President George W. Bush will meet Bruce Vanisacker upon arrival in Toledo, Ohio, on Wednesday, January 21, 2004. Vanisacker has been an active volunteer with FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics since 1999.

Later this month, the USA Freedom Corps – President Bush’s initiative to engage all Americans in service to their neighbors and their nation – will celebrate its second anniversary. President Bush is recognizing individuals around the country, like Vanisacker, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

Vanisacker, an employee of the Dana Corporation, has been an active volunteer with FIRST Robotics, a non-profit organization that teams professionals and students together with hands-on, innovative programs in hopes of motivating young people to explore opportunities in science,  technology and engineering. The Dana Corporation is a member of Business Strengthening America, a self-directed effort among business leaders nationwide to engage America’s companies and organizations in a campaign to encourage civic engagement and volunteer service. Each year, the Dana Corporation sponsors a team of local high school students, teachers and employees in the FIRST Robotics Contest, where teams work together during a six-week period to design and develop a robot and that will later compete in the contest. Vanisacker meets with students several times each week to help them plan, create and build their robot. Students assemble the robot with different machines and tools, learning teamwork and engineering skills along the way.

Vanisacker also volunteers several times each year at Gettysburg National Military Park, participating in various volunteer service projects. In the past, he has helped build miles of fencing, repainted headstones so visitors can clearly read the inscriptions, as well as track and inventory historic military cannons to ensure proper placement within the Gettysburg National Military Park.

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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