A proclamation that the Borough of Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania, shall declare the First Friday in June (June 6, 2025) to be National Gun Violence Awareness Day This proclamation declares National Gun Violence Awareness Day in the Borough of Lewisburg, Union County, on the first Friday in June - June 6, 2025. In proclaiming this, we honor and remember all victims and survivors of gun violence and declare that, as a community and country, we must do more to reduce and ultimately eliminate gun violence. WHEREAS: In an average yearin. America, 45,738 people die and 76,385 are wounded by guns costing the United States $557.2 billion each year; and in the United States, guns are the leading cause of death among children and teens. WHEREAS: In Pennsylvania, there are an average of 1,789 gun deaths and an additional 1,992 people wounded by guns every: year, thereby having the 32nd highest rate of gun violence in the US and costing the state $21.7 billion each year, of which $470.7 million is paid by taxpayers; WHEREAS: In Pennsylvania, mirroring the nationwide average, 569 of gun deaths are suicides and 42% are homicides. Communities across the nation, including Lewisburg Borough, have mayors and law enforcement officers who know their communities best and are working to end the senseless violence with evidence-based solutions; WHEREAS: Support for the Second Amendment rights ofl law-abiding citizens goes hand-in-hand with keeping guns out of the hands of children and away from people with dangerous histories; WHEREAS: In January 2013, Hadiya Pendleton was tragically shot and killed at age 15. On June 6, 2025, people across the United States will recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day and wear orange in tribute to Hadiya Pendleton and other victims of gun violence and the loved ones of those victims. Inspired by a group ofl Hadiya's friends, we wear orange, choosing this color for how it symbolizes the value ofhuman life: hunters wear orange in the woods to protect themselves and other hunters; WHEREAS: Anyone can join this campaign by pledging to wear orange on June 6th, the first Friday in June 2025, to help raise awareness about gun violence and honor the lives of gun violence victims and survivors and in doing sO, we: renew our commitment to reducing gun violence and pledge to do all we can to keep firearms out ofthe wrong hands while encouraging responsible gun ownership and secure storage to help keep our children safe; NOW THEREFORE, I, Kendy Alvarez, Mayor ofthe Borough of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, with thes support of members of Borough Council and the citizens of Lewisburg, do hereby proclaim the first Friday in June: June 6, 2025, to be National Gun Violence Awareness Day in Lewisburg Borough. By proclaiming this, I encourage all citizens to support their local communities' efforts to educate one another, put action items into place to prevent the tragic effects of gun violence, and to honor and value human lives. PROCLAIMED by the Mayor oft the Borough of Lewisburg on the 20th Day of May oft the Year 2025. Kendy Alvarez Mayor Borough of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania