Students Shine Shoes, Citizens Donate Generously

Yesterday, more than 20 students from the School of Management of Chongqing Technology and Business University set up a shoe booth at the Three Gorges Square in Shapingba District to clean shoes for passers-by for free.  
"We were moved by the deeds of the old party member, so we decided to do so." The old party member named Li Chaokuan, 80 years old, was from Quxian County, Sichuan Province. Since 1994, he has been shining shoes at the gate of the martyr's tomb outside Sichuan in the desert area. He is unknown and lives in poverty.  
In July this year, during a casual chat, the staff of the Red Rock Line at the Martyr's Tomb learned that he had sent information to Martyr Yang Hanxiu. Li Hua, director of Chongqing Hongyan Lianxian Cultural Development Management Center, talked with him for two hours and finally confirmed that he was indeed the "underground correspondent" of the Party. Li Chaokuan joined the Communist Party in 1948 and has been working in Chongqing. Although his wife works the land and his son has mental problems, he insists on paying party dues every year and has never stopped for more than 50 years.  
At the lecture of "Recasting the Red Rock Soul" held on the 19th, Li Hua and his classmates from Industrial and Commercial University talked about the respected old party member, which moved many people. They decided to pay tribute to the old man with practical actions.  
Wipes, clean water and small benches form a simple shoeshine stand. Yesterday, early in the morning, more than 20 volunteers came to the Three Gorges Square to work as free "shoeshine men" for passers-by. Although there was no training and the action of shoeshine seemed clumsy, the enthusiasm of college students still moved many passers-by. After reading the leaflets to publicize the deeds of the elderly, many citizens have taken out money to express their support for students' actions. By 5:00 pm yesterday, the "Love Shoe Shining Stand" had raised a total of more than 1200 yuan in cash.  
Li Xueyan, a sophomore of the School of Management, said that they would hand over all their money to the Organization Department of the Shaqu District Party Committee next week to do their part to solve the living difficulties of the elderly.