DCYRs lend a hand (or feet) to those in need

One rap against Republicans is that they supposedly do not care for the poor, the homeless, or minorities. On Saturday, the D.C. Young Republicans sought to dispel this myth by participating in National Community Service Day, an idea proposed by the Young Republican National Federation. Young Republicans across the country participated in their local communities.

DCYRs met at 8 a.m. in 35-degree weather near the national mall (click on picture above for larger view), and consumed bagels and orange juice in preparation for the Fannie Mae Walk-a-Thon for the Homeless. After enduring some cheesy techno music (okay, it was fun in a comical way) and insanely cheesy event t-shirts given to event participants, walkers began the 1 1/2 hour tour that squirreled through part of downtown D.C. and around the Tidal Basin.

One member of our group questioned whether events such as the Walk-a-thon really did anything to help the homeless. One thing the event accomplished is increased donations to groups that will help those in need (the $25 registration fee counted as a donation). But there is so much that we could and should do directly. As the crowd approached the finish line, a person with a cup was rattling it in the pursuit of donations. No one saw him.

Later in the day, other D.C. Young Republicans joined with D.C. City Year to repair, paint, and clean Shadd Elementary School, located in "far east" D.C., on East Capitol Street just short of the Maryland border. With due respect to architects working with small budgets, the school looks more like a prison than an educational institution. It is difficult to see how a child could find an existence in or around the school inspiring.

Some volunteers cleaned out clutter and debris from the interior, while others set to work on the playground in back of the school. Participants painted a large, colorful map of the United States as well as a map of the District divided into wards (which were later numbered). Most adults probably cannot identify which ward is which, so it was a great idea for children to play on a map of the wards every day.

Although the focus of the "activist division" of the DCYR is and must be on electing Republicans, the road to changing minds may include assistance to communities.