Dozens of guns turned in and used to make garden tools

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Surrendering guns and creating change. Dozens of people gave up their guns to help prevent more gun violence in Memphis on Saturday.

Guns to Garden is a national movement that made its way to Memphis.

“I saw other areas cities, college towns, rural towns that were doing this kind of thing and I thought maybe this is something that could catch on here,” said Patrick Harley, Pastor of Evergreen Presbyterian Church.

Harley along with the congregation at Evergreen Presbyterian Church and experts were able to dismantle unloaded guns so they could no longer legally be firearms.

Johanna Burkett who is a member of the church volunteered to chop up the guns.

“I am over there with the chop saw, chopping up pieces of guns,” she said. “[We] Love the Memphis community and wanted to do something even if it may seem like a small thing, to be able to make a difference in the safety and peace of our community.”

The Guns to Garden movement works to dismantle guns to reduce gun violence in communities. Those who dismantle the guns then take the metal from those guns and create garden tools and art.

“Just to give people hope and feel like there is something that they can do and that it is not all just despair and hopelessness,” said Burkett.

Harley said so much work is already happening to stop violence in Memphis so, he hopes this just adds to it.

“So, I hope with their continued efforts and bold and creative things like this today,” he said.

According to the church, on March 23, the Metal Museum will have a display of all the art made from the guns dismantled on Saturday.

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