Children spoke out on the issue of health care during a march and rally in downtown Wheeling Monday.
Youths attending the Children's Defense Fund's "Freedom School" at Laughlin Chapel joined with other Freedom Schools across the nation Monday in commemorating "The National Day of Social Action." The "Freedom School" at Laughlin Chapel is the only one in West Virginia.
The issue of health care was selected by those at Laughlin Chapel, as they suspect many of the elementary school-aged youths attending the "Freedom School" don't have access to medical treatment when they need it.
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Youths attending the Children’s Defense Fund’s “Freedom School” at Laughlin Chapel march through downtown Wheeling Monday to voice their opinions about the need for access to health care for all in America.
"We want health care for all citizens - especially children," said Marcy Allen, director of programming at Laughlin Chapel. "Children too often get left when it concerns anything, and usually they're the most affected."
She noted that she and the staff of Laughlin Chapel's "Freedom School" have been working at informing the young children about the national health care issue, and some reacted as if they had just heard a horror story.
"Some didn't know about health care," Allen commented. "When we told them that there were some people who when they get sick can't go to the doctor, some of them actually cried."
A goal of "Freedom School" is to teach the children to channel their emotions and voice concerns in a positive way, according to Pastor Fran Lawrence, executive director of Laughlin Chapel. As such, the youths were shown how to make signs touting their feelings about health care, and how many don't have proper health insurance coverage.
The children carried these signs as they marched from the chapel to Heritage Port on Monday. A number of motorists - many of them elderly - were seen honking their horns in support of the youths' message.
The youngsters enjoyed this acknowledgment of what they had to say, and it reinforces the notion that they can have a positive voice in the world that can affect people, Lawrence said.
"We're showing them that maybe the system doesn't work - but that we're all part of the system," she continued. "And we can change it."