President George W. Bush will meet Ron Kelstrup when he arrives in Reno, Nevada, on Friday, June 18, 2004.  Kelstrup, 81, is an active volunteer at the Ioannis A. Lougaris VA Medical Center. 

The USA Freedom Corps is President Bush’s initiative to engage all Americans in service to their neighbors and their nation by volunteering two years or 4,000 hours over the course of their lifetime.  Since January 2002, President Bush has met with hundreds of individuals around the country, like Kelstrup, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

For the past ten years Kelstrup has volunteered nearly 5,000 hours at the Ioannis A. Lougaris Medical Center through the Masonic Service Organization’s hospital visitation program.  Twice a week he visits patients in the transitional care unit accompanying them on walks, running errands, or sitting and talking to help ease their loneliness.  Every other week he takes six veterans who are confined to wheelchairs to a local mall for lunch and shopping.  He also arranges outings to events such as the Reno Air Show, hot air balloon races and the circus, and once a month holds a bingo night for 25 patients. 

President Bush created the USA Freedom Corps office at the White House to foster a 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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