Early in the morning Doug received a phone call that he was needed at the Gear truck. Norman took him over to the church. I was ready to go when Norman returned and by that time Ann was up. I thanked them for their hospitality and departed. I packed my equipment, collected my bike at the church, and went across the street to the park; our departure place. I was greeted by Terry Bergdall with his bike. Before we left Dick Alton and Sally Duval showed up. We Circled-up and set off for the Conservatory, the site of our first Rally.
Terry and I reached the site long before the Marchers arrived. He had a book to read, I toured the Conservatory. Then Lin and Pam arrived and Paul Noah. When the Marchers arrived we had a small Rally. There were local activists who participated. Then the March went past the Gold Dome, the building where Lin was employed as a community health nurse in 1966-67. Terry had suggested the March route go right through 5th City, the neighborhood the Ecumenical Institute had worked in. When we got to the Iron Man, a symbol of steadfastness in revitalizing and renewing the community, we had a picture taken. By the time we got the pictures taken Pam, Lin, and Paul were too far behind the March procession so they took public transportation downtown to the Chicago Cultural Center.
Terry and I rode our bikes and went to the lakefront to find lunch. We ran into Paul Noah and together we found a suitable restaurant in the shade. After lunch I toured the giant bean, an enormous bean completely covered with a mirror surface. Then we went to Daley Plaza for the Chicago Rally. It was well attended and the presentations were excellent. Some of the speakers were Marchers. It ended about 3:30pm. Lin, Pam, and Paul took public transportation to Uptown where we would have our home stay. Terry and I rode our bikes up the lakefront. Lin showed me to our room on 8th floor and pointed out many of the things they have done at GreenRise. Lots of changes in the building since the mid-70‘s! We went to a potluck dinner on 1st floor I saw some of my old acquaintances: Marge Philbrook, Jean Long, Mary Laura, Jim Troxel, Ed F, Ken Otto, (& some I don’t have names for) and was introduced to some who are currently working with ICA. it was a great dinner and social hour.
On Sunday morn we went to 6th floor for breakfast. We did some laundry and headed for a Presbyterian Church north and west of 4750. We didn’t reach it in time and went to a Methodist Church instead. Lin took me out to my birthday lunch! In the afternoon Lin mended my backpack and cut my hair. The dinner was out on 6th floor If you wanted dinner you had to hurry because there was a 350.org. film, Disruption, being shown. 350.org and other groups have done a marvelous job of anticipating the People’s Climate March in NYC on Sep 21. Our group will be taking a bus up and back so that we can say, "The longest Climate March meets the largest Climate March". I was pleased that Terry and Pam participated in all of the public events that they and ICA hosted for the March for the weekend.