West Hartford Residents Take to Streets in #MarchforOurLives

Published On: March 24, 2018Categories: Lifestyle

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Three generations of West Hartford-ites join the march from Fernridge Park. From left: Grace Hanlon, Elizabeth Hanlon, Helen McVerry. March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

[Updated with additional photos. Thank you to all who contributed!] West Hartford residents participated in #MarchforOurLives marches and rallies in West Hartford, Hartford, and throughout the state and country on Saturday.

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

Hundreds of marches were held Saturday throughout the country as part of the March for Our Lives movement, many organized and led by students who are advocating for stricter gun control and school safety.

“On March 24, the kids and families of March For Our Lives will take to the streets of Washington, DC, to demand that their lives and safety become a priority. The collective voices of the March For Our Lives movement will be heard,” states the March for Our Lives mission statement on its website.

In West Hartford, approximately 300 marchers – kids, parents, grandparents, and other supporters – arrived at Fernridge Park just before 10 a.m. Saturday to march 1.2 miles to the steps of Town Hall where a rally was held. Many participants carried posters, with messages like “enough is enough” and “grandmas against guns” as they trekked along the side walk on Fern Street, as many cars honked their horns in support of the march.

At Town Hall, multiple speakers, including West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, addressed the crowd.

Dan Firestone of West Hartford arrived at Fernridge Park with a sign that read: “Children are more valuable than guns!!”

Firestone said that his daughter lives in Boca Raton, FL, and his 19-year-old grandson’s girlfriend attends Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL. “She survived, but one of her girlfriends didn’t survive,” Firestone said. “I’m a firm believer in this,” he said of the message on his sign.

“Enough is enough,” said Grace Hanlon, Elizabeth Hanlon, and Helen McVerry. The trio represented three generations of West Hartford residents marching together.

The West Hartford event was organized by Lewis Mills High School junior Colby Kordas on behalf of the March for Our Lives organization. “[The cause] hits home for us, especially in Connecticut with Sandy Hook,” Kordas told We-Ha.com about his involvement with the organization.

Many West Hartford residents also headed to Hartford where a rally was held at the State Capitol. According to Hartford Police, more than 10,000 attended the event.

Others from West Hartford went to New York City, Washington, DC, and other sites around the state and country.

“It was incredible, emotional,beautiful and powerful!” Heidi Lazarus Lachut, who marched with her daughter in Washington, DC, on Saturday in a Facebook message to We-Ha.com. “Kids (some even as young as 11 years old) gave amazing, heart breaking speeches. I have a renewed hope for our future from these kids. Change is coming!”

“Great March ‘enthusiasm.’ Wonderful signs and great speakers,” said Hank Lerner, who attended the Hartford march with is wife, Barbara Lerner.

On Sunday, Hall High School Student Council President Chase Jeter will appear on Face the State, in a special program dedicated to March for Our Lives to speak about the movement.

Sen. Chris Murphy released the following statement regarding March for Our Lives on Saturday: “Ninety people in this country die every single day from gun violence – a rate higher than any other industrialized nation in the world. Most politicians only pay attention when the mass tragedies happen, like Sandy Hook and Parkland, but the gun violence epidemic doesn’t take a day off. For kids in places like Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven, they live it every day. This is a uniquely American problem, and it’s not because we have more mental illness in this country – we don’t. It’s not because our schools are less secure – they’re not. It’s not because we spend less money on law enforcement – we don’t. It’s because it’s incredibly easy for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons, and because Congress refuses to do anything about it.”

Murphy expressed his thanks to all who planned to speak out and/or march. “Whether you support universal background checks, banning certain types of weapons, or want to have a conversation about how to address social isolation– or all that and more – there’s a place for you in this discussion. Stick with it because it’s going to be advocates like you who lead the way. I’ll be here to partner with you in any way that I can.”

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March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Dan Firestone of West Hartford said the Parkland shooting hit close to home. His grandson’s girlfriend attends Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Colby Kordas (left), a junior at Lewis Mills High School in Burlington, was the organizer of March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Deputy Mayor Beth Kerrigan (right) marches with her sons. March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Abigail Noonan

Alexandra Frisbie was representing West Hartford at the March for Our Lives in East Haddam. Photo courtesy of Alexandra Frisbie

Mother and daughter prepare for March for Our Lives in Washington, DC. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Heidi Lazarus Lachut

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Clare Taylor Neseralla

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Clare Taylor Neseralla

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Clare Taylor Neseralla

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Clare Taylor Neseralla

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Clare Taylor Neseralla

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Clare Taylor Neseralla

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Clare Taylor Neseralla

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Clare Taylor Neseralla

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Theresa Lerner

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Theresa Lerner

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Theresa Lerner

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Theresa Lerner

‘Three generations at the Hartford March today. I’m an elementary art teacher and my son is a fifth grader, so this issue hits close to home. It was an incredibly moving event,’ said Tara Harrison. Courtesy photo

March for Our Lives, Washington, DC. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Heidi Lazarus Lachut

March for Our Lives, Washington, DC. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Heidi Lazarus Lachut

March for Our Lives, Washington, DC. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Heidi Lazarus Lachut

March for Our Lives, Washington, DC. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Heidi Lazarus Lachut

Jodi Teitelman of West Hartford, who graduated from Hall High School in 2016, at the March for Our Lives in Washington, DC, with other students from Towson University. Photo courtesy of Jodi Teitelman

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Debbie Gladstone Lombardo

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Debbie Gladstone Lombardo

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Debbie Gladstone Lombardo

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Debbie Gladstone Lombardo

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Hank Lerner

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Hank Lerner

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Hank Lerner

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Hank Lerner

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Hank Lerner

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Claire Gallo

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Shari Cantor

Sen. Richard Blumenthal speaks to the crowd at Town Hall. March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Shari Cantor

West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor speaks to the crowd at Town Hall. March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Shari Cantor

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Beth Kerrigan

March for Our Lives, West Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Beth Kerrigan

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Tyler Smith

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Tyler Smith

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Tyler Smith

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Tyler Smith

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Gary Holmes

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Gary Holmes

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Gary Holmes

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Mary Cashman

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Gary Holmes

March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Alexis Zinkerman

March for Our Lives, New York City. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Susan Schoenberger

March for Our Lives, New York City. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Susan Schoenberger

March for Our Lives, New York City. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Susan Schoenberger

Olivia Proietti of West Hartford, a graduate student living in Baltimore, at March for Our Lives in Washington, DC. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Liz Proietti

Neha Parekh and her family at March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Neha Parekh

From left: West Hartford residents Heather Ferguson-Hull, Carol Oriol, and Kelly Huffman. March for Our Lives, Hartford. March 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of Heather Ferguson-Hull