By KATY SAVAGE
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WEST WIINDSOR, Vt. — Kelton Maxham colored a poster Saturday morning.
“Love,” the 9-year-old student from Reading wrote. He drew red hearts and smiley faces on the poster during a rally against gun violence Saturday morning.
Kelton was too young to understand the meaning behind the event, but school safety is on his mother’s mind — especially lately.
“I shouldn’t have to (think about it) in these small communities,” Kelton’s mother, Vanessa Maxham said, but she does.
Maxham also colored a poster that read, “Love” with her daughter Mari, 5. Maxham is trying to teach her children the meaning behind those four letters.
About 60 people attended the rally against guns at the Albert Bridge School gymnasium. Most were adults. Some were parents, grandparents or teachers. Some were hunters and gun owners. They called for tighter gun laws.
Claudia Sacuk of West Windsor held a sign that read, “Vote Gun Control, Dump Trump.” Her 10-year-old dog, a poodle mix, wore a sweater that said the same.
The event on Saturday was part of the national Walk For Our Lives rally against gun violence.
Hundreds of Thousands marched the streets of Washington, D.C.—most of them teenagers—in the wake of the Feb. 14 mass shooting in Parkland, Florida that left 17 dead.
Ray Shannis organized the event in West Windsor.
Shannis, 71, worked at Albert Bridge between 1969 and 1976 as a teacher and then teaching principal.
The topic of safety was different for schools back then, Shannis said.
“Back in the ’70s we never thought about this kind of stuff,” Shannis said.
Shannis is a grandfather now to grandchildren ages 12, 10 and 8. He doesn’t work at a school anymore, but he thinks about gun safety all the time for fellow educators.
“Seeing this stuff on the news and wondering, ‘could this happen to me in my classroom?’” Shannis asked.
People from West Windsor and surrounding towns came for the one-hour event on Saturday, where Windsor Police Det. Sgt. Mark Baker spoke about his experience with guns and local Peter Money read a poem on friendship, love and patriotism.
The day before, the Vermont House of Representatives debated gun control for 10 hours before finally approving a bill that would raise the age to buy a gun to 21, ban high-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, ban bump stocks and expand background checks.
Second Amendment rights were in question during the debate, which brought high emotion.
Another reading and final vote on the bill was scheduled Tuesday.
Both area Reps. John Bartholomew, D-Hartland and Paul Belaski, D-Windsor spoke about the bill on Saturday morning.
“Nothing we’ve done is going to keep the problem from happening,” said Bartholomew, mentioning the need for mental health support.
Belaski said the House hadn’t considered banning assault rifles yet.
“Well hurry up,” Don Allyn, 76, of Reading shot back. “Press, press, press. We don’t need them.”
Steve Ewald of West Windsor echoed those thoughts earlier.
“They do not belong in anybody’s hands,” Ewald said as the room exploded in applause.
Ewald has children in high school and college. Even though his kids are older, he worries about their safety in all public spaces.
“As a parent, when can you relax?” he asked.
Some apologized to the younger generation for failing to make changes to gun laws sooner. Peter Ferick, who helped organize the event with Shannis, had hope young people would lead the future.
Saturday’s group walked outside with their signs to a flag pole in front of the school. They stood in front of the American symbol in memory of the victims, and then they drove home.
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