CWU Students Volunteer At Kittitas County Democratic Precinct Caucus

February 11, 2004

ELLENSBURG, Wash.-- Three Central Washington University students set a precedent for the Kittitas County Democratic precinct caucus last Saturday. Thanh Riedel, Phola Sun and Linda Teteth volunteered to provide child care services during the event.

According to Bob Johnson, Kittitas County Democratic Party chair, childcare had never been available during previous caucuses.

The students, all officers in the CWU Student Support Services Club and participants in the university's Student Support Services (SSS) program, met a need for parents with young children.

Club treasurer Sun, a junior from Everett who is majoring in recreation management, said, "I like to volunteer and help out in the community, and watching children at the caucus gives me the opportunity to give back."

Club president Riedel, from Wenatchee, is a junior studying recreation management. Teteth, club secretary, is a senior from Micronesia who will be graduating from the flight technology program this spring.

All three saw this not only as a way that the SSS Club could help out in the community, but also as an opportunity to see first-hand the Washington political process at work. About a dozen parents took advantage of the child care services.

As one mother said at the conclusion of the caucus: "I am so grateful that babysitting was provided. I would not have been able to come here without the help of these students."