President George W. Bush will meet Fannie Cleland when he arrives in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Thursday, October 17, 2002. At the age of 91, Cleland volunteers full-time as a tutor at Read-Patillo Elementary School, the school President Bush will visit later that day.

In his State of the Union address, President Bush called on all Americans to dedicate at least two years over their lifetime to service to their communities, our country and the world. President Bush is recognizing individuals around the country who are answering the call to service and will recognize Cleland as an example of the dedication to service he is hoping to instill in all Americans through his USA Freedom Corps initiative.

A former kindergarten teacher of 46 years, Cleland volunteers full-time at Read-Patillo Elementary School working with children in need of extra academic assistance. For the past 5 years, Cleland has volunteered regularly five days each week, six hours a day. Cleland also helps run a vesper service at a local nursing home and serves as a Sunday school secretary for her church.

President Bush created the USA Freedom Corps office at the White House to foster an American culture of service, citizenship and responsibility. Through the USA Freedom Corps, President Bush wants to help every American answer the call to service by strengthening and expanding service opportunities to protect our homeland, support our communities and extend American compassion around the world. Interested volunteers can find information on the USA Freedom Corps at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-Corps.

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