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NEW YORK, NY July 15, 2004 — The city's volunteer recruitment campaign for next month's Republican National Convention seems to be paying off. So far, almost 14 thousand people have applied to help out, in and around the convention at Madison Square Garden. WNYC's Beth Fertig went to one orientation session this week for those hoping to be a part of it.

The session wasn't supposed to start until 6 p.m. But by 5:30, there were dozens of people waiting in the lobby of Baruch College in Manhattan. Mary Peck came all the way from Hampton Bays, Long Island.

PECK: I'm here to volunteer because I think it really is to be a part of history and I want to be here. I also feel very strongly that I want to support our president.

Peck was wearing two pins to show her allegiance: an American flag and a tiny elephant for the GOP. A random survey of people waiting in line found a few Democrats who had answered former Mayor Ed Koch's call to make nice and help the city. But most were Republicans or, at least, Bush supporters. And they had many reasons for coming. James Sanders of the Bronx was thinking about his future.

SANDERS: You know maybe in a few years I might run for something hopefully. I know I'm a bit young, I'm only 19.

TODARO: My name is Celeste Todaro, raised in NYC but I live in New Jersey now. I'm trying to make it a way of life. I volunteer for many different things. I happen to be a Republican but I might have volunteered if it were a Democratic convention as well.

FRANKEL: My name is George Frankel. And I want to be part of the excitement of the convention. Possibly meet some famous people.

Well, there will be Arnold Schwarzenneger and Bo Derek.

WOMAN: You have to see this gentleman here.

By 6 p.m., more than 200 people of all ages and ethnic groups were waiting in line. After checking in at a desk, they were ushered into a conference room in small groups. There, Luke Vanderlinden of the New York City Host Committee gave orientation sessions. He explained some volunteers would get to work inside the convention center; others might be sent to greet delegates at hotels and airports.

VANDERLINDEN: The way that assignment works is based on the skills, experiences, preferences that you indicated when you filled out the application so if you told us you spoke French and there's a need for that we'll make sure to deploy you based on that.

But while the main focus was certainly on the convention, there was no way to escape another issue on everyone's minds: security. The volunteers had all registered on the internet. And before they could pass through the revolving door of orientation sessions that night, they had to show 2 different forms of photo ID.

SANTANA: You're going to come back. I want you to bring me one of these items from this list down here. OK?

Hainee Santana was among a core set of volunteers in charge of making sure everyone had complied.

SANTANA: But you're going to have a separate chance to come back to fill in, to bring back the missing information OK?

Santana said she hadn't rejected anyone yet. But she demurred when asked about something else.

FERTIG: Have you seen anybody who's made you suspicious in any way? SANTANA: Uh. Well. I'd rather not comment on that (laughs) We had some characters, that's all.

There's been plenty of speculation that some protesters - or even terrorists - might try to infiltrate the convention by posing as volunteers. But organizers have REPEATEDLY said those concerns are overblown. Neil Jacoby is deputy director of operations for the Host Committee.

JACOBY: They've submitted their social security number and a variety of other identifying informations so they've had to do that. And then they have to go to training and get their photo taken and show their ID again. So people have taken quite a few steps in order to make it to the convention. And look, this is for all volunteers. If a few people want to disrupt that's their prerogative but there's thousands more who are here to volunteer and make this a great convention for the city of NY.

Nor have security concerns frightened off potential volunteers. Jacoby says almost 14 thousand people have already applied for about 8000 positions. Then again, this IS New York. Twenty-five year old Dana Panzarino came in from Valley Stream, Long Island.

PANZARINO: Well my mother actually doesn't want me to be volunteering. But I'm an adult I can make my own decisions so I decided I'm not scared at all.

Nor was 70 year old Lazlo Salamone. The Hungarian-born immigrant describes himself as a non-political registered Democrat who wanted to help his city. He's not frightened by terrorists.

SALAMONE: It doesn't bother me. Because this still is a great city. And I went through tough time back in Europe, you know. It's not easy to scare me.

Orientation sessions have been going on for the past month and more are scheduled in the coming weeks. Next month, volunteers who have gone through this initial step will be invited to training sessions where they'll learn more about the jobs they'll be doing at the Republican convention. For WNYC I'm Beth Fertig.