Extra Mile Dedication Set for October
Former President Bush to Dedicate National Monument to Honor, Inspire Social Change

By Beth Ludlum

Washington, DC will welcome its newest national monument on Friday, October 14, 2005, as former President George Bush dedicates The Extra Mile – Points of Light Volunteer Pathway at a ceremony hosted by ABC news correspondent Cokie Roberts.

The Extra Mile honors individuals who, through volunteer and philanthropic efforts, have made a difference in the lives of others. Twenty individuals will be honored during the October 14 dedication ceremony, including such notable activists as Helen Keller and Martin Luther King, Jr. Eleven other honorees have already been selected and will be honored in later individual ceremonies.

The public submits nominations for The Extra Mile, and an independent nine-member Selection Committee chooses the honorees. Congress established selection criteria to define the types of contribution and achievement nominees must meet.

When completed, more than 70 custom-designed bronze medallions will form the mile-long pathway adjacent to the White House. Additional planned components of the monument include materials for service-learning experiences, television and radio shows about the honorees, and interactive displays at the monument.

For more information or to nominate an individual, visit www.ExtraMile.us or contact John Johansen, Senior Director, Public Affairs, JJohansen@PointsofLight.org, 202-729-8273.