NRA's 'Eddie Eagle' child gun-safety program comes to Avondale

The National Rifle Association's Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program is coming to Avondale on Saturday to help teach parents how to educate their kids on gun safety.

State Rep. Diego Espinoza, D-Tolleson, said he is excited to bring the program to the community.

"This will be my first opportunity at actually educating our community on gun safety," Espinoza said. "I am super excited to offer this to anyone who can join us."

He said the event will allow families to come together to help children from kindergarten to 5th grade learn what to do when they see a firearm. The event will show a cartoon and will include interactive activities for both parents and kids.

The Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program was initially created in 1988 and then was redesigned and updated in 2015 to include a kid-friendly website and cartoon video.

The video, which includes a song about what a child should do if they find a gun, is the main tool in the Eddie Eagle curriculum, teaching kids to "Stop! Don't touch. Run away. Tell a grown-up."

The NRA's online Eddie Eagle program asks parents: "You talk about stranger danger, Internet safety, fire drills and more with children so why not include gun safety?"

The Eddie Eagle video treats firearms as a part of daily life, and the characters never touch the guns. According to the website, the NRA is not advocating for firearm ownership but is seeking to prepare and protect kids.

NRA officials did not respond for request for comment.

Espinoza invites anyone interested in teaching their children about gun safety to the training event at Pot of Gold Estate Auctions in Avondale on Saturday morning to learn more. The event will run from 10-11 a.m. and will be offered in both English and Spanish. It is free to the public.

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