It took a little while to get the children standing in the right order on the building's steps. For a few minutes it looked as if they were supporting the rights of T-H-F-A-E-Rs.

	Martha Rial, Post-Gazette Loran W. Evans, of Wilkinsburg, holds his son Loran M. Evans, 3, on the steps of the City-County Building yesterday after marching for rights of divorced dads in the 11th annual Father's Day March and Rally. Click photo for larger image.

The message became clear when the F and the A switched spots with the T and the H and then they had it: F-A-T-H-E-R.

The children were among the 44 people who marched from Freedom Corner in the Hill District to the steps of the City County Building, Downtown, on Father's Day in support of divorced dads and their rights.

It was the 11th year that dads have made that march in Pittsburgh.

For many, it was a protest of the notion of partial custody.

Frank McAleavey, 36, of South Park Township, was walking with his three children. Meghan, 2, and Frankie, 5 weeks, live with him; his older son, Jacob, 7, sees him every Wednesday night and every other Sunday.

Jacob does not know his father's telephone number, but he can rattle off his mother's. McAleavey said it's frustrating to have less of a presence in his son's life than the boy's teachers have.

"I just need to be more of a factor in his life," McAleavey said of Jacob, as he pushed his other children in a double stroller. He pointed out that, typically, partial custody means the fathers only see their children 15 percent of the time.

Loran W. Evans, 25, of Wilkinsburg, had full custody of his son, Loran M., 3, since the boy was 4 months old. Two weeks ago, the court split the custody of Loran between his parents.

If Evans is lucky, his situation will work out as well for him as shared custody has for Jim Overton, 50, of Ross, who shares custody of his children, Avana, 8, and Vanessa, 13, with his ex-wife.

Overton said that despite the divorce they are still co-parents and they have been working together to raise their children for the last seven years.

The arrangement came out of a decision by Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Donald Machen.

"I had to fight for the right to raise my kids half the time," he said. Then he had to work out the logistics with his ex-wife.

Once in love, he said, they are now friends, working together for the common good of their children.

Other fathers said they would jump at that chance.

As fathers took the steps and spoke to the small crowd before them -- and the Just Ducky tours drove by quacking at the crowd -- the children who had walked in the march played in the portico behind their dads, a reminder of just what they were fighting for.