President George W. Bush will present the President’s Volunteer Service Award to Lindsey Allen when he arrives in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Friday, March 11, 2005. Allen, 22, is an active volunteer with Hospice of Shreveport/Bossier.

President Bush has called on all Americans to volunteer two years or 4,000 hours over the course of their lifetimes, and he created USA Freedom Corpsto help foster a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility. Since March 2002, President Bush has met with more than 400 individuals around the country, like Allen, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

Allen is a patient care volunteer with Hospice of Shreveport/Bossier. She assists terminally ill patients with household chores such as light cleaning, gardening, and grocery shopping, and provides relief to families of the patients by spending time with their loved ones. Allen was inspired to become a hospice volunteer and a nurse after her grandfather passed away from colon cancer in 2002. She was comforted by the compassion of his caregivers and wanted to make a positive impact on the lives of others who are dealing with terminal illnesses.

The President's Volunteer Service Award, an initiative of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, is available to Americans of all ages who have demonstrated their dedication to volunteer service. More information about the award is available at www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.

Through USA Freedom Corps, President Bush wants to help every American answer the Call to Service by strengthening and expanding service opportunities. Interested volunteers can find available service opportunities in their communities at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-CORPS. For information designed to show elementary and middle school students how they can start making a difference by volunteering, visit www.usafreedomcorpskids.gov.

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