President George W. Bush will meet Nealedene Hoch when he arrives at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Reserve, on Friday, April 23, 2004. Hoch is an active volunteer with Keep Collier Beautiful, helping to lead cleanup and education activities.

Earlier this year, the USA Freedom Corps – 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 – celebrated its second anniversary. Since January 2002, President Bush has met with more than 270 individuals around the country, like Hoch, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

Hoch is one of the founding members of Keep Collier Beautiful, a nonprofit organization that provides educational outreach programs encouraging citizens to help beautify and improve their neighborhoods. Keep Collier Beautiful is a local affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, and Hoch has been involved with Keep America Beautiful for almost 20 years. Each month, she participates in volunteer activities organized by the group such as picking up litter and assisting with beautification projects. Keep Collier Beautiful volunteers have participated in cleanups at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Naples, Florida, the location of the President’s visit on Friday. As education chair for the group, Hoch helps to produce the environmental education calendar which is created in conjunction with local schools, and includes artwork made by students. The calendar is sold at fundraisers to benefit the environment. Hoch is also a member of the National Association of Paperstock Women, an organization that educates citizens about paper recycling.

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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