LAURINBURG — A group of residents banded together in solidarity to march for gun safety in the #Wear Orange BE SMART campaign on Saturday.
Sponsored by the Laurinburg Branch of the National Association of University Women, the campaign, according to its website, is a movement of residents fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and protect people from gun violence.
“We were there to advocate for gun safety,” said Coordinator Dorothy Tyson. “We don’t want to take away anyone’s rights. We just want gun safety so everyone will be safe. It’s timely because look at the recent Virginia Beach shootings and in Laurinburg a man was found shot last night. We just want everyone to be safe.”
That morning, the young and old showed up in bright orange and walked from 303 N. Main St. to the Scotland County Courthouse. The color orange represents safety whereas hunters wear it for protection because the color is bold, bright and easily seen.
Scotland County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Johnathan Smith passed out locks to the crowd to enhance gun safety in the local community.
“On behalf of Sheriff Ralph Kersey and the Sheriff’s Department, we want to donate locks for your guns and there are instructions on the inside on how to apply it to your weapon,” said Smith.
National Gun Violence Awareness Day (June 2) was created in honor of Hadiya Pendleton’s 18th birthday. Pendleton was a 15-year-old girl from Chicago, Illinois, who passed away from an act of gun violence.
In 2017, the city of Laurinburg and the Laurinburg branch of the National Association of University Women teamed up to promote gun violence awareness. A proclamation was signed declaring June 3 as Wear Orange Day.
“It turned out well and the weather was great,” said Tyson. “We thank all our partners, the media and the people who came out to help.”
Jael Pembrick can be reached at 910-506-3169 or jpembrick@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com.
