Seven Reasons For Joining The March – Parkland, Florida

My heart still hurts for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas families in Parkland, but after witnessing first hand the passion and conviction and determination of those students left behind I have no doubt those kids WILL change the world. And they’ll change it for GOOD.

When the nationwide March For Our Lives events were announced I decided there was no other place we could be but in Parkland that day. It’s only a little more than twenty miles from our snowbird home, and driving those twenty miles seemed like a small price to pay for being part of a grassroots movement we feel so very passionate about. 

You see, we have our own seven reasons for joining that March last Saturday. In fact I’m reminded of our reasons every time I open our refrigerator in Fort Lauderdale since this photo has a permanent place of honor on the refrigerator door.

As we hurried to leave for the March I grabbed that photo to take along. I just wanted to feel close to those precious grandkids that day. And my heart hurt for all the families in America who have nothing but photos to remember their kids who never came home from school on one fateful day.

I had done some research on the logistics of how to navigate the massive crowd (30,000+) that was expected in Parkland that morning. There were four parking sites scattered around Broward county to move people to Pine Trails Park where the Parkland march was to begin, and even though there was a parking location right here in Fort Lauderdale we decided to drive to Parkland and park at the Equestrian Center site near the high school. Buses were scheduled to run continually from that location both before and after the March.

Even before we arrived we began to realize how incredibly organized that event would be. And let me just say it truly was the most well organized large crowd event I have EVER attended. And as I describe our day, please remember that this entire event was planned by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas STUDENTS! (I confirmed that with one of the MSD moms I spoke with…but more about that conversation later.)

As we arrived at the Equestrian Center, the volunteer parking  attendants directed us into a huge field.

Many high school age kids were helping to direct traffic, and a young volunteer reminded us that only clear bags would be allowed at the event so purses and bags were left behind in the car. 

As soon as we parked our car we were directed to a long line of Broward County school buses for the short ride to the park. But before we boarded the bus I saw a stack of bottled water. When I tried to pay for a bottle the volunteer just smiled and told me to please help myself…no charge.

We boarded a bus and we began our journey.

 

Since the bus was almost full when we stepped onboard Peepaw and I split up. I was seated by a nice woman who told me she lives close by. We began to discuss the awful events of that Valentines Day, and it wasn’t long before I realized she had a very unique perspective of those events since she had been in law enforcement before becoming a teacher! She told me how the events unfolded for her that day.

Since she still gets police alerts on her computer watch, she got the alert even before her school office had been notified. She called the office just as the lock down alert was issued for their school. (She teaches small children in an academy.) I asked her how she sheltered her group of kids, and she said their school is fortunate to have bulletproof windows and doors. (She is a strong advocate for those types of windows and doors to be added to ALL schools.) She deadbolted her classroom door and gathered the children around her.

It gave me chills to talk to her. But her love of those tiny kids and her protective stance made me happy that her tiny charges have someone so qualified to be there for them in a crisis. I asked her how she feels about arming teachers and she didn’t hold back in her condemnation of that idea. She is totally and completely against the concept. She explained how much serious and constant training police officers go through to carry a weapon and she finds it ludicrous that teachers should be asked to teach and become expert marksman too.

There were messages of support posted all along our route to the park, like this sign on the fence at an elementary school.

The long line of buses snaked our way through the beautiful tree lined neighborhoods of Parkland.

We soon arrived at Pine Trails Park, the location of the makeshift memorial that was seen so often on TV as the place to honor those who died.  We slowly made our way through the crowd to listen to the students and parents who were speaking on the stage.

The Parkland families and school students and staff were the only ones allowed on the bleachers and in that central section of the park, but there were huge screens so we could view the stage from many locations within the 80 acre park.

The program began at 10am and included singing, poetry and speeches by the students.

The huge crowd outside the barriers included people from everywhere!

I saw one person with a bouquet of 17 red heart-shaped balloons…one for each person slain at the school.

We also heard from the father of victim Max Schachter. He broke my heart as he described how his son was simply sitting in English class, writing a paper when the gunman simply shot through the closed door and killed him at his desk. He fought back sobs as he said  “I would give everything to have one more second, one more hour with the sweetest boy.” 

I found myself standing next to a woman wearing an MSD t-shirt, so I asked her if she had kids at the high school.

It turned out her entire family had been in harms way that day. One of her daughters had just finished a class when she heard gunshots. She made her way to an exit, and she later realized she had been running with the killer as he left the building! Her husband had been waiting outside the school to pick up their daughter at that time. And their other daughter was sitting in the McDonalds where the gunman was finally apprehended. A mother’s worst nightmare to have her entire family so close to the events of that awful day.

Many t-shirts spoke volumes…

And I couldn’t help but wonder if this small boy knew Coach Feis personally.

Mr. Feis was the coach who died as he shielded students with his own body to protect them from the gunman,

The weather last Saturday was absolutely perfect, and those MSD kids made sure the hot sun was countered by water stations everywhere. The water was free for the taking.

In fact volunteers made their way through the crowd to hand bottles to anyone who wanted one. Again, those kids thought of everything…and they delivered with smiles and hugs to many.

As the speakers ended their program it was time to begin the march. The students left the stage and filed out of the bleachers to lead the way. They locked arms and lead the crowd on the two mile path that wound it’s way past the high school, the site of the tragedy.

The signs, the chants, and the marchers spoke with one voice, and we were proud and humbled to be a part of it.

I made sure our grandkids were held close to my heart as we marched.

Since we had been on our feet most of the morning, we decided to cut our march shorter than the full two miles, and as we headed back toward the long line of buses we were filled with awe at the amazing event those shattered kids had pulled together.

They found heartwarming ways to honor those who were killed…

And the Parkland community welcomed all of us with open arms and hearts.

Their March For Our Lives event was awe inspiring and perfectly organized, right down the signs that directed us back to those buses.

This week is their Spring Break. And I hope those kids take some time to rest and to spend time with their families.

And speaking of families…we would give our lives for these seven kids.

But thanks to the young people from Parkland, and now joined by kids from around the world, we hope no more lives will be lost before we see the changes happen.

I do know one thing after spending that day with the students and families in Parkland. If anyone can make positive changes happen, those kids from Parkland will lead the way…for ALL of us. And we are grateful for their voices…and their passion.

That amazing school bears the name of 108 year old Marjory Stoneman Douglas, author of many books including The Everglades: River Of Grass.  Her words in this partial quote gave me chills when I read it. “Speak up. Learn to talk clearly and forcefully in public. Speak simply and not too long at a time, without over-emotion, always from sound preparation and knowledge. Be a nuisance where it counts; Do your part to inform and stimulate the public to join your action. Be depressed, discouraged and disappointed at failure and the disheartening effects of ignorance, greed, corruption and bad politics…but never give up.”

Marjory should be very proud of the legacy she has left behind at the school that bears her name.