Here are the details of "Concerned Mothers Walk of Support."

Several questions have been raised on the "Walk of Support" since we announced it yesterday. You will find the answers to those questions below. If you have other questions, please post them here and watch out for our answers.

1. Have all the required permits been issued?
Yes, the Concerned Mothers organization applied for and obtained all the necessary permits from the city of Durham to hold the Walk.

2. Does Duke University know about the planned walk?
Yes, the university is aware of the walk. There will be a full-page ad appearing in Duke Chronicle about the Walk on February 1.

3. Are only women invited to join the walk?
No, all supporters of Reade, Collin and Dave are invited and urged to participate. The organizer of the walk is "Concerned Duke Mothers" not the anticipated participants.

4. Are Duke students invited?
Yes, all Duke students, faculty and staff are invited to join the Walk of Support.

5. How can I help?
The best help you can provide is to spread the word on the Walk and urge as many people as you can to participate on February 4th.

More details on the "Walk of Support" here:

Walk of Support - by Jason Trumpbour
http://friendsofdukeuniversity.blogspot.co...966288605670589

Dear friends,

I received several emails today asking about the logistics of the Walk on Feb 4th. For example, if people park downtown where the walk will start, how will they get back to their cars after the Walk is over; and other similar questions. I contacted the organizers of the Walk and expect some details back today. I will post those details as soon as I get them.

One bit of news I can already pass on is the following. An alternative "short route" is being planned for those who for various reasons cannot make the longer walk. This alternative route will start from the Nasher museum and end at the same destination as the longer Walk, the Koskinen stadium.

Watch out for new "Walk Route" maps and details to be posted soon.

Moderator,
FODU

Latest Update on "Walk of Support"
Posted on January 31, 2007

The Concerned Duke Mothers Walk of Support, scheduled for February 4, will include two routes as follows.

1. From Durham Courthouse to Duke's Koskinen Stadium. This is the original and regular route for the walk.

2. From Duke's Nasher Museum to Duke's Koskinen Stadium. This is the alternative shorter route for those who would have difficulty taking the regular, longer route.

A shuttle bus will be available for transporting participants back and fourth between Duke Campus and the Durham Courthouse. Here are more details on the operations of the shuttle bus.

Starting at 10am, the shuttle bus will take students (and other participants who may be on campus) from Duke University to Durham Courthouse where the Walk will start officially around 11am. Between 10am and 2pm, the bus will make several trips between campus and the Courthouse. There will be a tent located at both ends of the route with a sign "Shuttle Here." You will need to approach those tents and get information about when the next departure or arrival of the shuttle bus is.

For parking, you may use the parking facility of the Courthouse in Durham or the parking lot of Koskinen Stadium, depending on your own preference or location.

If there are questions or suggestions on the logistics of the Walk, please post them here or send us an email. We will communicate with the organizers of the Walk, Concerned Duke Mothers, and get back to you with responses as quickly as we can.

Please help us disseminate this information as widely as possible. Also, please encourage as many friends and supporters as you can to participate in the Walk of Support. Thank you.

Moderator,
FODU

Here is a map of the route the Walk will follow on February 4. This is the regular route not the alternate short one.

Thanks Mod, the map is very helpful. However, I have two questions and a request.

Q1. First, could the ‘alternate short route’ also be worked into the map? If it’s not possible to work that into the same map, perhaps a separate map can be created for it. Some people are not familiar with Durham or Duke and it will be helpful to have as detailed a map as possible.

Q2. There appear to be at least one rail road and one highway crossings on the regular route. Is it going to be easy to cross those on foot? Did someone actually make this walk to verify that it is free of obstacles or barriers?

Would some creative people come up with slogans that are relevant and respectful of the goal of the Walk? These can be helpful when preparing home made signs that we are all supposed to be brining with us. Some people may lack time or imagination to come up with cool signs. If some of you already created some witty slogans or phrases, please post them here. We can all use a little help from our friends. Thank you.

The Nasher Museum is located on the corner of Anderson and Campus Drive. I'll see if we can mark it in anyway. The route does not have us going over railroad tracks or highways. There are sidewalks the entire way. As far as signs go, they should be supportive, but they are also not necessary. I am confident that a good turn out will speak for itself. It is more important to spread the word and come out and walk.

I'm not officially associated with the walk but I believe I can answer these questions.

1) The alternate short walk is from the Nasher Museum which is on the corner of Anderson and Duke University drive. The main walk route passes right by there. With this additional information you should be able to locate it on the map pending the addition of further information.

2) Both of these crossings are where Campus Drive is an underpass on the freeway and railroad. There is a standard sidewalk with a railing to separate foot traffic from vehicular traffic on Campus Drive. There is no interaction at all with the freeway or railroad. The standard "march" for Duke is from East Campus along campus drive to West Campus so it's used for this purpose all the time.

I hope this helps.

Forgive me if this has already been asked/answered, but at what time does the "shorter" march start?

Thank you.

Durham Mommy

A friend suggested that we come up with an idea, a plan or a method by which the supporters who cannot participate in the Walk on Sunday can do something modest too. This way, these supporters will have the opportunity to show their solidarity to those who are walking in Durham and feel like they are a part of the cause too. This is a pretty good idea. If you have suggestions on what can be done by non participants, please let us know – post your ideas below or send me an email. One idea that has been suggested already is to ask every supporter who is unable to make the Walk to contribute $10 to ATAF (the legal defense fund), on Sunday. This amount may sound insignificant, but if 1000 people contribute, the sum would be $10,000 which is significant. The challenge is how to get 1000 supporters to donate $10 each?

To implement such a project, we need to develop a good plan and incentives for supporters to donate. But most importantly, we need someone who is willing to champion this idea and make it happen. I have some ideas about it, but my plate is full. I cannot commit any time for it. If you are willing to volunteer to work on this project (alone or with others) please contact me. I will be happy to provide pointers on how to get started. Unfortunately, there is very little time left. So, you should be prepared to work on this between now and Sunday. All other ideas and suggestions are welcome.

To reiterate, the objective is to identify something positive and useful for the supporters who cannot participate in the Walk to do so they too can feel like they are a part of the Walk and the cause.

Durham Mommy,

The shorter route (alternate) is from Duke's Nasher Museum to Koskinen Stadium. We hope to get that route also marked up on the map. Please watch out for an updated map soon.

Kerch6 and LB, thanks for the clarifications above. They are most helpful.

Great...I just wanted to know if the shorter one also starts at 11 or perhaps later?

The walk from the courthouse will most likely get underway by 11:15, therefore, the first wave should be passing the nasher musuem around 11:45. We'll look forward to seeing you there. Hope this helps!

Latest update on parking:

If you are planning to park at Duke, we are told you should park at the Bryan Center Parking Facility, NOT the Koskinen Stadium. This is due to the 2pm basketball game scheduled for the same day (Duke vs. FSU).

Repeat: Do not park at Koskinen Stadium; park at Bryan Center!

'Pay Pal' Account for Defense Fund and ebay.com

Is there a 'Pay Pal' account available for the Defense Fund?

While wiring funds is most certainly proper, most people don't wire funds. If they wish to send fund they do so with Pay Pal.

That would be especially true for ebay.com customers.

And speaking of ebay.com can someone with an ebay.com account list something from Duke and then actually request donations along with the cost of the item.

I will check with the fund managers and get back with answeres to those questions.

The latest news is that Duke Police agreed to direct traffic for the Walk on Sunday (while the Walk is on campus). This is very good news. It means everything should proceed in an orderly manner.

Now, all we need to do is to show up for the Walk!

Please plan on being there and bring as many friends and supporters as you can. This may be the only chance you will have to show your support to RS, CF and DE in this special format. A great deal of work went into the organization of this Walk. Let us not disappoint the Concerned Mothers. Please join the Mothers on Sunday.

Jason Trumpbour, FODU spokesperson, will be interviewed on National Public Radio (NPR) at 4pm this afternoon. The interview will be available later on NPR’s website as well. We will get that link to you, as soon as it becomes available.

Here is the link (Click on Listen for the audio version):

Duke President Takes Fire over Lacrosse Case
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7138250

Here is a sample sign that will be used on Sunday during the Walk of Support.

I urge everyone that can to please park at the courthouse, and then use the shuttle to return after the walk. For those of you that need to park at Duke, there is a parking lot across the street from the admissions building that Duke will allow us to use. You can then take the shuttle from Duke to the courthouse. There will be a tent set up to let you know where the shuttle will take off from. It is going to be a great day. Tell everyone to come out and support this walk.

Dear Friends, Kerch6 is closer to the arrangements being made for the Walk of Support than we are. From this point on, I like to urge everyone to follow the instructions given by Kerch6 under this thread.

Until the Walk of Support is over, Kerch6 will provide our marching orders and update us on the latest developments. Please feel free to ask questions or express your concerns. Kerch6 will address them as quickly as possible.

Kerch6, many thanks for stepping in; we are grateful to you. Please take the lead on this thread; we will follow. If there is anything we can do between now and Sunday to help make the Walk a success, let us know. We are ready and eager to do all we can.

Good luck to all supporters. For those who are traveling, have a safe trip to and from Durham! For Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty and Dave Evans's sake, let's make the Walk of Support a successful and dignified event. But most importantly, let's make it a well attended event.

Finally, some local coverage (Herald Sun):

Walk to support former players
http://www.heraldsun.com/durham/4-815788.cfm

From FODU website.

Questions and answers on the Walk of Support

We hope you are all aware that a Walk of Support, organized by Concerned Duke Mothers and Duke Students for and Ethical Durham (DSED), is scheduled for 11am tomorrow morning. The purpose of the walk is to show support to Dave Evans, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann, the three falsely accused defendants of the lacrosse case. Below is the latest update on the logistics of the Walk. We present the update in the form of questions and answers. If we missed answering some of your questions or concerns, please let us know. We will be glad to respond to those as well.

1. Who is expected to participate in the Walk?
Everyone is invited to participate in the Walk of Support. The event is organized by Concerned Duke Mothers, but attendance is in no way restricted to mothers. We urge all our friends, especially those who live in the area to make an effort to participate in the Walk. A lot of planning went into the organization of this event and a good turn out is very desirable. If you can, please join the Walk!

2. Where and when?
The Walk of Support will consist of two routes – a regular route and a shorter, alternate route. You may choose either of the two routes based on your own preference. At the end of the walk, the two groups taking the alternative routes will come together and merge at Duke’s Koskinen Stadium.

The first route (this is the ‘regular’ route) is from Durham County Judicial Building to Duke’s Koskinen Stadium. The Walk on this route will start at 11am. The length of this route is estimated as two miles.

The second route (this is the ‘alternate’ route designed for those who may have difficulty walking the regular one) is from Duke’s Nasher Museum to the Koskinen Stadium. Nasher Museum is located at the corner of Anderson Street and Campus Drive. The Walk on this route will start at 11:15am. The length of this route is estimated as half a mile.

3. Is there a map of the two routes?
Yes, here is link to such a map: http://z10.invisionfree.com/FODU_Open_Boar...post&p=11707923

4. Where to park and how to get to the Walk?
If you are participating in the regular Walk, we recommend that you drive to Durham and park at Court House’s parking facility. At the end of the walk, there will be a shuttle bus to take you back to your car at that location. You may consider the parking recommendation for those walking the alternate route, see below, as well.

If you are participating in the alternate Walk, we recommend that you park at Duke’s Bryan Center parking facility. Then, you can catch the shuttle bus that will be running between Duke campus and Durham Judicial Building between 10 am and 2pm and get to your destination and back.

Do not park at the Koskinen Stadium parking lot. There is a Duke basketball game tomorrow at 2pm and that parking facility will not be available for our purposes. If you park there, you will run the risk of getting a parking ticket or being towed.

5. Are there transportation tips?
Yes, as mentioned above a shuttle bus will be running between Duke campus and Durham County Judicial Building between 10 and 2pm. There will be tents setup with a sign “Shuttle Here” on both ends of the bus route. This is how you will identify exactly where to catch the shuttle bus. Please approach those tents and ask about the next arrival or departure time of the bus.

6. Does Duke know about the Walk?
Yes, Duke University is aware of the walk. The University has kindly agreed to make Duke Policy available to direct traffic on campus for the duration of the walk. We expect the traffic situation to be very orderly.

7. Does City of Durham know about the Walk?
Yes, the necessary permission for such a gathering has been obtained by the organizers of the Walk.

8. Signs and banners?
We ask that you prepare and bring your own home made signs. Make sure your signs are respectful of the purpose of the Walk. The organizers of the walk emphasized how important it is that this Walk be carried out in the most orderly and dignified manner.

9. Dress code?
Dress comfortably. If you arrive early, you may be given Lacrosse t-shirts to wear. However, only 35-40 of those will be available, so do not count on getting one. It is especially important to wear comfortable walking shoes.

10. Weather?
The weather is looking good for tomorrow, as best we can tell.

11. Latest information and announcements?
In the event there are last minute announcements or updates on the Walk, you may consult the following thread on FODU’s discussion board. http://z10.invisionfree.com/FODU_Open_Boar...wtopic=70&st=20

12. What can those planning to participate in the Walk do to help?
The most important thing you can do is to come out and join the walk. If you can bring friends along that is a plus. Also, try to be as orderly, peaceful and respectful of your fellow participants (and others you may run into) as possible. Bring along thoughtful signs that express the objective of the Walk (i.e. our support of Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty and Dave Evans).

13. What can those who are unable to attend the Walk do to help?
Most importantly, make sure you have contacted all your friends who may be able to attend and urge them to do so. It is very important that the Walk is well attended. Aside from this, you may be able to help in two other ways.

First, if you have not already done so, be sure to sign the following petition to show your support to Reade, Collin and Dave. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fodu_1/index.html

Second, whether you have already done it or not, you may consider contributing a small amount to the legal defense fund in lie of the Walk that you could not attend. This too is a good way to show your support to Reade, Collin and Dave on this special day. The lowest amount you can contribute to the defense fund through the https://www.online-donation.com/truthandfairness is $50. If that’s too high, you may send a check for a smaller amount (details available on the website). What matters is that you participate in some small way in the spirit of the day and show your support to this cause.

Let us make the Walk of Support a successful event and a positive experience. Let us show our support to Reade, Collin and Dave. Good luck and thank you to all those who are participating in the Walk tomorrow.

Just for the record, here is some media coverage of the Walk.

Duke Mom's March (video)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3_wz3XcgesM

Marchers support former players, Herald Sun
http://www.heraldsun.com/durham/4-816303.cfm

Walkers stand behind defendants, lacrosse, N&O
http://www.newsobserver.com/1185/story/539889.html

Walk For Support for Duke LAX Students, abc11tv.com
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=...ngle&id=5002028

The Duke lacrosse support march, Right Angles
http://triangle.johnlocke.org/blog/?p=338

The photo below was sent to us by one of our members. The sender is in the photo. A big thank you to the contributor.

A good video of the Walk fo Support.

Duke Lacrosse News Coverage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GVzt3cFjlE