President George W. Bush will meet Dan Yeric when he arrives in Canton, Ohio, on Friday, October 22, 2004. Yeric, a student at The University of Akron, is an active volunteer with Akron Children’s Hospital.

President Bush has called on all Americans to volunteer two years or 4,000 hours over the course of their lifetimes, and he created USA Freedom Corps to help foster a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility. Since March 2002, President Bush has met with more than 350 individuals around the country, like Yeric, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

Yeric, 27, has been a volunteer at Akron Children's Hospital for the past 12 years and a patient at the hospital intermittently since he was diagnosed with Spina Bifida as an infant. Yeric volunteers in the patient care unit spending time with children who are hospitalized for treatment. He also volunteers at the information desk, runs errands for staff members, and works as a greeter at the hospital entrance. In April 2004, Akron Children’s Hospital recognized Yeric for 4,000 hours of volunteer service and the United Way of Summit County honored Yeric for outstanding service.

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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