Creativity Combats Gun Violence: PeaceSkill Family Fun Day June 9

PEEKSKILL, NY — Peekskill police and a handful of the city's creative thinkers have come up with a unique and loving way to do a citywide gun buy-back. Figuratively, it has to do with beating swords into plowshares. Literally, it has to do with finding the funding to get unsecure and unwanted guns off the streets and out of people's homes.

"We hear so much in the news about people with mental health issues having access to guns," said Peekskill Police Chief Don Halmy. "And there's that risk of children having access, or teens."

The city has done gun buy-backs before, but not in the past five years. And they never are paid for with city funds.

So police officials got together with Vice-Mayor Kathy Talbot and talked about how to get one off the ground, Halmy said. And Louie Lanza, who has been devoted to the revitalization of Peekskill's downtown, heard about it and stepped up.

The Lanza Family Foundation pulled in Head Brewer Justin Sturges of the River Outpost Brewing Co. and local artist and blacksmith Geoff Feder.

They brought a creative sensibility to the plan. "They talked about putting together something that would promote peace," Halmy said.

And they came up with an idea that will not only raise money for the buy-back (last time there were so many guns brought in that the department ran out of money to buy them) but will involve the whole community in a celebration.

That's happening Saturday — the PeaceSkill Family Fun Day. It's at the Factoria, 5 John Walsh Blvd., from noon to 9 p.m. Not only will there will be tons of activities for kids and adults, but also Sturges has brewed up a unique beer just for the occasion. They're calling it PeaceSkill IPA.

The money raised will go to the gun buy-back. And the guns will go to Feder, whose work adorns many of Lanza's restaurants, to be made into art.

The most important thing from the police standpoint is that there not be anything to the guns that could be re-used. Still, "it's going to be a powerful image," Halmy said.

Sept. 15 is the actual buy-back.

"The most exciting part of this is that it’s a public and private partnership," said Louie Lanza. "It’s people coming together regardless of political perspectives or personal or business agendas, with a goal of making the community safer. Peekskill is a city on the move, and this is another great initiative that is a strong example of government, citizens and businesses working together."

Can't make it on Saturday but would love to show your support?

Images via Peekskill Police Department