Gun Violence Program Reminder

Remember that our church is co-sponsoring a program about gun violence.

Gun activist Toby Hoover will speak on gun violence as part of a speech and panel presentation titled Reducing Gun Violence to be presented at the Akron - Summit County Library Auditorium at 6:30 pm on October 10th, at 60 South High St., Akron. Admission is free.

Toby Hoover, Executive Director of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, has worked over thirty years at a state and national level to reduce gun violence. She has received many awards for her activism, including the Sue Kingsley Memorial Volunteer Award presented to her by James Brady in 1999. Toby’s understanding of gun violence is particularly clear, having suffered the loss of an immediate family member to gun violence.

Ms. Hoover’s talk will be followed by a panel discussion by Judge Linda Teodosio - Summit County Juvenile Court, Officer Schismenos - head of the Akron Police Gang Unit, Judy Joice - President of Greenleaf Family Center, and University of Akron School of Communication Professor N. J. Brown - an expert on media affect on violence.

Guns are the second leading cause of injury death in Ohio; 1,036 firearm deaths were recorded in 2004––only 20 of those deaths were unintentional. Only 8% of the people killed by guns are killed in felony crimes.

A question and answer period will follow the presentations.

This program is presented by the Social Action Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron in partnership with the Akron Area Association of Churches, Akron Area Interfaith Council, American Friends Service Committee, Catholic Commission and the Coalition for a Safe Community.

Also, a programming note: Sen. Tom Sawyer, once on the bill, is unable to attend. Susie, the Social Action Committee and the co-sponsors have put great effort into putting this together. And it looks like a great program. If you can make it, to support the work of the church and learn more on this timely topic, please be there.