist Church — 270 E. Wilbeth Road and 1225 Vernon Odom Blvd. Police will be on hand to accept and secure the weapons.
People bringing in guns won't be asked to identify themselves.
Various organizations, including the city of Akron and Crimestoppers, have pledged about half the amount needed for the program, and sponsors are asking the public to contribute the rest.
''It's a charitable donation and a tax deduction,'' Croce said. Sponsors hope to raise an additional $65,000 for the program.
Contributions can be made to Crimestoppers Inc., c/o the Summit County Sheriff's Office, 53 University Ave., Akron, OH 44308.
Kathy Antoniotti can be reached at 330-996-3565 or kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.
Sponsors of the Goods for Guns program are hoping that the promise of a full belly will lure people to turn in their guns in exchange for $100 gift cards for Acme Fresh Markets.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Barberton, OH
Posted 09:56 AM, 10/24/2008
WHAT AN AWESOME PROGRAM!
Posted 08:16 PM, 10/24/2008
The weather will be better than last time I hope, thank you for that. I hope to be there this time. We could still use the food money, thank you.
Posted 09:24 AM, 12/04/2008
this is the last thing you want to do..... martial law is coming and you will need those firearms.
google: zeitgeist, endgame, martiallaw, and loosechange
