Stop the Violence back-to-school rally set for July 26 at MLK Center
Press release from Alachua County Public Schools
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – School-age students and their families are invited to the 26th Annual Stop the Violence Rally on Saturday, July 26. The event will be held at a new venue this year, the Martin Luther King Center at 1028 NE 14th Street in Gainesville. The doors to the event will open at 9 a.m.
The Rally will include entertainment, community resources, and back-to-school information provided by Alachua County Public Schools on such topics as busing, free school meals, calendars, and more.
The Rally’s primary purpose is to provide students and families with important messages about preventing violence in schools, homes, and the community. The local organization People Against Violence Enterprises (PAVE) is once again organizing the event.
“Our theme this year is ‘We Won’t Stop Until the Violence Stops,'” said Rev. Karl Anderson, who founded PAVE more than 25 years ago. “Although we have made significant strides in reducing gun violence in our community, we must not become complacent but instead continue our prevention efforts.”
As during past rallies, the first 1500 school-aged children in attendance will receive free backpacks filled with school supplies provided by Meridian Behavioral Healthcare Services. Several other local sponsors are also supporting the event.
Families can pre-register for the event by completing a form available at www.pavingpeace.org. More information is available at (352) 363-1553.
Here’s hoping parents are more successful getting their kids to attend this event than they are at getting them to attend school.
Wonder if the McPherson park crowd will attend????
They are saying the theme this year is….”‘We Won’t Stop Until the Violence Stops”.
I suggest they change it to…..”Snitches get stitches….show me the reward money!”