[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 199 (Wednesday, October 15, 1997)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 53695-53696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-27540]



[[Page 53693]]

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Part III





The President





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Proclamation 7038--National School Lunch Week, 1997

Proclamation 7039--Columbus Day, 1997
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  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 199 / Wednesday, October 15, 1997 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 53695]]

                Proclamation 7038 of October 10, 1997

                
National School Lunch Week, 1997

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                 Each year during the month of October, we set aside a 
                week to focus on the importance of the National School 
                Lunch Program and its contributions to the health and 
                well-being of America's schoolchildren. Through this 
                program, established more than 50 years ago by 
                President Truman, young people learn firsthand about 
                healthful dietary habits and how to make wise choices 
                regarding the foods they eat. And for millions of 
                children, many of whom come from families in need, 
                their school lunch is the most nutritious meal they 
                will eat during the day.

                 When President Kennedy proclaimed the first National 
                School Lunch Week in 1963, some 68,000 schools were 
                serving lunches to 16 million children each day. Today, 
                the program is available in more than 94,000 schools 
                across the country, and 26 million students participate 
                daily. This dramatic growth proves that the program 
                continues to meet a significant need in local 
                communities across the Nation, and its success 
                admirably reflects the hard work and commitment of 
                school food-service professionals, as well as the 
                support and technical assistance provided by State 
                administrators.

                 The National School Lunch Program also reflects our 
                profound concern for the well-being of our young 
                people. By providing them with wholesome, nutritious 
                meals day in and day out, we are helping to improve our 
                children's overall health, increase their learning 
                capacity, lengthen their attention span, and promote 
                healthful dietary habits that will serve them well for 
                a lifetime.

                 All of these accomplishments are made possible by the 
                many dedicated food-service professionals, 
                administrators, educators, parents, business and 
                community leaders, and other concerned individuals at 
                the local, State, and Federal levels who work in 
                partnership to ensure the effectiveness of the National 
                School Lunch Program. We must strive to build on their 
                achievements so that this vital program will continue 
                to meet the needs of America's children into the next 
                century.

                In recognition of the contributions of the National 
                School Lunch Program to the nutritional well-being of 
                children, the Congress by joint resolution of October 
                9, 1962 (Public Law No. 87-780), has designated the 
                week beginning the second Sunday in October of each 
                year as ``National School Lunch Week'' and has 
                requested the President to issue a proclamation in 
                observance of that week.

                 NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of 
                the United States of America, do hereby proclaim 
                October 12 through October 18, 1997, as National School 
                Lunch Week. I call upon all Americans to recognize 
                those individuals whose efforts contribute to the 
                success of this program and to observe this week with 
                appropriate programs and activities.

[[Page 53696]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen 
                hundred and ninety-seven, and of the Independence of 
                the United States of America the two hundred and 
                twenty-second.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 97-27540
Filed 10-14-97; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P