President George W. Bush will meet Lucille Woods when he arrives in Milwaukee on Wednesday. Woods helps Milwaukee second graders improve their reading skills through her efforts with the Foster Grandparent program.

In his State of the Union address, President Bush called on all Americans to dedicate at least two years of their lives—the equivalent of 4,000 hours—in 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 Woods as an example of the dedication to service he is hoping to instill in all Americans through his USA Freedom Corps initiative.

A former cosmetologist and home health aide, Woods has been a Foster Grandparent volunteer with the Wisconsin Foster Grandparent program since 1997. Woods spends 20 hours each week working with second graders at the 35th Street School to improve their reading skills. Foster Grandparents is a federally supported program that matches seniors over age 60 with children who have special needs ranging from abuse and neglect to learning and physical disabilities. The Foster Grandparent program

In addition to being a Foster Grandparent, Lucille volunteers at her church. She has volunteered in the church nursery, providing daycare for toddlers, and on holidays, she serves food for those less fortunate.

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.

###