FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 28, 2002
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The White House - USA Freedom Corps
Contact: Kathleen Mynster
202-456-7381 |
President Bush to Recognize Cleveland Senior for Dedication to Volunteer Service |
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On his arrival in Cleveland, Ohio on Monday, President George W. Bush will
meet with Eugene Brudno, a Cleveland senior and World War II veteran who has
dedicated more than 25 years as a volunteer to helping families coping with
mental illness. 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. His goal is to
give Americans a way to respond to the evil of terrorism with acts of
compassion. President Bush is recognizing individuals around the country who are
answering the call to service, and will recognize Brudno as an example of the
dedication to service he is hoping to instill in all Americans through his USA
Freedom Corps initiative.
Brudno has dedicated countless hours of volunteer service to supporting
families with mentally ill children. Having owned a produce company, Brudno is
known in many Cleveland neighborhoods as "Eugene the Eggman." Brudno began
volunteering with Jewish Family Services more than 25 years ago and has founded
several organizations to help families cope with mental illness.
Brudno and his wife, Irene, are the co-founders of the Alliance for the
Mentally Ill of Metro Cleveland. He is also a co-founder of PLAN (Planned Living
Assisted Network) of Northeastern Ohio, which assists adults with mental
illnesses when their parents or caretakers pass away. The organization serves
120 families in Ohio.
Reporters interesting in interviewing Brudno should contact Kathy Levine with
Jewish Family Services at (216) 849-5515.
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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