Citizens encouraged to run for their causes

By Taylor-Lynn Capaldo
Collegian Staff
November 1, 2006

As midterm elections quickly approach, its time to get your democracy on. You can do just that this weekend, Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Committee of Seventy’s Inaugural Dash for Democracy.

The Dash, which is a United States of America Track & Field-certified course, is a 5K walk/run dedicated to promoting the awareness of democracy in Philadelphia and across the nation. The race is scheduled conveniently right before Election Day on Nov. 7, and the sponsors are hoping to get a greater turnout at the polls this year.

The race was organized by Dave McGillivray, director of the Boston Marathon, and is scheduled to kick off at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning. It starts off at Independence Mall in front of the Constitution Center and continues on a unique path, traveling onto Market Street and following through to City Hall. The course then heads to Logan Circle, and finally swooping back around and finishing back at the starting point. A Mini-Dash, for children 12 and under, will also take place. The Mini-Dash’s distance will be less than a quarter mile.

The race’s most unique feature is the Creative Expressions Contest. The contest encourages all of the participants to show their democratic spirit by dressing in the most unique ways possible and sporting “expressive” clothing. The Committee of Seventy encourages participants and spectators alike to show their support for the cause that they care about the most.

“If you care about the environment, paint yourself green and come as a tree,” the Committee of Seventy’s Anne M. Mahlum told reporters from the Philadelphia Daily News.

Judges from the radio station Power99, will award prizes to those who show the most creative and democratic get-ups.

Aside from the dash itself, plenty of other events will be taking place throughout the day. Spectators are encouraged to show up early to check out the “Democracy Your Way” Expo, which takes place inside the Constitution Center from 7 a.m. to noon. The expo will host more than 30 local Philadelphia nonprofit groups, community groups and political organizations that support what democracy stands for, particularly civic involvement. Some of the groups involved are Campus Philly, Greater Philadelphia Cares, The Mural Arts Program and the United Way of Pennsylvania. The event is free to the public, and everyone is encouraged to show up and learn more about how to get involved.

The event is sponsored by the Committee of Seventy, a nonprofit, nonpartisan Philadelphia organization that was founded over 100 years ago. The organization was formed in order to bring about political awareness and to rid the city of corruption and destruction. According to its Web site, http://www.seventy.org, the organization strives for an “honest government and an efficient government, first in the city of Philadelphia and eventually throughout the Philadelphia region.” The Committee has recently experienced a “rebirth,” and the Dash for Democracy is one of the major steps that it is taking to bring an honest and fair government back into the city.

The fee to register to participate in the Dash is $5 for children and $22 for adults. All of the proceeds will directly benefit the Committee of Seventy and its “civic education and empowerment programs that are designed to provide citizens with valuable tools and resources on how to get involved.” Other organizations that will directly benefit from the proceeds include City Year and the National Constitution Program.

So, if democracy is your thing, it’s not too late to sign up to be a part of the dash. Even if being a participant is too much of a commitment, be sure to stop by on Nov. 4 for what is sure to be an eye-catching and certainly a patriotic good time.

capaldot1@lasalle.edu