FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 12, 2002
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The White House - USA Freedom Corps
Contact: Kathleen Mynster
202-456-7381 |
President Bush to Recognize Birmingham Native for Dedication to Volunteer Service |
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President George W. Bush will meet Roman Gary when he arrives in Birmingham
on Monday. Gary is a young architect who volunteers his time with the Big
Brothers Big Sisters program and several other area organizations.
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 Gary as an example of the dedication to service he
is hoping to instill in all Americans through his USA Freedom Corps initiative.
Gary began volunteering as a college student, working with Habitat for
Humanity and tutoring and mentoring local students. He is now active with the
Big Brothers, Big Sisters (BBBS) program in Birmingham, mentoring three boys
over the past three years. Gary currently spends at least an hour each week with
his two little brothers - the third recently moved away.
In addition to serving as a big brother, Gary is president of the Young
Advisory Board at BBBS, which helps raise money and recruit volunteers. He also
started the Alpha Phi Alpha Project, to recruit African American males to be
mentors. According to BBBS, over 70 percent of the boys waiting for mentors in
Birmingham are African American. In addition to his work with BBBS, Gary
volunteers with the American Heart Association, the March of Dimes, the Sickle
Cell Foundation and is active in his church.
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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