In lieu of the recent overwhelming instances of gun violence against children, T.W.O. Ceasefire recently hosted the first annual "T.W.O. Ceasefire Peace March/Back to School Rally". The event, held on August 30, 2007, was igniting Woodlawn residents to band together to ensure not only that our children are in school everyday beginning September 4, 2007, but also that they have safe passage to and from school.

Attended by hundreds of community families, area business owners, and community activists, participants marched down Cottage Grove Avenue from Midway Plaisance (60th and Cottage Grove) to the culminating point at Harris Park District (62nd and Drexel). Upon arrival, families were greeted by cheerful T.W.O. volunteers and park district personnel who served refreshments, facilitated fun games and activities, and distributed important back to school and community safety information.

 

There were addresses given by community leaders such as mistress of ceremonies, Georgette Greenlee-Finney (T.W.O./WCDC Chief Operating Officer), Bernard Chestlegh (Program Director, 20th Ward Aldermanic Office), Barbara

Todd (T.W.O. Education Committe Chair), and J.W. Smith (T.W.O. Executive Board and Education Committe Vice Chair).

The highlight of the event was a distribution of over 1,000 back packs, complete with school supplies inside, which was personally headed up by Dr. Leon D. Finney, Jr. (T.W.O. President and CEO).