    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [December 8, 2001]
    [Pages 1495-1497]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in New Windsor, Maryland, on America's Fund for Afghan Children
    December 8, 2001

        The President. Well, thank you all very much. Good morning.
        Audience members. Good morning.
        The President. First, Harold, thanks a lot
    for the introduction, and thanks for your leadership for the Red Cross.
    It's a joy to know that we're part of a country that houses such a great
    institution as the Red Cross, that intends to help people. And I want to
    thank you, and I want to thank all the Red Cross volunteers who are here
    to make sure that this warehouse functions well and that the mission of
    helping Afghan children is fulfilled.
        Laura and I are thrilled to be here. First, I want you to tell your
    neighbors that we

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    really appreciated the good folks of New Windsor lining the road to
    wave. It made us feel great this morning, coming in from the middle
    school where we landed, by the way. I don't know how many times a
    helicopter has landed on the soccer field of the middle school--
    [laughter]--but it did this morning. And a lot of your townsfolks were
    out there to greet us. And for that we are really, really grateful, so
    please tell them thanks on our behalf.
        And I'm so proud of the job Laura is doing on
    behalf of the country. She is such a steady, calm influence, and she
    knows the important priorities of life. And it starts with moms and dads
    loving their children with all your heart and all your soul. And so,
    welcome, Laura, and thank you for coming with me today to New Windsor.
        David, I want to thank you, as well,
    for your leadership of the Red Cross. And I particularly want to thank
    Kristen Thompson. She did a fantastic job,
    I thought, introducing--[applause]. You must have a pretty darn good
    school system here. [Laughter] She sounds incredibly well educated, and
    she was able to handle the pressure in such an articulate way. So,
    Kristen, thank you, and thank all the boys and girls who are here from
    this town. Those who have helped raise money for the Afghan children, I
    want to thank you. I know a lot of the Boys and Girls Clubs around
    America and particularly here have helped, and I want to--thanks. I want
    to thank all the Scouts who are here for working to--[applause]. And I
    want to thank all the students who are here, as well.
        I also want to thank your U.S. Congressman, Roscoe
    Bartlett, and his wife, Ellen, for being here. I don't know where the Congressman is--
    I saw him earlier today--but I want to thank you for coming,
    Congressman. I know you care a lot about this part of the world, and I
    appreciate you being here this morning.
        I also want to thank Federal Express. It's a fine United States
    company, and they are going to fly the first flight of supplies
    overseas. And I want to thank Federal Express for understanding that
    part of being a good corporate citizen in America is to assume
    responsibility to help others. And Federal Express has done this, and I
    appreciate your service, and I appreciate your example. Thank you very
    much.
        And finally, I want to thank the Church of the Brethren. I want to
    thank you all. I want to thank you for your compassion and love, and I
    want to thank you for loaning your warehouse for this most noble
    project. It is so kind of you to figure out a way to help. And so on
    behalf of all Americans, particularly the children who have contributed
    to the fund, thanks a lot for your contribution, as well.
        You know, coming here this morning makes me so proud of America and
    of our young people. We have given the Afghan children something to
    smile about, because America's children are generous and kind and
    compassionate. There have been bake sales, and there have been lemonade
    stands, and there are empty piggy banks, and there have been all kinds
    of drives to raise money for the Afghan children.
        We've raised over $1.5 million thus far to help the children of
    Afghanistan. That's a lot of effort by a lot of youngsters. Everywhere I
    go, people are--yesterday, on the U.S.S. Enterprise, where I went to
    thank our soldiers and sailors for defending freedom, one of the sailors
    handed me a dollar from his daughter and said, ``Would you make sure
    that gets into the Fund for Afghan Children?'' It's happening all across
    the country, and I want to thank everybody for their hard work, for
    raising the donations.
        The spirit driving the donations was summed up in a letter that one
    child wrote. It went this way, it said: ``Dear Afghanistan children, God
    bless. People want to give you a better life. All children should have
    love and respect. I hope this helps you somehow.''
        Tomorrow the first flight will leave, bound for Afghanistan to
    deliver packages.

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    These packages will brighten the lives of Afghan children not only
    during Ramadan but throughout the winter. It is a reminder that we are
    at war with the Taliban regime, not with the good, innocent people of
    Afghanistan.
        We've been made painfully aware of the plight of the Afghan
    children. One in three Afghan children is an orphan. Almost half of
    Afghan children suffer from malnutrition. One in four Afghan children
    won't live beyond their fifth birthday.
        This first shipment represents the good will of the American
    children. It also represents our hope and desires that the plight of the
    Afghan children improves, that life can be better for all children in
    the world. It contains some interesting surprises and vital supplies.
        Tomorrow we ship 1,500 winter tents to provide shelter for Afghan
    children and their families; 1,685 winter jackets to help keep children
    warm; 10,000 gift parcels, including hats and socks and school supplies,
    toothbrushes and hairbrushes, candy and toys, that we hope and know will
    bring joy to children who have suffered such incredible hardship.
        Each gift parcel is marked this way: ``A Gift to Afghan Children
    From American Children.'' It's spoken in several--it's written in
    several local languages. But one thing is, when spirit is a part of each
    package, and it says love knows no bounds or boundaries.
        Americans of all ages care deeply about our fellow citizens, because
    we're a truly compassionate nation. We're a nation of heart, a nation of
    decency, and a nation that loves freedom. Removing the Taliban regime in
    Afghanistan is one way to help the children and women of Afghanistan.
    It's one way to make sure the children and women of Afghanistan are able
    to have a more decent and hopeful life. And the Afghan Children's Fund
    is another way to help.
        And so today I come to this warehouse full of love and decency and,
    on behalf of America, say thank you from the bottom of our heart.
        May God bless all the children in the world, and may God continue to
    bless America. Thank you.

     Note:  The President spoke at 8:50 a.m. at the Brethren Service Center.
    In his remarks, he referred to Harold Decker, interim chief executive
    officer, American Red Cross; David J. Bronczek, president and chief
    executive officer, FedEx Express; and Kristen Thompson, a seventh grader
    at New Windsor Middle School.