Moms, Children To Hold Mother's Day Events In Eight States To Raise Gun Violence Awareness On Friday And Saturday

NEW YORK, May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This release is from Mayors Against Illegal Guns:     

Mothers, children, and others who have been affected by gun violence will gather in eight states for Mother's Day events this Friday and Saturday to raise gun violence awareness. This week those affected by gun violence gathered to create Mother's Day cards for their U.S. Senators, urging them to stand with moms across the country to prevent gun violence. They will deliver those cards to their U.S. Senators at Friday events and rally to end gun violence at events on Saturday. Recent independent polls that have found that more than 90 percent of Americans support background checks for all buyers.  

Americans can sign a Mother's Day card urging their Senator to take action on gun violence here.

In addition, to mark Mother's Day and the nationwide events, Roxanna Green, whose nine-year-old daughter Christina-Taylor Green was killed in the 2011 Tucson mass shooting, released a video message. Link to the video here.

The events and rallies will be held in states of Senators who voted against bipartisan legislation proposed by NRA A-rated Senators Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey that would have closed the loopholes that make it easy for criminals and other dangerous people to get guns, including: Senators Kelly Ayotte (NH), Richard Burr (NC), Saxby Chambliss (GA), Dan Coats (IN), Jeff Flake (AZ), Dean Heller (NV), Johnny Isakson (GA) and Rob Portman (OH).

Event details are below (all times local.)

ARIZONA
Tucson
What: Mother's Day Card Signing Rally – Mothers will then deliver cards to Senator Flake's Tucson office
Who: Jocelyn Strauss, Chapter Leader of Moms Demand Action; Mayors Against Illegal Guns, concerned citizens
Where: Fort Lowell Park: 2900 North Craycroft Rd, Tucson
When:  Saturday, May 11, 10:00 AM

GEORGIA
Atlanta
What: Moms Demand Action Mother's Day Walk and Rally Against Gun Violence
Who: Co-chapter head of Moms Demand Action of Georgia Piyali Cole, Co-chapter head of Moms Demand Action of Georgia Melinda Ennis, Mayors Against Illegal Guns and concerned Georgians
Where:  Piedmont Park, 400 Park Dr. NE, Atlanta
When: Saturday, May 11, 11:00 AM

INDIANA
Indianapolis
What: Mothers deliver Mother's Day cards to Senator Coats' Indianapolis office
Who:  Moms Demand Action Chapter Lead Nicky McNally; Joantyonette (Tony) Grundy, whose husband and son were both shot and killed in Indianapolis; Mayors Against Illegal Guns and concerned Hoosiers
Where: Senator Coats' Office: 10 West Market St, Indianapolis
When:  Friday, May 10, 11:00 AM

NORTH CAROLINA
Charlotte
What:  Mother's Day Rally against Gun Violence
Who: Susanne Rallis of Moms Demand Action, Mayors Against Illegal Guns and concerned North Carolinians
Where: Freedom Park, 1500 Princeton Avenue, Charlotte
When:  Friday, May 10, 3:15 PM

Winston Salem
What:  Mother's Day Rally against Gun Violence and Petition Delivery
Who:  Brandon Dandy, who lost his brother to gun violence; Mayors Against Illegal Guns and concerned North Carolinians
Where: Senator Burr's Winston Salem Office: 2000 West First Street, Winston Salem, NC
When: Friday, May 11, 2:00 PM

Durham
What:  Mother's Day Rally Against Gun Violence
Who:  Kaaren Haldeman of Moms Demand Action; Joslin Simms, who lost her son Rayburn eight years ago to gun violence; Yolanda Bagley, who lost her son Jelani four months ago to gun violence; Brenda James, who lost her son Randolph five years ago to gun violence
Where:   Sister Cities Grove at Durham Central Park, next to the Durham Farmer's Market at 501 Foster St, Durham, NC
When:  Saturday, May 11, 11:30 AM

NEVADA
Las Vegas
What:  Mothers and children deliver Mother's Day Cards to Senator Heller
Who:  Local activist and concerned mother of four Leisa Moseley, Mayors Against Illegal Guns and concerned citizens
Where:  Lloyd D. George Federal Building, 333 Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas
When: Friday, May 10 at 4:00 PM

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Nashua
What:  Mothers and children deliver Mother's Day cards to Senator Ayotte's Nashua office
Who:   Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Granite State Progress and concerned Granite Staters
Where: Senator Ayotte's Nashua Office: 1444 Main Street, Nashua
When: Friday, May 10 at 12:00 PM

OHIO
Cleveland
What: Moms Demand Action Mother's Day Walk and Rally Against Gun Violence
Who:  Cleveland lead for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America Jane Burgett; Pastor Kristine Eggert, Disciples Christian Church; Christina Antenucci, MD, Doctors for Healthcare Solutions; Mayors Against Illegal Guns and concerned citizens
When:  Friday, May 10 at 11:00 AM
Where:  Public Square, Corner of Ontario St. and West Superior Ave, Cleveland

Columbus
What: Mother's Day Rally Against Gun Violence
Who:  Mother of gun violence victim Felicia Saunders, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, Mayors Against Illegal Guns and concerned citizens
When: Friday, May 10 at 4:30 PM
Where:  Worthington Village Green: corners of SR 161 and High St, Columbus

PENNSYLVANIA
Pittsburgh
What:  Mother's Day Rally Against Gun Violence
Who: Marsha Grayson, mother of Honor Student Jeron Grayson who murdered while home on Spring Break; Ms. Sharon Fields of Healing Wounds Family Support Group; Reggie Roberts of Ceasefire-PA, State Rep. Ed Gainey and Mayors Against Illegal Guns
When: Saturday, May 11 at 11:00 AM
Where: Rodman Street Baptist Church, 6111 Rodman Street, Pittsburgh

About Mayors Against Illegal Guns
Since its creation in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 members to more than 950 mayors from across the country. We have more than 1.5 million grassroots supporters, making us the largest gun violence prevention advocacy organization in the country.  The bipartisan coalition, co-chaired by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, has united the nation's mayors around these common goals: protecting communities by holding gun offenders accountable; demanding access to crime gun trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat gun trafficking; and working with legislators to fix weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other dangerous people to get guns.  Learn more at www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org

MEDIA CONTACT
Erika Soto Lamb: [email protected] or 646-580-5281
Kate Downen: [email protected] or 406-224-5056

SOURCE Mayors Against Illegal Guns