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Three From Avon Park Attend Inauguration

Jasmina Meyer, Highlands Today file photo

From left: Tonya Marshall and her daughter, Lauren Marshall, traveled to Washington to attend President Barack Obama's inauguration.

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By GARY PINNELL

Highlands Today

Published: January 21, 2009

How was it, up in Washington D.C., watching the inauguration? Cold and crowded, but exciting and well worth the effort.

Tonya Marshall, her daughter, Lauren, and Lauren's friend Rashada Colleur made the 925-mile trip, and talked by phone at about 10 a.m., two hours before President Barack Obama took the oath of office.

"We got into town on Saturday," said Marshall. "We came into Washington yesterday for a dry run."

They bought their Metro train passes, walked around the Capitol, and scouted for spots to watch the historic event. Of course, the Smithsonian, the Capitol - everything but the retail stores - were closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Oh well, they're coming back in July anyway for a family reunion.

"I've been taking a lot of pictures of buildings, signs, crowds," Lauren said. "My camera is full of pictures."

On Tuesday, they dropped their blankets and rain ponchos directly in front of a JumboTron television screen, somewhere between the U.S. Capitol, the Library of Congress and the George Washington Monument.

"The spot we picked is really close to the portapotties," Marshall explained, "which is really important if you're going to be here for a while. We're camped for the rest of the day."

In Sebring, the temperature at 10 a.m. was 54 degrees. How's the weather there?

"It's a lot colder today than yesterday," said Marshall. They saw momentary snow flurries. "We have hand warmers and two coats per person."

Google said the temperature was 23 degrees, but a 15 mph wind from the northwest would make the air feel like 10 degrees. The expected high was a sultry 31 degrees.

Officials didn't know how many people would show up to see the first black man to become president of the United States. Estimates ranged up to 4 million.

"There's half a million people in front of us," Marshall said. "But it's great. The people in front of us have dominos. It's a picnic atmosphere."

Once in the city, the Metro stopped moving until after the inauguration, she said. "We can't get out of the city now. We can't even leave to go home until 4 or 5 o'clock this evening."

People were minding their manners, Marshall said. When the train doors opened, there was a mad rush, but others saw Tonya, Lauren and Rashada holding onto each other's coats, and waited to make sure the three didn't get separated.

Both Rashada and Lauren are juniors at Avon Park High School.

"To see all these people here," said Lauren, "I'm enjoying everything about it, viewing history first hand."

Rashada's hands were freezing, despite the gloves. "I'm pretty excited," she said. "I'm trying to figure out what (Obama) has to offer."

But she's not worried that expectations of the new president are too high.

"He's got a lot on his plate, but I'm pretty sure he'll be OK," she said.

Highlands Today senior reporter Gary Pinnell can be reached at gpinnell@highlandstoday.com or 863-386-5828

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