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March for Women's Lives, April 25, 2004
Delegations Update
February 25, 2004
Greetings organizers!
Here is the latest delegation update. We at the March office
continue to be inspired by your passion for the March and your stellar
organizing- keep up the good work!
We are getting closer to the March. As of today, there are only 60
days left until we gather in Washington, DC and show the world that there
is a pro-choice majority in this country and that we care about women’s
lives.
International Women’s Day
On March 8th, International Women’s Day is celebrated by millions of
people worldwide every year. In December 1977 the UN General
Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women’s
Rights and International Peace. As we celebrate and honor women around the
globe on International Women's Day and at the March for Women’s Lives in
Washington, DC on April 25th, it is crucial to remember the issue of
international reproductive rights. It is imperative to remember that
even though reproductive heath care is something we often take for granted
in the U.S., for millions of people around the world just having access to
birth control is impossible. The hostility to women's health in many
countries and in U.S. foreign policy often leads to women and their loved
ones suffering and dying from causes that are treatable.
Kits for organizing around International Women’s Day and the March for
Women’s Lives will be available on the website by the end of this week.
The kit will have ideas for organizing in your community around the issues
of international women’s reproductive rights, fact-sheets, sample press
releases and more. We are urging delegations to organize events
around International Women’s Day such as hosting a rally or event on or
near March 8th. International Women's Day is 49 days from the March,
so organizing a rally or event will be a great way to build your
delegation. At your event you can sign more people up to join your
delegation, sell bus tickets, and promote the March for Women’s Lives.
Fundraising
As you may have already experienced, people are excited and pumped up
about this historic March. As an organizer, you should do all you can to
build on that support. Not everyone in your delegation will have the
money to participate in the March, so now is the time to start thinking
about raising money for your trip to DC. Fundraising can make a huge
difference in your efforts to build your delegation, since not everyone
interested in coming will have spare money to cover the costs of travel,
lodging and food for such a trip. The thought of fundraising may be
intimidating, but there are some very easy ways to raise money for this
amazing cause, and you will be surprised at how many people will give:
just ask! Focus on fundraising locally. Many local businesses will be
thrilled to donate to your cause. If you get some gift certificates or
artwork donated you can host a happy hour and hold a raffle or silent
auction. We have a helpful fundraising fact sheet on the website.
Check it out for more ideas:
http://www.marchforwomen.org/content/fundraising.pdf.
Number of People in Your Delegation
You should continue to focus on building the numbers of your delegation.
Each delegation MUST be 20 people or more to be recognized on March day
and have a place on the March grid. If you do not have 20 people,
you can fold in with other groups, but we are encouraging everyone to get
at least 20 people on board. If you are able to raise some money,
you can give scholarships to people who might otherwise not be able to
come.
Where Will You Go on March Day?
On the day of the March, we are encouraging people to arrive at 10:00
am-12:00 pm on the National Mall between 3rd and 14th streets. As
you approach the mall area, look for a clearly identified volunteer who
will help you find your place in the March. We encourage groups to
meet on the mall at their designated spot instead of picking an off site
location. There will be hundreds of volunteers on hand ready to help
you find your place in the March. Also, there will be a morning
program with speakers as people gather.
Get Local
If you haven’t already visited to Get Local section of the website, which
is now linked from the main page of the website. It is a way to list
your personal contact information publicly so that people in your region
can contact you if they are interested in joining a delegation.
Please know that when you register your delegation online, you are not
automatically added to Get Local, you must register for that separately by
going to the Get Local page.
Banners
Let us know if your delegation would like to march with the official
purple, gold and white banner, modeled after the banners the suffragists
carried. The deadline for ordering banners has been extended to
April 1st, but the Humphry's Flag Company (1-800-227-3524) must RECEIVE
the orders by that day for delivery in time for the March. Please remember
that there is a 27 letter limit, so if your delegation name is long, think
about ways to abbreviate it. For example, instead of Maryland
Friends for Choice United, you could be MD Friends for Choice United.
Questions? Call the March office at 202-349-3838 or email
info@marchforwomen.org.
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