By POLLY SIKORSKI

"Power to the people" would be an appropriate title for this year's March for Hunger. One hundred thousand people participated in the Niles march alone. I think this says something about our generation. We care and want and can do something about the poverty and hunger in the world peacefully.

When has violence ever solved anything? All it does is to make people angry at the marchers. Sure they get publicity or shall we say the violence gets publicity but the issue or cause they are marching for is forgotten or lost among the broken bottles and blood. All the people see on television is a bunch of kids causing a disturbance; not a cause.

This was the case in Washington, D.C. The peaceful demonstration of the veterans against the war was a great success and received a lot of praise. It accomplished its goal.

Then immediately afterwards there were a series of violent antiwar demonstrations whose only accomplishment was to destroy all the good the veteran's march did.

We, the people, do have the power to improve our world. Unfortunately like all power it is often abused. On the march, when I reached a high point, all I

could see in either direction were people - people who cared. There was a sense of power all around - the power of caring and doing something about it. The march was peaceful, and it accomplished its goal unlike many marches. I only hope the good the March for Hunger did will not be undone like the veterans' march.

On the march I saw people who didn't mind having swollen feet covered with blisters. The morale was high. There was singing, laughing, music, food, band-aids, footspray, and powder. To walk till you can't walk any farther takes a lot of will or desire to accomplish something. The will to help and care is the power. The power of the people. This unity in effort is where our strength lies.

I think it should be mentioned that there were several people walking who in their conditions should not have been walking due to foot injuries. There were at least two girls with broken legs who I saw still going at the 17‑mile point. One man was walking or shall I say went roiling along in a wheel chair.

I think the walkers, the sponsors, the people working at the checkpoints, even the people who were good enough to put out their water hoses for the marchers deserve a lot of thanks because THEY CARED.