THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 31, 1996 TAG: 9605310713
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH SIMPSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 124 lines
As a woman bringing up three of her grandchildren, Rosetta Williams knows the rest of the world isn't always as focused as she is on children's issues.
That's one reason she's taking her crew of three grandchildren, plus four other children, to Washington on Saturday for a Stand For Children march.
``We've had a march for everyone but children,'' said Williams, who lives in Chesapeake. ``I think yesterday was too late for this march. I think we should have gone up there a long time ago.''
She won't be alone. At least 500 South Hampton Roads residents are going, including parents, teachers, foster parents, child advocates and child-care providers.
Their concerns: The rising tide of violence by and against young people. The number of children born into poverty. The impact of government cutbacks on social programs that benefit America's youth.
``I would like people who make these laws to really consider the children,'' said Williams, who also does volunteer work for Head Start, a preschool program for low-income children. ``They need to think about the law as though it were their child or grandchild being affected.''
The march is the idea of Marian Wright Edelman, the founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund, a child advocacy group in Washington. The purpose is to draw attention to the need to improve the lives of America's children.
The goal of the march has been kept purposely vague to appeal to a broad spectrum of people. Billed as a nonpartisan event, the Stand For Children march will feature no politicians but will instead focus on children and families.
Still, some conservatives have expressed concern the march is a liberal attempt to stop the reform of social welfare programs. ``We were not invited to attend,'' said Kristin Hansen, of the Family Research Council, a conservative organization in Washington. ``We believe the best way to take a stand for children is through the parents, rather than through government programs.''
Although the national coordinators of the Stand For Children march won't give out estimates of how many people have committed to march - they don't want to get into bean-counting, they say - thousands are expected from all 50 states.
``There are people coming from Hawaii, from Alaska. We have buses coming from Texas and California, Washington state, and all up and down the East Coast,'' said Jenny Cook, one of the public relations coordinators for the march. ``We have people coming from all over the country in every mode of transportation.''
Locally, at least 10 buses will carry about 500 riders, and others will travel by car and van. A local group of children's advocates banded together about a month ago to raise money to give parents, children and other interested people a free ride to the march.
Toni Cacace-Beshears, who is coordinating the free rides, said the response for the bus trip was overwhelming. ``We have a waiting list of 100,'' said Cacace-Beshears, who is the education coordinator for Places and Programs for Children, a United Way agency that runs day-care programs.
A procession of children across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to the Lincoln Memorial will open the formal ceremonies at 1 p.m., and will include 30 children from Norfolk public housing neighborhoods and local chapters of Jack and Jill of America, which funds social, educational and cultural programs for children in South Hampton Roads.
National organizers of the Stand For Children march are expecting Saturday's event to draw thousands of children - accompanied by their parents or other caretakers - and have made preparations for young marchers.
Medical tents will be set up, along with posts where children and people who have lost their way can get help. Parking areas and rally areas will be color-coded to keep people from getting lost.
Local groups who are sending people include Family Services of Tidewater, The Planning Council, Commonwealth College, Head Start, the local chapter of the National Council of Negro Women, Places and Programs for Children, and various child-advocacy and teacher groups.
Chris Meissel, a teacher at the Berkley/Campostella Early Childhood Education Center in Norfolk, is going by van with a group from the Norfolk Federation of Teachers. He said they want to show support for public education, early childhood development, health care, and nutritional programs such as the free lunch program.
``If you invest in young children, you'll get a big return in the future,'' Meissel said. ``We want to go to the march to show our support for children.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
MOTOYA NAKAMURA/The Virginian-Pilot
Rosetta Williams of Chesapeake and her grandchildren, from left,
Tiffany, 12; Brandi, 5; and Kyndra, 7; will attend the Stand for
Children march in Washington this weekend.
Graphics
THE SCHEDULE
Schedule of events for Stand For Children march on Saturday:
9 a.m. to noon:
Children speak about the challenge of growing up in America.
Children's entertainers perform.
Advocates for children speak about community success stories.
Information and demonstration booths where some of the 1,500
endorsing organizations will distribute materials, host family
activities like reading circles, sing-a-longs and face-painting.
Late morning:
Thousands of children - Girl Scouts and Brownies, Boys Club
members, church choirs, mothers pushing strollers - will march
across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to the Lincoln Memorial to open
the formal ceremony.
1 p.m to 3 p.m.: Formal program
Music provided by a 2,000-voice children's choir. Nationally
known entertainers may perform with children and young people.
A moment when all Americans are asked to stand up for children
wherever they are.
Interfaith service to emphasize the moral basis of standing for
children.
Speakers calling for personal and community commitment to doing
better for children.
THE NUMBERS
Every day in America:
15 children are killed by firearms
2,660 babies are born into poverty
2,833 children drop out of school
8,493 children are reported abused or neglected
America ranks:
18th among industrialized countries in the gap between rich and
poor children
18th in infant mortality
16th in living standards of poor children
Source: Children's Defense Fund by CNB