President George W. Bush will meet Thomas Angott, Darlene Husband, and Roland Nusly when he arrives in Detroit, Michigan on Monday, September 9, 2002. All three are members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and assist the U.S. Coast Guard with non-law enforcement programs such as boating safety, search and rescue, public education and safety patrols.

In his State of the Union address, President Bush called on all Americans to dedicate at least two years of their lives—the equivalent of 4,000 hours—in 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 these three volunteers as an example of the dedication to service he is hoping to instill in all Americans through his USA Freedom Corps initiative.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary provides direct operational and administrative support to many local Coast Guard units, serving millions of volunteer hours to help the U.S. Coast Guard carry out its mission. As part of the 9th Central Region Coast Guard Auxiliary, these volunteers perform several important services such as instructing classes on boat and water safety, providing safety examinations of recreational vehicles, and assisting with search and rescue missions.

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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