Submitted by John House, Jan 16, 2008 20:26

The young people who come together for common causes is heartening. In a storefront in South St. Louis a retired physician and several very talented people refurbish computers and give them to children from the neighborhood (byteworks.org). It is an amazing mix of people, and they work much harder than anyone could pay them to work. They pinch the pennies and constantly strive to get the highest value for equipment or software. The most amazing thing about these people is their apparent incompatibility, until the work begins. There is a fruit salad of political, religious, and ethnic groups, many of which are stark counterpoints. However, all is either politely considered or ignored when the work is to be done. The most persistent thought is how to do better for the youth of that neighborhood. If the American spirit is carrying your weight, cooperating and doing good for the while, it is alive and well in South St. Louis.

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