Allergy Alert – NO NUTS PLEASE
Arrive at 7:30 a.m. for 8:00 a.m. departure OFL Building 15 Gervais Drive (Eglinton Ave E & Don Mills Road) across from the Superstore
Parking is available in lot beside the building cost $6 for Friday until 6:00 p.m. no charge after 6:00 p.m. Saturday or Sunday.
To get to 15 Gervais Drive, check with TTC for bus service schedule.
NOTE: There will be wifi and phone charging stations on the bus.
ITEMS YOU WILL NEED:
Passport (you must have it to enter the US).
US money While many places will take credit and debit card it would be helpful to have cash.
US phone mobile package. Most providers now have a daily rate for travellers to the U.S.
Mobile phone charged, a charger and a battery pack. Both days will be long.
Snacks – no fruit, meat or dairy as per border requirements. No nuts allergy alert
Pillow and/or blanket. Helpful to cozy down on trip home.
NOTE: You can leave items on the bus. Please not valuables.
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR FOR THIS PROTEST MARCH?
Dress in layers for comfort and warmth. Like your boots, I recommend something that is insulated, comfortable, and waterproof and has a hood. The weather is unexpected this time of year and you won’t have a place to huddle under and an umbrella in a crowd is a bad idea.
Wear items that are our national colours. Red and White. Many Canadian sisters are doing this plus bring Canadian flags to drape over their shoulders or smaller hand held ones. It is not recommended flags on poles.
Good warm, dry walking shoes. You’re going to be doing a lot of walking and a lot of standing. Depending on the weather, you may be doing it in snow, slush, or soggy muddy grass. A waterproof hiking boot is your best choice as it will provide arch support, warmth, a high profile to protect from splashes or puddles, and a fabric that will keep you dry even if you’re in two inches of mud slush.
For hands, combo of thinner touchscreen-friendly gloves and waterproof mittens to go over. You’ll be using your phone a lot to text meetups with friends, take photos, and share updates on social media. Having thin, pliable gloves with a functional touchscreen pad will make it possible to do all this without having bare fingers.
Head gear, a mix of items instead of an all-in-one. A beanie, ear warmer/headband, scarf, and a pair of large lightweight sunglasses will give you options depending on the weather and whether you’re walking, chanting, or standing and huddling to stay warm.
WHAT SHOULD I PACK FOR A PROTEST MARCH?
The rally and march will last from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Bring as little as possible, but pack thinking you may be there longer than expected and with fewer facilities than expected.
Backpacks are not permitted. Please note all bags may be subject to search. Bags should be no larger than 8”x6”x4”. Specifically for people who would like to bring meals, each marcher is permitted one additional 12”x12”x6” plastic or gallon bag. For marchers who have medical needs or for mothers who need baby bags or breast pumps, one clear bag or backpack no larger than 17″x12″x6″ will be permitted and subject to search (coloured transparent bags are not permitted). Do not bring anything that can be construed as a weapon, including signage with any kind of handle (e.g. a sharpened wooden stick).
The basics:
- Water: Bring water as it may be hard to find. Consider reusable water bags, as they don’t take up much space or weigh much once empty. Don’t expect stations to refill them though, bring enough for 12 hours – if you have too much you can share with others who didn’t bring enough.
- Snacks: Energy bars are the best as they don’t take up much space, can be broken and shared with others, and can be eaten without having to remove your gloves. Allergy alert no nuts on bus.
- Medications and Glasses: If you take medication, bring enough for a minimum of 12 hours even if you think you’ll be there far less. Better safe than sorry. If you wear contacts, bring a backup pair of glasses and eye drops.
- Personal Care Products: bring a travel-sized pack of wet wipes. They can be used for the porta-potties but also for other cleanups during the day. One of those purse packs of tissues is also awesome, especially in cold runny nose weather. If you’re having your period or want to be the BFF of someone who may have had theirs come earlier than expected, bring a couple tampons or pads. Again, plan for 12 hours even though your day will likely be shorter. If you have a nervous stomach, some Immodium AD may be your BFF. Also recommend bringing at least one clean bandana. It’s not heavy, won’t take up much space, and can prove quite useful for a face cover, washcloth, pouch to hold small items, head covering, and more.
- Communication Essentials: a sturdy phone case, and a battery pack to juice up your phone mid-day. Business cards are great to share contact info with new friends made. Paper or a notepad and a Sharpie as it can write on most anything, even if it’s damp from rain or snow.
- Personal Identification and Money: Bring your ID, your insurance cards and medical information, one credit or debit card, and $25-$40 in cash. If you don’t have phone numbers memorized, consider a piece of paper or write on your arm the number of an emergency contact just in case your phone dies or gets lost. backup.
- All money and IDs should be on your person.
- If needed – DC transit the basic $10 card will be enough to get you round trip to the march location from any of the stations.
- Bring a paper map with you. (Bus Co-ordinator will provide) With so many people, you can’t rely on cell service to get you around. Trying to get basics like a map on your phone will drain your battery quick; if you don’t want to carry a paper map at least save some maps as photos in your phone so you can enlarge and get your way around town.
For an FAQ from the Women’s March on Washington, click here.
You are making history. Take Care of Each Other and Have Fun.
