FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 25, 2003
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The White House - Office of the Press Secretary
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National Volunteer Week, 2003 |
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By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Volunteering is central to the American character and is a fundamental
expression of responsible citizenship. From our Nation's earliest days, people
came together to do whatever was needed for the public good -- from raising
barns and pro-viding mutual security to organizing educational activities and
caring for their neighbors. Though our country has changed dramatically since
its founding, the need for service has not. During National Volunteer Week, we
recognize our proud legacy of volunteer service and resolve to encourage more
Americans to continue strengthening our country by helping others.
This is a time for all Americans to be active citizens, not spectators. For
that reason, I have created the USA Freedom Corps to mobilize our citizens and
provide opportunities for individuals and organizations to contribute to
important causes. As part of this initiative, I have asked all Americans to
dedicate at least 4,000 hours over the rest of their lives to serving their
neighbors and their Nation. Since that call to service, our citizens have
responded with an outpouring of kindness that is transforming our country, one
heart and one soul at a time. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more
than 59 million Americans volunteered last year through charitable
organizations.
These individuals served in a variety of ways -- mentoring and tutoring
children, providing companionship to the elderly, running community theaters and
arts programs, cleaning highways and parks, staffing essential community
organizations, and offering physical and spiritual aid to the hungry and
homeless. In addition, citizen volunteers have contributed to the ongoing war on
terror by helping families and communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to
emergencies. Across our Nation, our citizens are recognizing that everyone can
do something to help and that serving those in need benefits the volunteer also.
My Administration has taken several steps to build on this progress and
continue the momentum created by these millions of acts of service. Most
recently, I formed the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation,
and charged them with creating a nationwide recognition program called the
President's Volunteer Service Awards. These awards will be given to individuals
and organizations engaged in a variety of volunteer services who have made a
sustained commitment to service over the course of 1 year, and enhance our
ability to pay tribute to volunteers and the impact their service has on our
communities and our country.
National Volunteer Week offers each of us the opportunity to recognize one of
the true strengths of our Nation -- the compassionate spirit of our citizens. I
urge all Americans to continue to uphold this spirit and answer the call to
service to help ensure that all our citizens realize the promise of America.
Together, we can achieve a hopeful future for all.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America,
by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim April 27 through May 3, 2003, as National
Volunteer Week. I call on all Americans to join together to celebrate the
invaluable work that volunteers perform every day across our country, and to
commit themselves to do more for their neighbors in need through the many
volunteer programs available in their communities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of
April, in the year of our Lord two thousand three, and of the Independence of
the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-seventh.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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