Co-organizer Dina Mohler said 27 firearms were collected in the first Guns to Gardens event, held on May 4, 2024 in Charleston, West Virginia. The guns, which were voluntarily surrendered, were cut into pieces by volunteers using power saws and will be turned into art and implements, following the directive in the Bible verse Isaiah 2:4 to turn swords into plowshares and pruning tools. A Colorado-based group called RAWTools will make the art and implements.
From 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 4, 2024, gun owners who want to get rid of their guns will have a unique opportunity — surrender their guns to be broken down and made into art or gardening tools. Guns to Gardens will be held at St. Mark’s Methodist Church in the parking lot at 406 Dickinson St., Charleston.
Instead of dismantling guns and sending them off to make gardening tools on site. People who did show up could pledge to have their gun go through that process instead.