HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022 National Gun Violence Awareness Day Proclamation li� d I
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��'ktK��{�'�' SELECT BOARD OFFICE i I �
PRQCLAMATION � ry ; , �
Whereas: every day, more than 110 Americans are killed by gun violence,alongside more than 200 wha
are shot and waunded, and on average there are nearly 16,000 gun hornicides every year; and
Whereas: Americans are 26 times more likely to di�e by gun homicide than people in other high-income
countries;and
Whereas: Massachusetts had an average of 255 gun deaths per year from 2416 to 2020,with a rate of 3.5
deaths per 100,000 people, Massachusetts has the 51 st highest rate of gun deaths in the US;and
Whereas: cities and towns across the nation, including Lexington,MA are working to end the senseless
vialence;and
Whereas: protecting public safety in the communities they serve is ane of the Select Board and Town
Manager's highest responsibilities;and
N'hereas: gun violence prevention is more irnportant than ever as the C4VID-19 pandemic continues to
exacerbate gun violence after more than two years of increased gun sales, increased calls to
suicide and domestic violence hotlines, and an increase in city gun violence;and
Whereas: in January 2013, Hadiya Pendleton was tragically shot and killed at age 15; and on June 3, 2022
td recognize the 25th birthday of Hadiya Pendleton(barn: June 2, 1997},people across the
�United States will recognize National Gun Violence Awaxeness Day and wear arange in tribute
to—(1}Hadiya Pendleton and other victims of,gun violence; and{2) the loved ones of those
victims; and
Whereas: the idea was inspired by a group of Hadiya's friends, wha asked their classmates to
commemorate her life by wearing orange;they chose this color because hunters wear orange to
announce themselves to other hu.nters when out in the woods and orange is a color that
symbolizes the value of human life;and
Whereas: anyone can jain this campaign by pledging to wear orange on June 3rd,the first Friday in June
in 2Q22, to help raise awareness about gun violence; and
Whereas: by wearing orange on June 3, 2022 Americans will raise awareness abaut gun vialence and
honor the lives of gun vialence victims and survivars; and
Whereas: we renew our commitment to reduce gun violence and pledge to do all we can to keep firearms
out of the wrong hands, and encourage responsible gun ownership to help keep our children
safe.
NOW, THEREFURE, WE T'HE SELECT BDARU of the Town of Lexington, Massachusetts, do hereby
proclaim June 3, 2022,the first Friday in June, as
National Gur� �olen�ee Awareness D►ay
in the Tawn of Lexington and we encourage all citizens to suppart their local communities' efforts to prevent
the tragic effects of gun violence and to honor and value human lives.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,we have set our hands and caused the seal of Lexingtan to be affixed herewith on
the 23rd of May 2Q22.
� J. ��.�� � �.�
J1LL I.HAI,C IR JOSEPH N.PATO
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SUZANNE E.BARIiY DOUGLAS M.L E23TE
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MARK D.SANDEEN