[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 27 (Monday, July 9, 2001)]
[Pages 1004-1005]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With Leaders of National Service 
Organizations and an Exchange With Reporters

July 2, 2001

    The President. Good morning. Thank you all for coming. Laura and I 
are so honored to welcome leaders from five of the largest service 
organizations in our country: Kiwanis, the Lions, the Rotarians, the 
Optimists, the Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
    First, thank you all for coming, and thank you for your service to 
the country. We've had a discussion that will really help change the 
country, I think, and that is all five organizations have agreed to join 
in urging their members to mentor a child.
    We've set a goal amongst us to recruit one million mentors to 
provide love and comfort to children around America. I can't think of a 
more noble goal for the organizations here. So I want to thank you all 
very much for your commitment to America, for your love of the country. 
Please thank your members for their commitment, as well.
    For others around the country who are wondering how best to help a 
neighbor in need, I strongly urge them to think about joining one of 
these service clubs, a club whose sole existence is to help make America 
a better place. And so, I know there are some in our country that say 
``What can I do to help?'' Well, here is five good opportunities.
    One of the things you do when you run for office is, you get to go 
to the service club lunches all around our country. [Laughter] And I 
will tell you, some of the most meaningful lunches as a gubernatorial 
candidate, for example, in Texas was at the service clubs in rural Texas 
or in urban Texas. I was able to meet a lot of really good, fine folks.
    America is strong because of our people. America is strong because 
of the compassion of our citizens. And I believe we can meet the goal of 
a million mentors, so that everybody in America feels the great promise 
of our country and so that not one child is left behind.
    Thank you all for coming.

[[Page 1005]]

Vice President Dick Cheney

    Q. Who has a tougher schedule today, Mr. President? You or the Vice 
President?
    The President. The Vice President is feeling great. I had a meeting 
with him. At Camp David, I was asked whether or not he would be at work 
on Monday. I said I was confident he would be there at 8 o'clock sharp, 
during our national security briefing, and there he was. He looks great. 
His spirits are high. He sets such a good example for Americans who may 
share the same condition he has, and that is to listen to your body, to 
take precautionary measures, and to be active. And he's active, and 
he's--we were all thrilled to see how good he looked this morning.
    Q. Are you worried about him at all, Mr. President?
    The President. No, I'm not worried about him. I'm not worried about 
him. He's doing great.

Note: The President spoke at 11:04 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the 
White House.