President George W. Bush will meet Roman Gary when he arrives in Birmingham on Monday. Gary is a young architect who volunteers his time with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and several other area organizations.

In his State of the Union address, President Bush called on all Americans to dedicate at least two years of their lives—the equivalent of 4,000 hours—in service to their communities, our country and the world. President Bush is recognizing individuals around the country who are answering the call to service, and will recognize Gary as an example of the dedication to service he is hoping to instill in all Americans through his USA Freedom Corps initiative.

Gary began volunteering as a college student, working with Habitat for Humanity and tutoring and mentoring local students. He is now active with the Big Brothers, Big Sisters (BBBS) program in Birmingham, mentoring three boys over the past three years. Gary currently spends at least an hour each week with his two little brothers - the third recently moved away.

In addition to serving as a big brother, Gary is president of the Young Advisory Board at BBBS, which helps raise money and recruit volunteers. He also started the Alpha Phi Alpha Project, to recruit African American males to be mentors. According to BBBS, over 70 percent of the boys waiting for mentors in Birmingham are African American. In addition to his work with BBBS, Gary volunteers with the American Heart Association, the March of Dimes, the Sickle Cell Foundation and is active in his church.

President Bush created the USA Freedom Corps office at the White House to foster an American culture of service, citizenship and responsibility. Through the USA Freedom Corps, President Bush wants to help every American answer the call to service by strengthening and expanding service opportunities to protect our homeland, support our communities and extend American compassion around the world. Interested volunteers can find information on the USA Freedom Corps at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-Corps.

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