President George W. Bush will meet Jack Johnston upon arrival in Paducah, Kentucky, on Saturday, November 1, 2003. Johnston has been an active volunteer in the Paducah community for the past 50 years.

Earlier this year, President Bush celebrated the first anniversary of the USA Freedom Corps – his initiative to engage all Americans in service to their neighbors and their nation. President Bush is recognizing individuals around the country, like Johnston, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

Since 1953, Johnston has been an active volunteer assisting with emergency response activities throughout McCracken County. Most recently, Johnston has focused his volunteer service with the Paducah Office of Emergency Management, specifically working with the Disaster Emergency Services Rescue Division. In this capacity, Johnston assists with rescue situations such as car accidents and emergencies along the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers. Johnston also serves as a storm watcher, monitoring specific areas of McCracken County during severe weather conditions in order to keep officials informed on storm activity and possible emergency situations. For the past five years, Johnston has volunteered as a member of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). CERT, a component of Citizen Corps, provides training in emergency preparedness and basic response techniques to local trainers who in turn train citizens, enabling them to take a more active role in personal and public safety.

President Bush created the USA Freedom Corps office at the White House to foster a culture of service, citizenship and responsibility. Through the USA Freedom Corps, President Bush wants to help every American answer the call to volunteer 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 opportunities in their own neighborhoods through the USA Freedom Corps web site at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-CORPS.

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