Farmington-Scipio Friends Wear Orange Against Gun Violence

The first weekend in June is Wear Orange Weekend, part of the annual National Gun Violence Awareness movement to raise awareness and to honor victims and survivors of gun violence. In 2025, this week again coincided with Farmington-Scipio Region's Spring Gathering. Peter Murchinson from NYYM's Gun Violence Prevention Task Group asked Friends to participate by wearing something orange to meeting on June 8 and taking a photo of those participating. At the Spring Gathering, about 50 Friends gathered together in support of the Quaker Peace Testimony as it applies to deadly violence in our own communities. 

Why Wear Orange? 

On January 21, 2013, Hadiya Pendleton marched in President Obama’s second inaugural parade. One week later, Hadiya was shot and killed on a playground in Chicago. Soon after this tragedy, Hadiya’s friends commemorated her life by wearing orange, the color hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others. See wearorange.org for more info.

Friends at Fifteenth Street Meeting in New York City also wore orange for Gun Violence Awareness on June 8, 2025.