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Project Childsafe to distribute firearms safety kits

Saturday, November 22, 2003 Posted 2:00 p.m.
The Minonk Police Department will provide 300 free firearm safety kits to local residents through a partnership with Project ChildSafe, the nationwide firearms safety education program. The safety kits, which include a gun lock, will be distributed on December 1st to 5th, 2003 between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 12:00 P.M., and 1:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. at Minonk City Hall, 670 N. Chestnut St., Minonk, Illinois.

Project ChildSafe, a program developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), will distribute millions of firearm safety kits throughout the country over the next year. The program is funded by a U.S. Department of Justice grant, with additional funding provided by the firearms industry.

"We encourage residents to pickup a Project ChildSafe safety kit so that they can securely store their firearm," said Chief Bill Butler. "Each kit contains a safety curriculum and a cable-style gun lock. The locks fit on most types of handguns, rifles and shotguns. The goal is to prevent a child or any other unauthorized person from accessing a firearm in your home."

By partnering with Project ChildSafe, Minonk Police Department is participating in a growing national effort to promote firearm safety education to all gun owners. Project ChildSafe will distribute gun lock safety kits to all 50 states and the five U.S. territories.

"We are pleased to have the Minonk Police Department as a Project ChildSafe partner," said Dee Dee Dockins, spokesperson for the program. "Project ChildSafe is an important step forward in helping ensure that all firearm owners fully understand their responsibilities with respect to the safe handling and storage of firearms.