Lt. Governor To Lead Gun Safety Effort in Montana

Kick-Off Event to Be Held on the front steps of the State Capitol in Helena on June 3 at 9:00 a.m.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 30, 2002
Contact: Steve Snezek
406-444-3111

(Helena) - On June 3 at 9:00 a.m., Lt. Governor Ohs will lead the effort to coordinate 'Project HomeSafe' in Montana with a kick-off event to be held on the front steps of the Capitol from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

Project HomeSafe is a nationwide program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation and its state and community partners that helps ensure safe and responsible firearm ownership and storage. Montana's sponsors are Lt. Governor Ohs and the Montana Association of Sheriffs and Peace Officers.

Following the kick-off at the Capitol, Helena area residents will have the opportunity to receive gun safety information and a safety kit for guns in their homes that includes a safety brochure and a gun locking device until 4:00 p.m. at WalMart. Project HomeSafe has launched a nationwide Safety Tour to promote firearm safety education to gun owners throughout America. The Safety Tour will help Project HomeSafe reach its goal of distributing 3 million firearm safety kits that include a gun lock in all 50 states during 2002.

The program will be in Montana for the month of June, traveling to numerous communities in the state.

The Safety Tour features 16-foot trucks that function as mobile firearm safety classrooms. When the Safety Tour comes to a state, the truck makes pre-planned stops in communities.

A Safety Tour coordinator, working with community law enforcement officers, provides firearm safety information and a free safety kit to gun owners. Visitors can watch a safety video and check out a display of safe storage equipment. Children who accompanying adults can participate by taking the Project HomeSafe Pledge to be safe around guns and present the signed pledge to their parents.

For more information about the event, contact Steve Snezek in the Lt. Governor's Office at 444-3111. Additional information can be found also at Project HomeSafe's website: www.projecthomesafe.org.

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