Milk Party rally urges leaders to invest in kids

Twelve-year-old Harbia Gardner got the point right away of Tuesday's inaugural Children's Movement of Florida rally.

"Why give money to jails when the people there did something bad, and not give the money to children when they've done nothing wrong?" the Fairview Middle School student said.

The non-partisan, grassroots movement's main focus is to make children the state's No. 1 priority. Among the issues the movement, or Milk Party, wants to address are access to health insurance and quality health care, screening and treatment for special needs children, quality pre-kindergarten opportunities, high-quality mentoring programs, and support and information for parents.

More than 1,200 moms, dads, grandparents, children and concerned citizens filled a room at the Civic Center for the kickoff rally. Rallies will continue across the state hitting every major city from Pensacola to Key West - hoping to catch the attention of state leaders.

"I want us to care about children in a way that has never been achieved," said David Lawrence Jr., retired publisher of The Miami Herald and leader of the movement that has been two years in the making. "The picture for children is growing worse. The state gives higher priority to roads, bullet trains and prisoners."

Suzanne Creamer, who works at the Franklin County Public Library, brought a group of 19 children to enjoy the pizza, performers and the Rickards High band. She came because she wants to see change.

"I want to see children be able to read when they get to kindergarten. I have seen fourth-graders not be able to read," Creamer said. "But it's going to take a lot of people to see change."

The movement is inviting Florida's gubernatorial candidates to participate in a debate exclusively about children's issues on Oct. 16 at the University of Miami.

According to Lawrence, Democratic candidate Alex Sink has agreed to participate and Republican candidate Rick Scott is expected to attend.

Alice Bickford, mother of two, hopes the movement will be a driving force behind change in the Legislature.

"Anything is possible if we put our minds to it," she said.

Peter Boulware was one of a handful of speakers at the rally. The former Florida State football star noted that he has four children and a fifth is expected soon.

"If we invest in our kids," he said, "the reward in the end will be sweet."

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