Pictures

Indivisible was out on Labor Day staging protests across the country. WE WERE THERE! To our dismay and consternation, the current administration has rolled back sensible gun laws. Our contribution was the inflatable tank. BTW, as proponents of sensible gun laws, we are against the use of TANKS (and AR 15s) except in war time. Are we at WAR????

Back to School Bash at Forest Hill Park on August 10th. What fun we had!

On June 28th we staged another ASK Day at Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall. We reminded parents to ASK before they send their child on a playdate or to grandma and grandpa: “Is there a gun in the home? If so, is it unloaded and locked up?” More children (from birth to 17 years old) are killed by guns, than die in car wrecks or by illness. It was hot, yes, but not too hot to prevent us from handing out fliers and giving away whistles and bracelets.

We participated in NO KINGS DAY on June 14th, Flag Day, 2025. We came with signs to protest the current administration’s moves to relax sensible gun laws. Since the protests were nation wide, we just had to find one to attend! One of us went to Fredericksburg, another to Richmond. Most of us went to the No King’s Protest in Charlottesville. Enjoy the pics!

The No Kings Rally in Charlottesville on aJune 14th, 2025

Meeting at a member’s home

On March 22nd, a group of inspired parents met at CCGVP’s new member, Stewart Black, to discuss gun violence in Charlottesville. They are worried. They can hear gun shots from their front porches; their young children suffer through shooter drills (yes, even in their day care centers!!!!). “We have to DO something,” was the general consensus that day. Our host, Stewart, provided child care and bagels. The CCGVP jumped in, arranging for speakers, that is, movers and shakers who promote sensible guns in our our city and in our state. We heard from Sandra Carter, long term resident of Charlottesville, who lives in an extremely gun-vulnerable part of the city. Chris Meyer, member of the Charlottesville School Board told us what the school board is doing to make our schools safer. Martina Leinz, 30 year advocate of sensible gun laws drove from Northern Virginia to talk to us about state laws. Brian Anderson head of the Batten School at UVA talked about UVA’s research into gun violence. Margaret Heubeck, representing the League of Women Voters, presented what her organization does to promote gun safety, and Herb and Brian, two violence interrupters who are part of the Central Virginia Violence Interrupters network, shared what their organization is doing.

Martina talks about where Virginia stands on sensible gun laws.

Margaret shares what the League is doing to get out the word about good gun safety practices.

Brian talks about how UVA is addressing gun violence, inspired in part by the shooting/murder of three UVA football players several years ago.

Anual MLK Day Rally in Richmond

Once again this year, on January 20, we participated in the Gun Prevention Vigil and Rally sponsored by the Virginia Center for Public Safety. VCPS is a non-partisan group as is our own Charlottesville Coalition for Gun Violence Prevention. We rode a bus to the Bell Tower in Richmond (within walking distance of legislative office buildings). Yes, it was cold, but our hearts were warm, made warmer still by the many friends we met and made there. This year, youth from UVA’s Team Enough rode with us on our bus. After the rally, we met with our legislators to demand that they take action on sensible gun bills that will make our Commonwealth safer. Enjoy the pics! And here is the news coverage we received from 29 News! Judy was our awesome spokesperson! https://www.29news.com/2025/01/21/charlottesville-gun-violence-activists-load-up-head-general-assembly/

Ask Day

Every June you will find us at Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall handing our literature and “Swags,” and reminding parents to ask before sending their child on a playdate (or visiting grandparents), “Is there a gun in the house? If so, is it locked up and unloaded?” We also display a biometric gun safe–smalll enough to rest on a bedside table The safe can be programmed to identify a specific fingerprint. Enjoy pictures of this year’s Ask Day.

Several weeks later we joined with the League of Women Voters at another C’ville event–again sending the message–Ask before you send your child on a playdate!!

League of Women Voters’ event in Charlottesville, 2024

DON’T VETO OUR SAFETY!

That was the message we sent Governor Youngkin when we gathered at the Bell Tower in Richmond on Saturday, February 24th. We met with other sensible gun law advocates from across the Commonwealth to make our will known. We hope that our efforts meet some success. The legislature is primed to pass into law some very good bills, for instance, requiring that public schools remind parents to lock up any guns they have in the household, and banning guns from university campuses. We also hope the Governor will have the presence of mind to pass into law a ban on assault style weapons, and ghost guns. We’ll see….

MLK DAY

Another MLK Day Gun Violence Prevention rally at the Bell Tower in Richmond. NBC covered the boarding or our bus. Enjoy! https://www.29news.com/2024/01/15/charlottesville-activists-rally-richmond-gun-legislation/

And some pics of our successful trip! Yes, we did have to dodge snow flakes, but no worries, the excitement of the day kept us warm!

December, 2023 was a busy month for us at CCGVP. Here we are visiting with an aide from Senator Deed’s office in advance of January’s General Assembly.

And, also in December, 2023, our Group, CCGVP, was once again covered on local news stations as we held our vigil for those slain at Sandy Hook, and others slain more recently in Virginia. It’s a sad testament to the violence in our country. https://www.nbc29.com/video/2023/12/09/vigil-charlottesville-remembers-those-harmed-by-gun-violence/

This past 2023 fall, the University of Virginia sponsored a forum to remember fallen UVA’s football players D’Sean Perry, Devin Chandler and Lavel Davis. They were murdered on November 13, 2022. Afterwards, participants marched en masse to UVA’s chapel. The chapel bells marked the time last year, when these three students lost their lives.

Forum sponsored by UVA to remember the three students who succumbed to gun violence.

UVA students stand in silence as the chapel bell tolls

In August, 2023, we participated in Charlottesville/Albemarle’s Back to School Bash at the Downtown Pavilion.

And, Southwood’s Back to School Bash on August 15th!

Lobby Day in Richmond

We boarded a FULL bus on Monday, January 16th, MLK Day., 2023, headed for Richmond. We arrived at the Bell Tower to be part of a vigil for those who lost their lives to gun violence; we rallied, and we talked with our legislators. We hope we made a difference!