[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 16 (Monday, April 26, 1993)]
[Pages 647-649]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the National Volunteer Action Award Ceremony

 April 22, 1993

    Thank you very much. I want to thank, first of all, the people who 
have made possible this 12th annual National Volunteer Action Award 
event, begun in the early 1980's under President Reagan, people from the 
Points of Light Foundation and the folks from ACTION. I want to say, 
too, to all of you that this is a matter of great personal pride to me 
to be President and be a part of this today, because I have believed for 
a long time in grassroots community efforts and community service.
    Last year, on the occasion of my birthday, which I share with the 
Vice President's wife, Tipper Gore, our two families went to Georgia and 
built a house with Habitat for Humanity, along with President and Mrs. 
Carter as a way of symbolizing our commitment to national service. And 
my daughter selected a school here in Washington in part because one of 
the requirements of being enrolled in the school was to do community 
service. Just a couple of days ago, she and her group went out and did 
one of their service

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projects, working to build some park facilities for young people who 
will come behind and use those facilities.
    I can't help but say I'm especially proud today because one of the 
honorees today is the Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation 
from my home State. I should say, I had nothing to do with selecting any 
of these awards. [Laughter] But they will tell you that for well over a 
decade I have worked with them in many ways, watching them work against 
often enormous odds to empower poor people in rural areas to seize 
control of their own destinies. So I am especially proud of them as well 
as of all the other honorees.
    I think all of you recognize the fundamental truth that as Americans 
and as human beings we can never be completely fulfilled unless we help 
each other. Just a few moments ago, I was over at the dedication of the 
Holocaust Museum. And we recognized, of course, the great losses of the 
Jewish people, of the Gypsies, and others who were systematically 
exterminated by the Nazis. But we also recognize the services of perhaps 
the most important volunteers in the 20th century, those who put their 
lives at risk to try to save large numbers of the Jews.
    On that cold, wind-whipped occasion, I think it's fair to say that, 
by far, the most popular speaker at the event was a woman who put her 
life at risk to shield Jews from almost certain death and, in the 
process, found a person who became her husband. The Scriptures say that 
in giving we will receive. Perhaps not all of us will find a mate for 
life in our gifts, but all of us certainly will receive.
    I think it has been recognized for a long time that service sustains 
and defines our democracy and helps us to understand that we are not 
brought together by race or religion or region but that we cannot be 
kept apart by those things if we have common values, common interests, 
and undertake common endeavors.
    After all, volunteers won the American Revolution. And ever since, 
volunteers have been winning our wars and winning the battles of 
peacetime. Volunteers helped to get women the right to vote and helped 
to effect the civil rights revolution and help us even today to overcome 
the barriers that divide us.
    All generations have been called upon to serve. And today, as people 
are living longer than ever before, every generation now living is 
called upon to serve, to deepen our lives and to strengthen the bonds of 
our communities. Today is so special to me because we are recognizing 
those of you who have risen to the challenge in particularly innovative 
and effective ways.
    I hope that as we honor you today you will all join me in renewing 
our call for all Americans to embrace the spirit of service. We all have 
roles to play. Even those who are not in organizations represented here 
may be able to help to patrol this, police, and support the work of law 
enforcement officers in areas plagued by high crime, where children are 
unsafe, or may help to volunteer in a community health center where 
health care is available in theory but not in practice unless people can 
find their way to the clinic; or tutoring children after school; or 
being mentors to children who themselves would like to do better but 
don't have the role models they need.
    We bring out the best in our country when we serve. I know that you 
know that I've tried to make sure our Government will do its part. And 
as Mr. Segal said, next week I intend to introduce the national service 
legislation that I hope will change our country for the better and 
forever to provide a revolution in the best sense of the word, bringing 
us back to our best values, offering opportunity, requiring 
responsibility, and creating a stronger sense of the American community.
    Those are the things which drove me into this race for President 
well over a year ago and the things which I hope so deeply will be 
embodied in the national service movement. We want to make opportunity 
available by making it easier to get a loan to go to college and easier 
to pay it off through service, demanding responsibility by making sure 
that everybody who gets something from their Government finally gives 
something back, we hope in service but at least in dollars, and 
rebuilding communities all over this country through our civilian GI 
bill, with thousands of people paying their way to col- 

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lege either before or after they go by doing what their communities 
need.
    We'll bring ourselves a little closer to that sacred day when all of 
our children can live up to their full potential by working together to 
make sure that we do that as well as the children we're trying to help. 
If these efforts are to succeed, the spirit of service must be renewed 
in the hearts of every American, not just in those who will be part of 
the national service movement. I hope that this movement will go well 
beyond party or any other political division in this country. I hope 
that everybody will embrace the cause and the spirit, because I believe 
we can change the country. If we can do it here in the Government, we 
can then challenge our corporations, our foundations, our schools, our 
nonprofits to follow the leads of those whom we honor here today. And if 
we're in it for the long haul because we know we all have a role to 
play, I really believe it means an America finally and fully living up 
to its potential, that is, being more like those of you whom we honor 
today.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 3:47 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House.