Indianapolis Church Converts Guns Into Garden Tools

Volunteers and a blacksmith transformed two dozen surrendered firearms into garden tools at a local church event.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Violence

Bold flat-color editorial illustration showing a garden trowel forged from metal, symbolizing the repurposing of firearms into gardening implements. — Allisonville Christian Church volunteers in Indianapolis transformed two dozen surrendered firearms into garden tools during a community disposal event. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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On September 19, 2026, members of the Allisonville Christian Church collected two dozen surrendered firearms to be dismantled and repurposed. The event participants traded grocery store gift cards for the weapons, which a blacksmith is now forging into garden tools and art.

Why it matters

Church organizers hosted the event as part of the national Guns to Gardens movement, citing a biblical vision of turning weapons into plowshares. The initiative aims to provide residents with a safe method for weapon disposal and to reduce the number of firearms circulating in the community.

The collection event resulted in two dozen firearms being surrendered, including one donation of two AR-15 rifles and four semi-automatic handguns. Officials have not detailed the final total of items created, though a blacksmith is currently transforming them.

The players

Allisonville Christian Church

This Indianapolis religious institution hosted the gun surrender event as part of its community outreach efforts.

Darren Bender-Beauregard

The 45-year-old blacksmith is responsible for forging the surrendered weapon components into new objects.

Tandy Adams

The 58-year-old is a member of the church who assisted with the weapon collection and repurposing event.

Rik Spier

The 75-year-old participant contributed to the local effort to manage the surrender of firearms.

Kristine Eggert

The 75-year-old assisted in the coordination of the collection event held at the church.

The details

Volunteers and a blacksmith broke down the weapons, using hammers to reshape components such as an AR-15 barrel into a garden trowel. This process allows the hardware to serve a new purpose as cookware or gardening implements rather than remaining as firearms.

September 8, 2016: The Alpine High School shooting occurred.
September 19, 2026: Allisonville Christian Church collected two dozen guns.
2026: Indianapolis recorded 245 gun violence incidents.

Legal Context

The event mirrors a broader trend of community-led gun buyback and conversion programs that seek to mitigate violence in the wake of tragedies like the 2016 Alpine High School shooting. These initiatives provide alternative methods for weapon surrender beyond standard legal channels.

Residents who possess unwanted firearms now have a local option to dispose of them safely while receiving grocery store gift cards in return. This initiative provides a tangible way for community members to reduce the presence of weapons in their own households.

The takeaway

Turning weapons into tools offers a symbolic and practical way for communities to address the proliferation of firearms. Residents can explore similar local programs if they wish to safely dispose of unwanted or inherited weapons.