President George W. Bush will meet Lois Rodger when he arrives in Medford, Oregon, on Thursday, October 14, 2004. Rodger, 76, is an active volunteer with Dogs for the Deaf in Central Point, Oregon.

President Bush has called on all Americans to volunteer two years or 4,000 hours over the course of their lifetimes, and hecreated USA Freedom Corpsto help foster a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility. Since March 2002, President Bush has met with more than 300 individuals around the country, like Rodger, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

Rodger, a volunteer with Dogs for the Deaf since 1998, handles administrative duties in the office, and also works directly with the dogs, helping to socialize them through exercise and play time. Dogs for the Deaf has rescued and placed over 2,500 dogs in homes to assist people with hearing disabilities and other special needs. The dogs are trained to alert their owners to sounds such as fire and smoke alarms, doorbells, oven timers, alarm clocks, and crying children. The dogs are rescued from shelters in the Pacific Northwest and those who do not successfully complete the training are adopted by local families. In addition, Rodger is on the vestry at St. Andrews Anglican Church in Jacksonville, Oregon, helping to manage the needs of the church.

Through 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 at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-CORPS.

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