BERKLEY, Mich. -- Owners of unwanted firearms are encouraged to come to St. John’s Episcopal Church on Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a community gun disposal event.

There will be another community gun disposal event the following week on Oct. 11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church.

Donors can receive artwork, t-shirts, and gift cards from Kroger. Also, donors will receive $50 for a long gun, $100 for a handgun, $200 for an assault rifle. Donors can receive $300 maximum.

Data gathered aids University of Michigan firearm safety researchers.

“This is a needed service for many people in our state,” said Disarmory Ministries board member Jessica Rienstra.

“An estimated one quarter of the firearms in the U.S., 100 million firearms, are owned by people who did not purchase them. Inherited and gifted firearms may be unwanted and less cared for, posing a potential public safety hazard".

Disarmory Ministries is proud to partner with federal, state, county and local law enforcement. With its predecessor, St. David’s Episcopal Church, Disarmory has been holding buyback events since 2022, disposing of more than 850 firearms.