By Guy Page
There will be a Second Amendment Picnic at the Slate Ridge firearms facility on Briar Hill Road in West Pawlet on April 17.
“We will have a vast variety of all different ethnicities, races, cultures, and religions, baffling the individuals that believe that the contrary exist within the firearms world,” operator Daniel Banyai said in an email to Vermont Daily.
He hopes visitors will “make time to come and take a look at our facility and embrace the love, friendship, and ability to exercise our constitutional rights.” He said that “pro 2A politicians, attorneys, and pro-firearms media sources” have been asked to attend.
A Vermont judge earlier this month handed Banyai and Slate Ridge a loss in a long-running local zoning dispute. On March 5, Vermont Superior Court Judge ruled that Banyai must tear down and remove the firearms center and firing range because it was built in violation of Pawlet zoning regulations, according to a copy of the judicial decision posted by VT Digger.
More information about Slate Ridge can be found on the Slate Ridge Family Facebook page.
Also, a Gofundme page is seeking to raise funds for the legal dispute.
“Slate Ridge volunteers both time and location to teach gun owners how to handle their weapon safely. Mr. Banyai invites people to bring their whole family onto his land and teaches them how to become responsible gun owners,” organizer Sarah Toscano said. “Disputes with neighbors have led to the town attempting to zone Slate Ridge out of existence.”