President George W. Bush will present the President’s Volunteer Service Award to Cameron Fox when he arrives in Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday, July 1, 2008.  Fox is a volunteer with the Central Mississippi Chapter of the American Red Cross.  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 Fox, since March 2002.

Fox, a retired psychiatric nurse, has been a volunteer mental health counselor for nine years with the Central Mississippi Chapter of the American Red Cross. She assists with medical needs and provides comfort, counseling, and emotional support to families following tragedies. Fox responds during local fires and emergencies and has deployed to North Carolina, Florida, and Guam in response to tornadoes, hurricanes, and typhoons. In addition, Fox has been a volunteer teacher for 15 years with VSA Arts of Mississippi which provides dance, music, drama, creative writing, and art programs for people of all ages and disabilities.

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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