'March for Our Lives' coming to Glen Ellyn

A group of Glen Ellyn residents is planning a march Saturday, March 24, in tandem with the national "March for Our Lives" protest against gun violence in schools.

Local organizer Leroy Boeckelman said the Glen Ellyn march is an official "sibling" march of the national event scheduled to be held in Washington, D.C.

The "March for Our Lives" was initiated a few days after the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Marchers say they're supporting sensible gun control measures to protect the nation's students.

The Washington event is expected to draw between 500,000 and 1 million people.

Boeckelman said as many as 500 people from central DuPage County will turn out for the Glen Ellyn march, one of 700 in the nation to be recognized.

"We should support the students in Florida, but why go to downtown Chicago when we can march here?" he said.

Boeckelman initiated the Glen Ellyn march soon after learning about plans for a national march during the fallout after the February shootings. He soon involved the Rev. George Smith of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Joe Yucha of Faith Lutheran Church, Kendra Miller of First Congregational Church, and Allison Hayes, all of Glen Ellyn.

Several area students are scheduled to speak, including Glenbard West's Elisabeth Shanks, college student Hadiya Afzal and Glenbard South's Tiffany Ruddle.

The march will begin at 10 a.m. at Lincoln Elementary School, 380 Greenfield Ave., and proceed to Glenbard West High School, 670 Crescent Blvd. People are encouraged to arrive early since parking may be a problem. There may be transportation back to Lincoln Elementary School, but plans are still in flux.

Boeckelman hopes to pay for the local march with funds from a New York organization, Every Town Against Gun Violence. If that funding does not become available, he will ask for small donations at the time of the march.

Boeckelman expects to get placards and other supplies from national organizers, but encourages Glen Ellyn marchers to fashion their own signs and placards.

"When we do a march here," Boeckelman said, "we are supporting students in Glen Ellyn and encouraging the community to get involved."

The march is also supported by the local chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.