Organizers of the local branch of the national Million Father March program are asking all men with school age children to take part in a walking event the morning of Aug. 22.

Scotland County school board member Terence Williams, the local coordinator for the Million Father March, hopes for a good turnout Saturday morning.

"We ask everyone to meet us at 9 a.m. in the parking lot of Bright Hopewell Baptist Church at 601 N. Main St. in Laurinburg," Williams said. "We will then march to the campus of I.E. Johnson Elementary School, where the NAACP will be holding a back to school function."

Representatives from the group will make an announcement regarding the purpose of the group, which is designed to bring fathers into a more active role with their children. The group plans to stage a metaphorical march of solidarity on Aug. 25, the first day of the school year, by asking fathers or father figures of school age children to accompany the young ones to school on the first day as a sign of support.

"The concept (of having fathers take a more active role) is so simple and yet so profound," Regional Organizer Gerard Morrison has said. "Whatever we can do to make the ground more fertile for our children is a good thing to pursue."

"Right now we have about 15 to 20 people committed to walk to I.E. Johnson Saturday morning, and we want to get as many more as possible to join us in this important show of support for our youth," Williams said. "We ask that you arrive at 9 a.m., bring a friend, and we will begin our walk to the school at about 9:30. While this is called the Million Fathers March, ladies are definitely welcome. We are a small, committed group, and we want to expand and show our support to our children in as great a number as we can."

Sponsored by the Black Star Project, an estimated 600,000 men in 475 cities nationwide participated in last year's event.

"We need volunteers, as many as possible," Williams said. "By reclaiming our children, we will be taking positive steps to better our community."

For more information about the Million Father March 2009 program in Scotland County, contact Williams at 373-8908. For more about the Black Star Project visit www.blackstarproject.org.