FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
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Corporation for National and Community Service
Contact: Sandy Scott
202-606-5000 x 255
sscott@cns.gov |
Service Crucial to Successful Life, Former President Tells Volunteer Leaders |
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Service to others is a fitting commemoration to the life
of President Ronald Reagan; former President George Bush told the thousands
gathered for the closing session of the National Conference on Community
Volunteering and National Service today.
"There can be no definition of a successful life that does not include
service to others," said Bush, who is the founder and honorary chairman of the
Points of Light Foundation and who signed first legislation supporting national
service programs in 1990. The two organizations that resulted from his actions,
the Points of Light Foundation and the Corporation for National and Community
Service, co-sponsored the conference, which concluded today at the Kansas City
Convention Center.
In honor of Bush's upcoming 80th birthday, as well as the birthday of his
wife, Barbara, which is today, the crowd offered birthday greetings to the
couple.
On behalf of the Points of Light Foundation, the former president presented
five awards recognizing businesses and their executives for their exemplary
commitment to giving back to their communities. He presented the George Bush
Corporate Leadership Award to Bob Haas, chairman of Levi Strauss & Co. Awards
for Excellence in Workplace Volunteer Programs went to GE (Fairfield, Conn.), a
multi-industry technology company; KPMG LLP (New York, N.Y.), an audit, tax and
advisory firm; State Street Corporation (Boston, Mass.), a financial services
company; and Tucson Electric Power Company (Tucson, Ariz.), an electric utility
company. Together, the four companies engaged 67,500 men and women in more than
one hundred million hours of service in 2002. Their contribution is valued at
over $1.7 billion. "There isn't a problem in America that we face that caring
citizens, including corporate citizens, aren't addressing," Bush said in
presenting the awards.
The conference came at a time Americans when are answering the call to
service in growing numbers. A recent federal study found that 64 million
Americans volunteered in 2003, an increase of 4 million over the previous year.
The national service programs Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve
America are growing to record levels. Charities and congregations say they can
take on an additional 6 million volunteers, according to another recent study.
In closing the conference, David Eisner told the audience that the highlight
of his first conference as CEO was administering the AmeriCorps oath to
AmeriCorps VISTA members who serving at local volunteer centers to recruit and
supervise volunteers. “With support for volunteerism and service at perhaps its
highest level ever, we have an incredible opportunity to seize the momentum and
build a culture of service and a nation of volunteers," Eisner said.
The Corporation for National and Community Service provides opportunities for
Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and country
through three programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America.
Together with the USA Freedom Corps, the Corporation is working to build a
culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility in America. For more
information, visit
www.nationalservice.org.
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