The marchers to Washington are pictured at left are each holding a red carnation. We were given carnations by people who attended the Philadlephia rally.

Cliff Frasier, who played an important role in planning the march, explains the symbolism of these carnations and what we are hoping those of who can join us on this march will do as part of this action.

“Every 12 minutes, on average, a person dies in our country for lack of health insurance, according to a recent study released by Harvard Science. This results in approximately 1,000 deaths every 8-days.

March to the Finish Line for Melanie is an 8-day march from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. As our elected leaders continue debating reform, we are losing the voices of those most in need of affordable and accessible healthcare.

Marchers will carry 1,000 carnations into Washington and lay them on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building, memorializing the mounting human cost of doing nothing. These flowers will also represent community support for March to the Finish Line for Melanie, as volunteers from advocacy and religious organizations will donate bouquets of carnations along the route. 

Please donate a bouquet – or several (preferred color:  red, but any color will be appreciated).  We need to gather 1,000 stems of carnations over the course of the 8 day march. 

Meet the marchers at one of the rallies or meet-up locations along the route, and add your donation of carnations to March to the Finish Line for Melanie. For more information on how to donate carnations, call:  917-359-9281. ”

By the way, we are standing in front of an SEIU RV about a mile north of Ridley Park, where we held a candlelight vigil on our first night. SEIU graciously offered it to us to support our efforts. It’s carrying our clothes and snacks, is a convenient place to rest and is a great backdrop for events.