For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 2, 2001
Remarks by the President in Meeting with Leadership of National Service Organizations
The Roosevelt Room
Listen to the
President's Remarks
11:04 A.M. EDT
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 -- the Lions, Rotarians, Optimists, Kiwanis,
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
1 million mentors to provide love and comfort to the 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, you get to go to 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 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.
Q Who has the toughest
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 8:00
a.m. sharp, during our national security briefing -- and there he
was. He looks great; his spirits are high. He is
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.
END
11:07 A.M. EDT
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