SEPTEMBER 2020 NEWSLETTER
|
|
|
GRANDPARENTS AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE
|
|
|
Zooming Into the Next Opportunity!
Monday, September 14, 2020
4:00-5:00 pm
Via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5564109298?pwd=UkpsM3JkdnpkaTVFeVdua0VVVWQ0Zz09
Meeting ID: 556 410 9298
Passcode: 8675309
Now that we’ve mastered Zooming for our monthly meetings, we’re ready to meet the next challenge: maximizing social media. The power of social media can help us promote our events (particularly the October 12 Community Forum) as well as increase awareness about the twin issues of gun violence prevention and gun safety plus GAGV’s work to address them.
Social media can entertain, educate, communicate and enable us to reach a much wider audience. We can use it to share many little-known facts about firearms by posting from our Gun Fact Sheet, introduce our Board and volunteers and even fundraise. Social media can spotlight presentations we make, events we participate in and like-minded people we meet. It’s also a great opportunity to profile the collaborative work of our community partners.
And besides all those benefits, mastering social media will show our children and grandchildren how totally “with it” we are!
Many of us are proficient with Facebook, some with Instagram and a few on Twitter. Now we want to expand everyone’s potential by using these platforms more often. To that end, we’ve scheduled a “How to Enhance Your Social Media Skills” Zoom session on Monday September 14 at 4 pm. The session will be led by Avery Gray, our newest (and youngest!) volunteer. She’s a social media professional working in Chicago and granddaughter of GAGV members Barbara and Jerry Freidberg.
Avery will lead us through the features and benefits of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. We’ll learn how to access each and share posts/articles from GAGV and our own accounts.
Join the call and become an active, knowledgeable participant in our communication efforts to expand our audience and share our message with hundreds, maybe even thousands, of new contacts.
Already a Twitter and/or Instagram user? Follow us now to see our posts, then share them.
Instagram – User name: @gagv101
Twitter – User name: @gagv101
|
|
|
|
|
Recognizing National Suicide Awareness Month in September
Seventy-one supporters Zoomed into August’s GAGV meeting to hear Jennifer Levinson, a mother, former teacher, activist and suicide survivor. She shared her own experiences and her current work to help those in crisis through the SPEAK UP Foundation. The Foundation was formed by three local families that suffered a devastating loss due to mental illness ending in suicide. Its goal is to break the silence and reduce stigma surrounding all mental illnesses and suicide.
We also learned about “Sources of Strength (SOS),” an evidence-based, peer-led suicide prevention program that SPEAK UP brings to metro area schools at no charge.
Because of the interest shown in SOS, Saundra Wallace of the Greater Kansas City Mental Health Coalition (GAGV is a member) and Jennifer will present a future program highlighting the program’s eight keys shown in the diagram below. See the complete minutes here.
|
|
|
|
|
7th Annual Community Forum on Gun Violence Prevention
Monday, October 12
We’re now just six weeks from our 7th annual, and first ever virtual, Community Forum: Gun Violence – Going Beyond Thoughts and Prayers. Months ago when we developed the Forum’s theme, we couldn’t have imagined how prescient it would be. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve witnessed an unprecedented increase in the sale of firearms along with accompanying increases in homicides, suicides, even accidental deaths – and predictably –increased calls for thoughts and prayers.
Of course, thoughts and prayers can be comforting to the families who have lost loved ones to gun violence. However, we must go beyond them and work to solve the problems that lead to all forms of gun violence. By registering for the Forum, you’ll hear from leaders in faith, business and government about what they’re doing and how we can help.
While we wish we could all be together as in previous years, attending the Forum from your home or office has advantages. There’s no need to worry about what you’re wearing or spending extra time for the round-trip drive to the venue. We’ve also scheduled 15-minute breaks between each panel so you can get up and stretch or grab a snack. Closer to the date, check Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for some productive and meaningful ways to spend those breaks.
Don’t wait! Check out the Forum’s agenda and register today.
|
|
|
Calendar of Events
Friday, September 4, 3:00-5:00 pm
March on Kansas City for Justice and Peace
March Flyer
Monday, September 14, 4:00 pm
GAGV Zoom Meeting: How to Enhance Your Social Media Skills
Monday, October 12, 9:00 am-12:30 pm
Heartland Coalition Against Gun Violence 7th Annual (virtual) Community Forum
Tuesday, October 20, 6:30-8:30 pm
AdHoc Group Against Crime virtual event: Epidemic of Violence: how did we get here?
- Featuring Ta-Nehisi Coates, national correspondent for The Atlantic and author of Between the World and Me.
- Free and open to the public (details to come)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Larry Euston, Donna Euston, Jim McNeile, Barb McNeile and Jane Pryor
|
Lock It For Love Breaks a Record and Reaches a Milestone
Lock It For Love keeps going strong with its new drive-through model, even in the rain!
LIFL has participated in six events since July 1, five using a drive-through model by joining organizations distributing food and school backpacks. More people are requesting locks at the drive-through events compared to some traditional pre-pandemic events.
A single event, record-breaking 194 free gun locks were distributed on a rainy Saturday August 29 at theBack to School/Food Distribution Event at Swope Park sponsored by Kansas City, Missouri, 5th District Councilwoman Ryana Parks-Shaw. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas stopped by and thanked us for our efforts to make the community safer.
LIFL reached a milestone last month. The gun safety program has distributed more than 3,000 locks since it began July 17, 2017.
|
|
|
Vision Quilt Designates Space for GAGV
New panels are still being created and now GAGV panels have their very own section of the Vision Quilt. You can see our panels here. We still have material for anyone interested in creating a panel; it’s a great multi-generational activity. If you’re interested, email us and we’ll make arrangements for you to get the material.
Wondering where to begin? Watch this short “how to” video created for GAGV by Vision Quilt founder Cathy DeForest.
Here are quilts created by members Gail Roberson, Harriet Lawrence and Nancy Oglesby.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
“The Road to Success is always under construction.”
– Lily Tomlin
|
|
|
Grandparents Against Gun Violence is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Kansas City, Missouri, that focuses on issues related to gun violence in Kansas and Missouri. We are working with community partners on strategies such as distributing gun locks to help gun owners protect the children in their homes from tragedy.
P.O. Box 11193, Overland Park, KS 66207 | [email protected]
Donate to Grandparents Against Gun Violence
Facebook • Unsubscribe
|
|
|
|
