President George W. Bush will meet Charles Hall upon arrival in Charleston, South Carolina, on Thursday, February 5, 2004.  Hall is an active volunteer with the Charleston County Citizen Corps Council.

Last month, the USA Freedom Corps – President Bush’s initiative to engage all Americans in service to their neighbors and their nation – celebrated its second anniversary.  President Bush is recognizing individuals around the country, like Hall, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

Since its creation in August 2003, Hall has been an active volunteer with the Charleston County Citizen Corps Council, a volunteer-led effort that brings together community leaders and volunteers to strengthen Citizen Corps programs at the local level and engage citizens in homeland security.  Hall serves as an amateur radio operator with a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and helps communicate important information with other amateur radio operators during an emergency or disaster situation.  During Hurricane Floyd in 1999, Hall was able to communicate with amateur radio operators in Georgia who were experiencing the storm before it impacted South Carolina. Through his volunteer service, Hall provided up-to-date reports about expected weather conditions for South Carolina to Charleston County Emergency Preparedness Department officials who in turn relayed the information to other emergency service organizations. Each week, Hall monitors and tests amateur radio equipment at the Charleston County Citizen Corps office to ensure everything is working properly in case there is an emergency.  Hall also volunteers with the local bureau of the National Weather Service, helping to transmit weather warnings to amateur radio operators across the state so they can provide early storm warnings to their communities. 

President Bush created the USA Freedom Corps office at the White House to foster a culture of service, citizenship and responsibility.  Through the USA Freedom Corps, President Bush wants to help every American answer the call to volunteer 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 opportunities in their own neighborhoods through the USA Freedom Corps web site at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-CORPS.

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