President George W. Bush will present the President’s Volunteer Service Award to Dan Rooney when he arrives at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, on Friday, September 12, 2008. Rooney, a major in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, is the founder of The Folds of Honor Foundation. To thank them for making a difference in the lives of others, President Bush honors local volunteers when he travels throughout the United States. He has met with more than 650 volunteers, like Rooney, since March 2002.

Rooney, an F-16 pilot and Class A member of the Professional Golfers’ Association, founded The Folds of Honor Foundation to provide educational funding to children and spouses of active duty military members killed or disabled in Iraq or Afghanistan. To generate funding for the scholarships, Rooney worked in conjunction with the Professional Golfers’ Association and the United States Golf Association to create Patriot Golf Day on Labor Day 2007. This event raised $1.1 million by asking golfers at 3,400 courses nationwide to donate at leastone extra dollar in green fees. During Labor Day weekend 2008, Patriot Golf Day was held at nearly 4,000 golf courses and is projected to generate more than $3 million toward college scholarships when the funds are collected.

In his January 2002 State of the Union Address, President Bush called on all Americans to make a difference in their communities through volunteer service. He created USA Freedom Corps, an Office of the White House, to strengthen and expand volunteer service. Americans are responding to the President’s Call to Service. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 61 million Americans volunteered in 2006. Go to www.volunteer.gov or call 1-877-USA-CORPS to find an existing volunteer service opportunity in your area or to find more information about service programs, including national service programs such as the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Citizen Corps. USA Freedom Corps is also highlighting youth volunteer service. Visit www.volunteerkids.gov for games and ideas designed to show how America's youth are making a difference.

The President's Volunteer Service Award was created at the President’s direction by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. The Award is available to youth ages 14 and under who have completed 50 or more hours of volunteer service; to individuals 15 and older who have completed 100 or more hours; and to families or groups who have completed 200 or more hours. For more information about the Award, please visit www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.

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