President George W. Bush will present the President’s Volunteer Service Award to Jim Van Strien when he arrives in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday, February 10, 2005. Van Strien, 72, is an active volunteer with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (R.S.V.P.).

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 Corpsto 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 Van Strien, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

For the past three years, Van Strien has been a volunteer Airport Ambassador at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Van Strien was instrumental in researching and developing a United Services Organization (USO) airport lounge where service men and women and their families can go during layovers. The USO lounge opened in August 2004. At least once per week Van Strien volunteers for a 12-hour shift at the USO lounge and the airport information counter assisting travelers and military personnel. R.S.V.P. is part of Senior Corps, a network of national service programs that provides older Americans the opportunity to apply their life experience to meeting community needs. Senior Corps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, and is a vital component of USA Freedom Corps.

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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