President George W. Bush will present the President’s Volunteer Service Award to Joe Graff when he arrives in Ontario, California, on Monday, August 29, 2005. Graff has volunteered more than 4,500 hours with a variety of community organizations including the Ontario Police Department, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department, and the Travelers Aid program at the Ontario Airport. To thank community volunteers for making a difference in the lives of others, President Bush greets an outstanding local volunteer when Air Force One arrives at cities across the country. Graff is the 450^th volunteer to greet the President since March 2002.

Graff is a volunteer with the Ontario Police Department’s Seniors Patrolling Our Town (S.P.O.T.) program and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Citizens on Patrol program. Through these programs, Graff assists department personnel with traffic control, parking citations, and other administrative duties. Graff also volunteers with the Travelers Aid program at the Ontario Airport, and serves on the advisory board for the West Valley San Bernardino County Chapter of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.

In his January 2002 State of the Union Address, President Bush called on every American to dedicate two years or 4,000 hours over the course of their lives to volunteer service.To help more Americans engage in volunteer service, he created USA Freedom Corps, an Office of the White House charged with strengthening and expanding volunteer service. Americans are responding to the President’s Call to Service. Studies show that approximately 5 million more Americans are volunteering today than just three years ago. Go to http://www.usafreedomcorps.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 http://www.usafreedomcorpskids.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 http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.

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