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'Guns to Gardens' event offers Granite Staters a way to get rid of old firearms — for good

New Hampshire Public Radio | By Olivia Richardson
Published June 12, 2023 at 6:00 AM EDT
An organizer at the Guns to Gardens event holds up a necklace made of repurposed gun parts.
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An organizer at the Guns to Gardens event holds up a necklace made of repurposed gun parts.
Olivia Richardson / NHPR
Guns to Gardens is a national movement that aims to offer an alternative for unwanted guns. This weekend's event was the first one hosted in New Hampshire.
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Guns to Gardens is a national movement that aims to offer an alternative for unwanted guns. This weekend's event was the first one hosted in New Hampshire.
Olivia Richardson / NHPR
Organizers said they hope this weekend’s event won’t be the last.
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Organizers said they hope this weekend’s event won’t be the last.
Olivia Richardson / NHPR

New Hampshire law limits what state agencies can do when someone turns in a gun they don't want anymore.

But an event Wesley United Methodist Church in Concord this weekend offered Granite Staters a different way to get rid of unwanted guns — for good. The goal was to give the firearms a new life as gardening tools, jewelry and more.

It's part of a national movement called Guns to Gardens. This weekend's event marked the first one held in New Hampshire. In total, organizers said 31 guns were dropped off at the Concord church on Saturday, including an AR-15.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full story from NHPR's Olivia Richardson.
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New England News Collaborative
Olivia Richardson
As NHPR’s health and equity reporter, my goal is to explore how the health care system in New Hampshire is changing – from hospital closures and population growth, to the use of AI and big changes in federal and state policies.
See stories by Olivia Richardson

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Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

That means $2.1 million per year that Connecticut Public relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

The future of public media is in your hands.

All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

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