President George W. Bush will present the President’s Volunteer Service Award to T.J. Powell when he arrives in Cleveland, Ohio, on Thursday, January 27, 2005. Powell, 38, is an active volunteer with the Northeast Ohio Medical Reserve Corps. Medical Reserve Corps is a program partner of Citizen Corps, an important component of USA Freedom Corps.

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 Corps to help foster a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility. Since March 2002, President Bush has met with more than 400 individuals around the country, like Powell, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

The Northeast Ohio Medical Reserve Corps (NEOMRC), formerly known as the Northeast Ohio Public Service Volunteers, provides medical support services for public events and emergency situations. As chief of the NEOMRC and a certified emergency medical technician, T.J. volunteers 800 to 1,000 hours per year. T.J. helps with logistics, planning, amateur radio operation, and first-aid for charitable fundraising events throughout Northeast Ohio. He also assists local fire departments and emergency medical services agencies during disasters or incidents that impact public health. In addition, T.J. was a volunteer with the American Red Cross from 1992 to 1997 and spent eight years as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician with the Northfield Center Fire Department.

The President's Volunteer Service Award, an initiative of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, is available to Americans of all ages who have demonstrated their dedication to volunteer service. More information about the award is available at www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.

Through USA Freedom Corps, President Bush wants to help every American answer the Call to Service by strengthening and expanding service opportunities. Interested volunteers can find available service opportunities in their communities at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-CORPS. For information designed to show elementary and middle school students how they can start making a difference by volunteering,visit www.usafreedomcorpskids.gov.

At the direction of President George W. Bush, USA Freedom Corps is also working with former President George Bush and former President Bill Clinton as they lead a nationwide charitable fundraising effort to encourage private donations to the tsunami relief effort. Americans are asked to donate money to the organizations listed at www.usafreedomcorps.gov.

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