    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
    [February 13, 2007]
    [Pages 127-128]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting on Voluntarism
    February 13, 2007

        I just had a fascinating discussion with members of my
    administration and some of our citizens who deeply care about the future
    of the country. Laura and I want to thank you all
    for joining us. We had two people who actually study the importance of
    volunteerism to the--for the health of the country.
        A couple points I'd like to make: One, we are a nation of people who
    take time out of their lives on a regular basis to help a fellow citizen
    realize the full potential of America. We've got a lot of people
    volunteering in the country, and one of my calls is for people to do
    more of it. And there's plenty of opportunities to find out where you
    can volunteer. You can go, for example, on the usafreedomcorps.gov web
    page, and you can find programs close to you that will give you an
    opportunity to follow your heart.
        Secondly, I fully recognize there's an important role for government
    in our society, but I also want our fellow citizens to know, there's a
    really important role for you. If you're concerned about the future of
    America, you can volunteer to help make our future brighter. You can
    mentor a child, you can teach somebody to read, you can go visit the
    elderly, you can feed the hungry, you can find shelter for the homeless,
    and you'll make a significant contribution to America. And as you do so,
    you'll find

    [[Page 128]]

    you make a significant contribution to your own self-worth and your own
    soul.
        We're heralding volunteerism here today. It is a really important
    aspect of American society. I'm proud of our fellow citizens who have
    answered the call. I encourage you to continue on. And for those of you
    who want to enrich your own life, you can find a way to volunteer and
    help somebody else, and it will do just that.
        So thank you all for joining us. Appreciate your good work. God
    bless those of you who are volunteering. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:32 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the
    White House. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of these remarks.