Smart Safety: Playdates and Guns

When your child goes over to a peer’s house for a play date, you've had the thought to ask the parents if their pool's covered. You've wondered if their liquor cabinet is locked. You've inquired if either parent smokes in the house.

These are simple questions and ones that parents nationwide take the time to wonder or ask. But a series of questions that rarely comes up are “Do you own a gun?” “How do you store it?” “Is it locked?” “Is it loaded?”

Evolve is a charity organization whose message is to bring that conversation to the public eye as easily as as one talks about liquor or smoking. Evolve aims to make the discussion of gun safety accessible at the dinner table, on play dates and around the playground.

Rebecca Bond, Evolve's founder, started the organization because, “I found it unconscionable that 6-year-olds could be shot in their classroom and no one saw it coming." As a mother herself, she stands by the Evolve message, which is neither a pro- or anti-gun message, nor a left or right-sided message; it’s a message that will always be relevant: one of safety. You can see Rebecca's blog post where she shares her message and hopes to get this conversation started here.

Evolve's new PSA video, featuring actor Josh Lucas, reminds America of what they should already know: gun safety is everyone’s issue, and that all guns should be kept unloaded, locked and properly stored when not in use. Shares Lucas, “For me, especially as a father, having the opportunity to show America that responsible gun behavior should be everyone’s priority is a no brainer."

Evolve is asking every American to help make history by signing a petition at www.EvolveUSA.com, advocating for the official designation of National Fun Safety Day.

In line with the petition, Evolve has launched the campaign “Clear it. Check it. Lock it," three simple and memorable steps for safe gun behavior. We all know the slogan “Stop, drop and roll." Now is the time to look straight in the eyes of the nationwide issue of gun safety to “Clear it. Check it. Lock it," and make a difference.