Where is the GOP's Youth Wing?

Let's say you are a 17 year old about to turn 18 and are a politically opinionated Republican who wants to get involved (I was). In Lake and Porter counties where do you go to be with others in your age group? I've been asking the question "does the GOP in Lake County have a youth wing?" and to my disappointment the universal answer is no, it does not.

Now the GOP officially has not one, not two, but three national cadet organizations. Teen Age Republics (TARs) handle the high schoolers, College Republicans (CRs) are for the college set, and Young Republicans (YRs) are for those who have exited these organizations and have not exceeded 40. None are really active in Lake County (though the YRs are supposed to have a Lake County table of organization that doesn't do much I have yet to find an actual breathing YR rep to talk to).

Instead of carping about the incompetence and unfairness of it all, a quick phone call to the TAR national headquarters had them sending me an organizing kit which is now sitting next to me on my desk. A few more phone calls and a presentation at a meeting and the Town of Munster GOP has a 3 person committee to move forward on this.

I expect a TAR organization to go live sometime this school year and certainly in time for the 2011 local elections. I'm in conversation with other town chairmen to do the same thing in their towns taking advantage of the Munster experience.

It is possible for people to advocate for what they believe in and make a difference. In this case it will probably mean that GOP organizations in Lake County will get much closer to actually covering all precincts in the county. That will make for more honest elections and might even get more Republicans elected.