Pam Olson of Florida shows off her handywork in Queens, New York, on Tuesday. Republican delegates set aside August 31 to volunteer to help New Yorkers. (Photo: Suzanne Freeman)

Tuesday, August 31—Republican delegates from three states met in Queens this morning—not to politick—but to paint.

Two buses of Bush supporters unloaded at a warehouse in this New York City borough, just across the East River from Manhattan. In the warehouse were about 10 plain wooden playhouses with small stacks of toys and buckets of paint placed outside of each one. The challenge to the more than 70 delegates were to take the themes suggested by each set of toys and paint the playhouse.

"Ours had whales and fish and we took it from there," said one paint splattered delegate from Ohio. "They were just raw wood when we got here. We first put on the primer, let that dry, then put on the other after that."

The delegates from Ohio, Florida, and Michigan were part of the Republican Compassion Across American program, which began in late July. Delegates were asked to participate in community service both at home and in New York. As part of the program, Tuesday morning was set aside as community service day.

A paint splattered delegate from Ohio talks to Scholastic Student Reporters Viviana Solomon and Cheyenne Lizardi on Tuesday, August 31, in Queens, New York. (Photo: Suzanne Freeman)

"We are answering our President's call to faith," said Laura Tidmore of Florida. "He believes that the strength of the American people lies not in the halls of government, but in the hearts and souls of the American people. It's a million acts of kindness we do every day."

These specific acts of kindness didn't rest long in the donated Queens warehouse. The cheerfully painted houses are to be delivered by Safe Horizons on Wednesday to backyards of several homes for children escaping violence.

Safe Horizons is the largest victims' service agency in the country, said Allegra Terhaes, the vice president of Domestic Violence Shelters at Safe Horizons. "It was a great experience for everyone," Terhaes said.