President George W. Bush will meet Clayton Crawford when he arrives in Aberdeen, South Dakota, on Thursday, October 31. Crawford volunteers each week as a mentor at the Lutheran Social Services New Beginnings Center.

In his State of the Union address, President Bush called on all Americans to dedicate at least two years over their lifetime to service to their communities, our country and the world. President Bush is recognizing individuals around the country who are answering the call to service and will recognize Crawford as an example of the dedication to service he is hoping to instill in all Americans through his USA Freedom Corps initiative.

For the past two years, Crawford has volunteered at the Lutheran Social Services New Beginnings Center as a mentor to at-risk youth ages 10 to 17. Crawford also shares knowledge about his Native American culture and history by teaching drum, traditional singing, and the significance of Native American rituals at various community sponsored events. Crawford also volunteers as a youth basketball coach at YMCA.

President Bush created the USA Freedom Corps office at the White House to foster an American culture of service, citizenship and responsibility. Through the 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 on the USA Freedom Corps at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-Corps.

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