 They arrived by noon on Tuesday, April 21, allowing them some time after lunch at a sidewalk cafe to take a walking tour up and down Pennsylvania Avenue. They saw security surrounding the White House Guest House because the King of Jordan was visiting. They saw protestors exercising their First Amendment Rights. They saw the First Lady's garden and amazing dogwood and cherry blossom trees. And they saw tulips planted everywhere.
Their first appointment was a briefing with White House Senior Staff members at 4 pm in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
There, Makenna got to meet Charles McCormack, CEO of Save the Children, and share the success story of Westwood’s Knit One Save One campaign efforts.
Following that meeting, advocates from all over joined the WW reps for a reception where ABC correspondent Cokie Roberts presented Congresswoman Betty McCollum with the Real and Lasting Change award, after which both women graciously shared a photo op with Makenna.
On Wednesday, the WW trio spent the morning in meetings with Save the Children, talking about advocacy and preparing for their appointments with their elected officials on Capitol Hill in the afternoon. They toured around the Capitol building before heading off to the Cannon, Longworth, and the Rayburn Buildings to meet with staff members on the House side and ask them consider co-sponsoring the Newborn Child and Mother Survival Act of 2009 (HR 1014).
In between the sunshine and the rain drops, Westwood’s character cam caught them enjoying their time on the Hill with their Save the Children Team Leader, Dina Morad. What a way to spend a day, seeing democracy in action, exercising civic rights, and advocating for a great cause. |
