President George W. Bush will present the President’s Volunteer Service Award to Russell Gursky when he arrives in Tucson, Arizona, on Monday, March 21, 2005. Gursky, 91, is an active volunteer with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (R.S.V.P.). He serves at the Tucson Police Department where he has volunteered more than 14,000 hours since 1991.

President Bush has called on all Americans to volunteer two years or 4,000 hours over the course of their lifetimes, and he created USA Freedom Corps to help foster a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility. Since March 2002, President Bush has met with more than 400 individuals around the country, like Gursky, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

Gursky volunteers in the Tucson Police Department’s communication center transferring 911 calls onto DVDs for court and investigation purposes. He also inputs data for several departments. In 1995, Gursky became the only volunteer to receive the Tucson Police Department’s Medal of Service award – an honor usually reserved for uniformed officers. He was also named the Tucson Police Department’s Volunteer of the Year in 2001 and 2002.

The President's Volunteer Service Award, an initiative of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, is available to Americans of all ages who have demonstrated their dedication to volunteer service.  More information about the award is available at www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.

Through USA Freedom Corps, President Bush wants to help every American answer the Call to Service by strengthening and expanding service opportunities.  Interested volunteers can find available service opportunities in their communities at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-CORPS.  For information designed to show elementary and middle school students how they can start making a difference by volunteering, visit www.usafreedomcorpskids.gov. 

###