Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 22, 1993 TAG: 9306220131
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By Los Angeles Times
DATELINE: SAN FRANCISCO LENGTH: Medium
In a spirited speech that drew wild cheers from the trainees, Gore called community service an idea that began with "barn-raisings on the American frontier" and evolved through initiatives by Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.
"You believe in this country," the vice president told the participants, who roared their agreement. "This country believes in you."
Gore's remarks highlighted the opening of a week of "boot-camp" style training for volunteers in President Clinton's "Summer of Service," which will deploy young adults in 16 programs serving needy children.
Participants range in age from 17 to 25 and represent cities from Oakland, Calif., to New Orleans. Some are students at prestigious Ivy League universities; others are as disadvantaged as the children they will serve in the coming months.
The summer session is the modest prototype of Clinton's $7.4 billion national service program, an effort that aims to broaden access to higher education and harness the energy of new graduates for socially useful work.
The program - a cornerstone of Clinton's presidential campaign - is awaiting congressional approval.
Clinton, who compares its potential to the accomplishments of Kennedy's Peace Corps, has said that he hopes to put 25,000 young people to work next year, and expand to include 150,000 annually by 1997.
After their training this week, the participants will begin such jobs as tutoring homeless children, testing for lead poisoning and rebuilding dilapidated playgrounds.
For their efforts the summer workers will receive the minimum wage and a $1,000 stipend toward college costs.
Money, however, was rarely mentioned Monday as the trainees swapped stories and discussed their motivations.
Most spoke in optimistic, idealistic terms, describing a desire reminiscent of their parents' generation, the 1960s - a desire to make a difference.
DaMarlon McKneely, 18, of Oakland, agreed, and said his generation feels a special yearning to prove that "we aren't apathetic."
"People are so down on us, saying we don't care and that kind of thing," said McKneely, who will rehabilitate schools in Oakland for the East Bay Conservation Corps.
"That isn't so. And I want my kids to look back and said, `My dad did something. He didn't just sit around when there were problems to be fixed.' "
by CNB