President George W. Bush will meet Jean "Dawn" Morris, a mother of five and grandmother of two who has worked and volunteered in the Pierre community for 30 years. Upon his arrival in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Wednesday, President Bush will recognize Morris as an example of the lifetime dedication to service he is hoping to instill in all Americans.

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—to service in their communities, our country and the world. President Bush is recognizing men and women across the country who are answering the call to service as part of his USA Freedom Corps initiative. His meeting with Morris will take place during National Volunteer Week, a nationwide celebration and recognition of volunteer activity.

A natural organizer, Morris created the first "ladies build" for Pierre's Habitat for Humanity organization, putting together 18 building teams of 300 women who completed the build in just six weeks. Morris has previously been recognized for her achievements, earning the National Mother of the Year award in 2001 from American Mothers, Inc. Morris has a longstanding volunteer commitment to her church, where she has been a religious education teacher for the past 30 years. She was a clinical nurse for 23 years and is now director of human resources for her family's business.

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.

###