Charleston Guns to Garden

Charleston Guns to Garden (G2G) operates as a nonprofit firearm recycling program serving the Charleston, West Virginia area and surrounding Kanawha County communities. The organization provides a safe, legal, and judgment-free way for individuals to surrender unwanted firearms.

The program follows a defined safety protocol:

1. Firearm Inspection - Each gun is checked to ensure it's unloaded 2. On-Site Dismantling - Firearms are cut up using chop saws, separating metal and wood components 3. Metal Transformation - Components are melted down following Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms guidelines 4. Crafting - Metal and wood are reformed into functional garden tools, jewelry, and art pieces

The organization has documented several common reasons people surrender firearms:

• •Inheritance concerns - "I inherited the gun and never wanted to own it"
• •Child safety - "I am worried a child will find it and use it"
• •Personal preference - "I don't like guns and don't want it to fall in the wrong hands"
• •Home security - "I don't want it in the house"
• •Maintenance issues - "The gun needed repaired, I don't know how to do it, and I want peace of mind"
• •Condition problems - "The gun is old and unsafe"
• •No longer needed - "I no longer need the gun"

The program also recognizes that suicide prevention is a significant aspect of firearm surrender services.

At the inaugural event, 17 individuals surrendered 27 firearms that were dismantled on-site:

All firearms were dismantled with chop saws and transported to RAWTools-South's forge in Asheville, NC, where they were reformed into jewelry, art, and garden tools.

Participants who surrender firearms receive grocery gift cards from Walmart and Kroger as tokens of appreciation.

Charleston G2G partners with RAWTools-South, a nonprofit organization based in Asheville, North Carolina. RAWTools-South:

• •Provides all dismantling equipment (chop saws, bullet chambers, tents)
• •Operates the forge where metal components are melted and reformed
• •Handles all insurance requirements for safe event operations
• •Crafts the final products available for purchase at https://south.rawtools.org
• •Produces handcrafted garden tools, jewelry, and art pieces

These finished items were featured for sale at First Presbyterian Church's Hope Village Craft Sale in December 2024, generating community awareness and support.

Charleston G2G is supported by donations from:

• •Religious organizations (Temple Israel, West Virginia United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church)
• •Family foundations (McJunkin Family Foundation, Daywood Foundation)
• •Private donors

2024 Financial Report: - Total donations received: $10,463 - RAWTools-South services and equipment: $3,500 - Gift cards distributed to participants: $3,850 - Organization maintains transparent financial records

Charleston Guns to Garden has received significant local media attention:

• •Charleston Gazette-Mail - Pre- and post-event coverage featuring organizers Dina Mohler, Sarah Gottlieb, Diane Pendleton, and Robert Avsec
• •WCHS 580 Radio - Featured on 580 Live! radio show with host Dave Allen (April 2025)
• •Local TV and radio stations - Active promotion of Safe Surrender events

Founded in late 2023, Charleston Guns to Garden is organized by dedicated volunteers:

• •Robert Avsec - Organizer
• •Sarah Gottlieb - Organizer
• •Dina Mohler - Organizer
• •Diane Pendleton - Organizer

The organization operates under the fiscal sponsorship of Village Chapel Presbyterian Church (3818 Venable Ave., Charleston, WV 25304).

People can support the program through:

• •Venmo - Secure mobile payments
• •PayPal or Credit Card - Online donations
• •Check - Mail to Village Chapel Presbyterian Church, ATTN: Charleston Guns 2 Garden

Donations directly fund equipment services, insurance, and grocery gift cards for participants.

Charleston G2G describes its mission as offering "pastoral guidance and direction that is prophetic, transformational (inner & outer), and non-oppositional." The program focuses on practical firearm disposal solutions without judgment or debate about gun ownership itself.