President George W. Bush will present the President’s Volunteer Service Award to Jim Daly when he arrives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Tuesday, August 21, 2007.  Daly is a volunteer with The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services. To thank them for making a difference in the lives of others, President Bush honors a local volunteer when he travels throughout the United States.  Daly is the 600th volunteer to greet President Bush since March 2002.

Daly has been a volunteer with The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services for seven years. He provides meals to law enforcement officials, first responders and victims during local emergencies. Daly is currently serving as The Salvation Army’s incident commander for the I-35W Bridge collapse.  He reports to the bridge site every day to supervise the canteen trucks that serve breakfast, lunch and dinner to emergency service personnel, safety officers and Navy divers.  He also conducts volunteer training and recruitment programs throughout Minnesota and North Dakota.  In January 2002, Daly was deployed to New York City to work as a Salvation Army volunteer at Ground Zero.  For two weeks he served as the site supervisor at the morgue and provided meals for emergency service personnel.  In addition, Daly is a rest stop supervisor for participants in the annual MS Bike Tour, a fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He also provides pontoon rides for senior residents at the Presbyterian Homes of Arden Hills and helps Boy Scouts with merit badges in emergency preparedness and first aid.

In his January 2002 State of the Union Address, President Bush called on all Americans to make a difference in their communities through volunteer service. He created USA Freedom Corps, an Office of the White House, to strengthen and expand volunteer service. Americans are responding to the President’s Call to Service. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 61 million Americans volunteered in 2006. Go to www.volunteer.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 www.volunteerkids.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 www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.

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