For Immediate Release
January 7, 2013
Contact: Missy Smith
231-342-5433
missy@gunsafemom.comGun Safe Mom™: Offering Home Safety Signs, Decals, Online Forum, and Free Community EventTraverse City, MI – Missy Smith is on a mission to increase communication between parents regarding gun accessibility in places their children play. The massacre in Newtown, CT and numerous other gun related tragedies in 2012 has added a clear urgency to Smith’s need to spread the word in 2013. In 1986, her brother, Jeffrey Carson, was shot and killed by an emotionally unstable classmate in a "safe", suburban neighborhood while playing at this individual's house. Fast forward 24 years to 2010: her eldest of four beautiful daughters started school and went to her first "mom-drops-you-off" play date. Weeks after her visit to the friend's house, it randomly became known to her and her husband that there was an unlocked gun in the home. “I was sick to my stomach that I allowed this to happen. I never asked about it. I truly know better,” says Smith. I wanted to just go to the neighbors and tell them how upset I was, but there was more to it. I had guns unlocked in my own home, despite that fact that I knew they were unloaded and tucked away where my own very small children could not access them. I had to question my husband. I didn't even know what we had. I, as many other moms across the country, have an obvious aversion to them and, honestly, don't know much about them. I had to stop pretending this wasn't an issue at home. This up close and personal reality sparked a new cause for awareness. Why was gun accessibility and safety for my own family so hard to talk about after all I have experienced? And if I have this hard of a time, what about all of you who haven't directly and tragically been impacted by kids killing kids? I had to find a way to make this conversation happen easier and more often. Within weeks, Missy’s plans were underway for Gun Safe Mom™, whose aim is to create an environment and method of communication whereby parents, especially mothers, can gain assertiveness and confidence discussing gun safety and accessibility with other parents and family members when children play away from home. She’s developed and trademarked a home safety sign and decal for alerting visiting families that the family within has a gun safe home and is willing to discuss gun accessibility with parents who bring their children over to play. The logo highlights a Venn-style diagram using bright primary colors, along with purple to represent neutrality and bravery, a keyhole inside of the ‘O’ in mom and the motto: Unlock the Conversation!Smith has also started an online forum on Facebook (facebook.com/gunsafemom), where parents are safe to discuss and seek information on this topic here and openly, peacefully and respectfully ask, tell and be approachable about discussing gun accessibility in the places your children play. Let’s “erase the stigma attached to discussing matters of gun safety and accessibility between parents, friends and family members. Our forum is a welcome common ground for anyone regardless of how he or she feels about the issue of gun ownership.” Missy is not aligned with any organization that either promotes or denounces gun ownership. The forum seeks to empower parents to have the difficult conversations about gun safety with other parents, regardless of personal beliefs on gun control. As an elementary school teacher for many years, her aim is education, conversation, and connection between parents. A free community event is being planned for January 22, 2013 (7PM) at the City Opera House in Traverse City, Michigan. Missy Smith and local area professionals and will provide presentations full of wisdom and inspiration as well as insight on how we can keep Traverse City the peaceful town we know and love. The evening’s forum also serves as the launch platform for Gun Safe Mom where signs and decals will be for sale. Gun Safe Mom™’s safety signs are now available at Left Foot Charley (806 Red Drive, Traverse City, MI 49684) as well as at Garden Grounds (1000 Milliken Dr Traverse City, MI 49686). The signs cost $8. Signage and decals will soon be available at www.gunsafemom.com (online commerce starts January 23). To learn more, please visit Gun Safe Mom™’s website (GunSafeMom.com) or Facebook page (facebook.com/gunsafemom). Gun Safe Mom™ is a registered trademark of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
