LIMA, OH (WLIO) - A blacksmith demonstrated an alternative to gun violence.
Nonprofits were there to hand out information about resources in the community, and several guest speakers also shared personal stories about how gun violence has impacted their lives forever.
The Center for Peace and Reconciliation hosted "Growing Seeds of Peace: Guns into Garden Tools" on Saturday, an event where people could watch guns get smelted and hammered into items like a spade. The rifles were donated by the Lima Police Department after being confiscated from individuals who did use them or intended to use them in crimes.
Nonprofits were there to hand out information about resources in the community, and several guest speakers also shared personal stories about how gun violence has impacted their lives forever. One pair of friends that spoke out warned others to learn from their own mistakes. During a heated argument, Randall Seigler accidentally shot Brian Choate twice. His wounds resulted in a shoulder replacement surgery and blindness in his right eye.
Joel Shenk hopes his demonstrations show people that it's never too late to change yourself, others, and your community.
"This is my brother right here; this is my best friend, and we never would've thought it would happen between us. We forgave each other after it, but you never know what can happen when you're not in the right state of mind," Choate explained.
"If you do know somebody that's suffering with mental illness or alcoholism and they have a gun accessible to them, maybe reach out to them and let them know that you can hold the gun for a while, have it at your place, maybe lock it up for them. Just until they get better," Seigler recommended.
Joel Shenk, a volunteer blacksmith with the national nonprofit RAWtools, hopes his demonstrations show people that it's never too late to change yourself, others, and your community.
The two tools created at the event were presented to LACNIP and the City of Lima as thanks for their work to prevent gun violence.
"At the end, the people who have been impacted by gun violence, they came forward, and they were able to take the hammer and actually participate in transforming the gun. And in situations like that, it's very healing for people. It unlocks something. It's visceral; it's tangible," Shenk said.
The two tools created at the event were presented to LACNIP and the City of Lima as thanks for their work to prevent gun violence.
