Unless you live in a cave on another planet, you are aware that the every four years donnybrook is on. We pick our leader. Signs show up on lawns. Red, white and blue bumper stickers surface. The flashier wear T-shirts and buttons. Quiet citizens become talkative. Many find themselves glued to CNN. A certain percentage of the population decides to volunteer. When I was taking pictures of the recently opened Obama office at 1810 Broad Ripple Avenue, I decided to find out why someone steps up to the plate at election time.

Volunteering during an election is work. The good thing about being a volunteer is that you can give a little or a lot and field organizers are so happy to have you. Easy duty is sitting at a table for several hours asking people to register to vote. Computer data entry is fairly simple. Calling strangers on a list from the comfort of home is tedious, but not too stressful. Getting together in a room with other volunteers and a whole line of phones is called Phone Banking. You are still calling strangers, but you enjoy camaraderie. Hosting an event, such as a picnic or a watch party, is no worse than having a party for friends. Maybe thirty will attend. Maybe no one will show and you will be left with 5 pounds of meatballs, 3 pounds of baby carrots and hours of clean up work. The hardest duty is canvassing, which means walking, knocking on doors, and talking to strangers. Hope for an older neighborhood or an apartment complex, where there are fewer steps to the next door. Large homes on massive lots test the will and the body. Spend more than two hours walking these neighborhoods and your back aches, your legs throb and your feet feel like size 10 bruises. Canvassers brave dogs and slammed doors. Election volunteering is not for the faint of heart.

When I visited the campaign office, I found a potluck of stories. Each volunteer has made a unique journey from passiveness to action. Marcia Jansen was the first interview. Originally from Wisconsin, she moved here in the late sixties, raised a family and retired. Participating in elections is engrained in Marcia. She was raised in a Republican house and remembers stuffing envelopes when she was young. Throughout her life she has worked for various candidates. Introduced to me as an exceptional volunteer, she will do it all: getting out the vote, persuading people, door knocking, driving people to the polls. Why does Marcia support this candidate? "Barack Obama has to be our next president. It is an extremely important time. He understands what needs to change in Washington and what is preventing the people's work from being done." She went on to tell me that this a Grass Roots effort and he needs us.

Linda Madry is semi-retired and works part time. She has physical limitations because of her back, feet and knees. She has insurance, but worries about others who do not. Linda has never worked on an election before. She devotes approximately 26 hours a week volunteering. Because she has trouble walking, she mans the reception desk and makes calls to recruit more volunteers. Linda stepped up to the plate after extensive reading and listening to the candidates. She is confident her candidate will make a positive change for the U.S. and the world. She believes her efforts will contribute to that positive change.

Then there is substitute teacher and landscaper, John Lilienkamp. He intensely describes himself as an independent who votes by candidate, not party. He grew up in Broad Ripple around Glendale and went to Chatard. His fondest memories are of spending time with his friend at Lobraico's with its rows of glass bottles and of the little coffee shop on the strip before there were chain coffee shops. His growing disgust with the war in Iraq drove him to closely examine the issues and volunteer for the first time in his life. John totally jumped in. He worked the primaries in Ohio. When Indiana came into play, he planned picnics, helped organize Washington Township, phoned, registered voters and pounded the pavement. He told me people have a need to be inspired and be part of the system. While he feels the odds are stacked against them, John believes inspired people can make it happen.

The youngest person I interviewed was Laura Stake. New to the Village, she lives in a condo off Westfield Boulevard. Like John and Linda, she has never volunteered for an election before. She cares about women's issues, but was undecided until she watched both conventions. After hearing Hillary and Michelle she signed up to register voters. She feels that Obama has a genuine belief in the American people and is interested in others, not just himself. Today she makes phone calls and greets people at the front desk. Volunteering has given her the opportunity to network with other excited people, listen to their worries and provide an outlet to act on her beliefs.

Each volunteer I spoke with had different experiences which led to involvement. In addition to the candidate, I saw one common trait in every interview. Laura best described it. She had found a way to "pass on the passion." Whatever your political bent, respect the volunteers. They have passion. They give of themselves. As a result of volunteering, these people are deep in the grass roots, bonded to a community that is mixed religiously, racially and economically. "Ain't that America?"

Election Day is November 4. Participate in the process.