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About 14 busloads of women, men and children will be traveling from Northeastern Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C., on Saturday for the Women’s March on Washington.

The march was scheduled the day after the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on purpose.

“The rhetoric of the past election cycle has insulted, demonized and threatened many of us,” the official statement of the national organizers for the march posted. They hope the march “champions human rights, dignity and justice.”

“Our civil rights, which were hard fought and hard earned, are going to be stripped away,” Lisa Napersky said.

Shawna Knipper, the state’s co-organizer for the march, who is also doing logistics for the national event, said the march organizers “ran out of parking at RFK (Stadium),” and urged those who are attending, whether by private vehicle, train or plane, to register ahead of time.

Chron.com is reporting Teresa Shook, a retired attorney from Hawaii, came up with the idea. The election frightened Shook, so she asked her friends in a Facebook invite if they would march, not intending to have anyone take her seriously. By the time she had gone to bed, 40 of her friends said they would. When she woke up, she had 10,000 people respond to the event.

Napersky, of Mountain Top, is one of the now 250,000 people ready to descend on the nation’s capitol — an estimate from fortune.com.

“The bright side (of this election) is that I wasn’t alone,” she said when she realized her feelings of “a broken heart” were shared by thousands of others.

According to Knipper, there are are 2,000 from the Northeast, including New York and New Jersey, going to the march.

There are 300 sister marches throughout the country for those who can’t get to Washington, D.C., with 62 other marches being held in 37 different countries.

“We’re going to march in solidarity,” Napersky said, mentioning she’s hoping to bring her 16-year-old niece.

Sue Kron, currently of West Chester, but was born in Kingston, said she is going because she believes her elected officials will “try to take away rights for women, people of color, immigrants.”

“(The mach will) let the incoming administration know that we are all watching them and will keep them accountable,” Kron said.

Dallas resident Erin Roth, a history teacher, said she’s “exhilarated” to get so many people together for one purpose.

“I’m not just obligated to go, I have my heart set,” Roth said, noting the march is slated to be historical. “The march says a lot for where we have come from and how far we have to go.”

A rally will begin at 10 a.m. on Independence Avenue and Third Street SW in Washington, D.C., with the march following.

The Women’s March on Washington is intended to ‘champion human rights,’ organizers said.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_WomensMarch1.jpg.optimal.jpgThe Women’s March on Washington is intended to ‘champion human rights,’ organizers said. Courtesy of womensmarch.com

By Melanie Mizenko

[email protected]

IF YOU GO

To register for the march, visit http://tlgets.me/kab. Learn more about the march at www.womensmarch.com.

Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko.