THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, May 14, 1996 TAG: 9605160591
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH SIMPSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
If you think the folks who run this country aren't doing enough for children, get on the bus.
The bus, that is, that's headed for Washington on June 1 for a Stand For Children march.
Hampton Roads child advocacy groups have banded together to pay for buses to take at least 100 people to the national children's rights march at the Lincoln Memorial.
People who can't afford the $20-a-seat price, but who still want to take a stand, can get on board for free. Companies, individuals and organizations throughout the area will be sponsoring seats.
``The seats are for anyone who wants to go, anyone who is concerned about children,'' said Kathryn Wolf, director of dependent care services at The Planning Council. ``We're especially interested in seeing families go.''
The march is the brainchild of Marian Wright Edelman, the founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund, a child advocacy group in Washington. The march is expected to draw thousands of parents, children, teachers, preachers and child advocates from across the country.
The purpose of the march is to call attention to the need to improve the lives of America's children. No politicians have been invited to speak, since the march is being touted as nonpartisan. Rather, the organizers want marchers to commit themselves to do more to improve the quality of children's lives in their own homes and communities.
Activities will include music and dance performed by children, an interfaith service, entertainers and speakers.
A coalition of local child advocacy groups, including The Planning Council, Family Services of Tidewater and others, has been working for weeks to raise funds to send at least 10 busloads - about 500 people - to Washington.
Besides two buses of free seats, other buses are being organized by Head Start, Commonwealth College and the local chapter of the National Council of Negro Women.
Money is still being raised for more bus seats, but at least 100 are now available to the public. The buses will leave from two locations: the city of Norfolk Public Parking Lot 39, at the corner of Monticello Avenue and Virginia Beach Boulevard, and at the Portsmouth campus of Tidewater Community College. The buses will leave at 7 a.m. and are expected to return to Hampton Roads about 8:30 p.m.
Toni Cacace-Beshears, who is coordinating the local bus trips, said Stand For Children officials are recommending people go in busloads rather than individually because of the volume of people expected.
``The march is to let people know that we care about children and that people are tired of children being at the bottom of the list,'' said Cacace-Beshears, who is the educational coordinator for Places and Programs for Children, a United Way agency that runs day-care programs. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
THE EVENT
What: Stand For Children march.
Where: Lincoln Memorial in Washington
When: June 1.
Time: Buses leave from Norfolk City Parking Lot 39 at the corner
of Monticello Avenue and Virginia Beach Boulevard, and the
Portsmouth campus of TCC at 7 a.m. The buses are expected to leave
Washington at 4:30 p.m. and return to Hampton Roads around 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $20 a seat, but 100 free seats are available for people who
can't afford that cost.
For more information: To make reservations for $20 seats, or to
sign up for free seats, or to sponsor a seat for someone who can't
afford the trip, call 397-2981 or 622-7017.
by CNB