President George W. Bush will present the President’s Volunteer Service Award to Charles England when he arrives at the airport in New London, Connecticut on Wednesday, May 23, 2007.  England is a second-class cadet at the United States Coast Guard Academy and a volunteer with a variety of community organizations.  To thank them for making a difference in the lives of others, President Bush honors a local volunteer when he travels throughout the United States.  President Bush has met with more than 575 individuals around the country, like England, since March 2002.

During England’s spring break in March 2007, he traveled to Pecan Island, Louisiana, with seven other United States Coast Guard Academy cadets to help with ongoing clean-up and reconstruction efforts as a result of Hurricane Rita.  England cleared debris from three residences and helped install a floor in a reconstructed home. He has been a volunteer at a soup kitchen with the Society of St. Vincent DePaul in Waterbury, and has spent time with the senior residents at the Fairview Odd Fellows Home of Connecticut.  For three years England has been an active participant in the United States Coast Guard Academy's Community Service Day and has helped clear debris from trails and worked on park beautification projects.

In his January 2002 State of the Union Address, President Bush called on all Americans to make a difference in their communities through volunteer service. He created USA Freedom Corps, an Office of the White House, to strengthen and expand volunteer service. Americans are responding to the President’s Call to Service. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 61 million Americans volunteered in 2006. Go to www.volunteer.gov or call 1-877-USA-CORPS to find an existing volunteer service opportunity in your area or to find more information about service programs, including national service programs such as the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Citizen Corps. USA Freedom Corps is also highlighting youth volunteer service. Visit www.volunteerkids.gov for games and ideas designed to show how America's youth are making a difference.

The President's Volunteer Service Award was created at the President’s direction by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. The Award is available to youth ages 14 and under who have completed 50 or more hours of volunteer service; to individuals 15 and older who have completed 100 or more hours; and to families or groups who have completed 200 or more hours. For more information about the Award, please visit www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.

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