FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 17, 2004
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The White House - USA Freedom Corps
Contact: Erik Hotmire 202-456-7381 |
President Bush to Recognize Issaquah Woman for Dedication to Volunteer Service |
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President George W. Bush will meet Nadine Gulit when he arrives in Seattle,
Washington, on Thursday, June 17, 2004. Gulit, 73, founded Operation Support
Our Troops to show appreciation for our men and women in uniform.
The USA Freedom Corps is President Bush’s
initiative to engage all Americans in service to their neighbors and their
nation by volunteering two years or 4,000 hours over the course of their
lifetime. Since January 2002, President Bush has met with hundreds of
individuals around the country, like Gulit, who are answering the call to
volunteer service.
Gulit and her daughter, Sheryl Sheaffer, created Operation Support Our Troops
(OSOT) in January 2003 as a way to counter local protests against military
action in Iraq. To show local troops they are appreciated for their service and
sacrifice, Gulit stages and attends rallies with OSOT members, and hangs banners
of encouragement in prominent locations near Fort Lewis. Through Gulit’s
leadership, OSOT has adopted a variety of military units and sends the troops
care packages filled with everything from snacks and toiletries to decorated
Christmas trees and stockings to improve holiday morale. Recently, Gulit and
OSOT collected sports balls and Frisbees for the troops to use and pass along to
Iraqi children, gathering enough equipment to fill 140 boxes.
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
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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