President George W. Bush will present the President’s Volunteer Service Award to Cherie Yager when he arrives at Buckley Air Force Base on Thursday, January 31, 2008.  Yager is a volunteer at the Stout Street Eye Clinic.  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.  He has met with more than 600 volunteers, like Yager, since March 2002.

Yager has been a volunteer for seven years at the Stout Street Eye Clinic, a program of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless which provides eye care for the homeless. The clinic consists of a volunteer staff including optometrists, ophthalmologists, opticians, and support personnel.  After working as an optician in the Denver metro area for 25 years, Yager quit her job and began volunteering at the clinic where she helped expand the optical services.   Yager solicited optical companies to obtain donated frames, eyeglass cases, and tools to repair glasses.  She also created an eyeglass ordering system for the patients, trains new volunteers, and assists clients with choosing their ideal frames.  In 2007, more than 4,000 people received treatment at the Stout Street Eye Clinic.

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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