President Barack Obama to Present George H. W. Bush with the 2010 Medal of Freedom Award Feb. 15, 2011
George H. W. Bush presents President Reagan with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1993
Today George H. W. Bush will be awarded the prestigious Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama alongside 14 other renowned citizens. In 1993 George H. W. Bush presented the Medal of Freedom to Ronald Reagan and now he himself is awarded for his civic service.The Medal of Freedom is a highly prestigious award that is given to individuals who make an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. It is awarded to individuals selected by the current President or recommended to him by the Distinguished Civilian Service Awards Board.
You can watch the live stream of the ceremony taking place at the White House on February 15th; the recipients will receive their honors at 1:30 EST.
Some of the other awardees include environmentalist John H. Adams, poet Maya Angelou, and Holocaust survivor Gerda Weissmann Klein. In his announcement Obama commented: “all of [the awardees] have lived extraordinary lives that have inspired us, enriched our culture, and made our country and our world a better place.”
George H. W. commented about the Freedom award in his Fox News ‘On the Record’ interview with Greta Van Sustern on February 9th: “I view it as a real honor. When Obama called me about it, I was thrilled. And I consider the Medal of Freedom a special thing… I’m emotional about service to the country. It is the highest honor that a president can bestow on anybody. And the fact that he’s giving honor means a lot. And I told him so.”
Aside from this honor George H. W. Bush along with Mrs. George H. W. Bush will be recognized in the Points of Light Institute Tribute event March 2011 for their extraordinary lives of service.
You can recognize a Point of Light in your life whose volunteerism has positively impacted lives and inspired you to serve by entering the Points of Lights Institute’s Facebook contest. You and the person you pay tribute to will have a chance to win airfare, lodging, and two tickets to the Points of Light Tribute event honoring President George H. W. Bush in Washington, D.C. on March 21, 2011. Contest Ends March 07, 2011 @ 11:59 pm (EST).
18th Annual Corporate Engagement Award of Excellence
Applications are now being accepted for the 18th Annual Corporate Engagement Award of Excellence program. The awards are designed to honor those companies that have made a commitment to building strong and effective employee volunteer programs. These programs are powerful examples of the Principles of Excellence for Workplace Volunteering.
This year we launched new web pages that provide our customers with detailed information on the program. We also introduced two new features for the program that have never been done before:
Honorees will be selected based on their ability to demonstrate exemplary evidence of the Principles of Excellence for Workplace Volunteering and will be featured at a celebratory luncheon held during the National Conference on Volunteering and Service June 7, 2011 in New Orleans
Deadline for applications is March 25, 2011 11:59pm EST
As your work allows you to partner with corporations that do great work and non-profits that work with corporations to do great work, we would love for you to share this information with companies that you would like to see considered for this award.
President George H.W. Bush is, of course, a Point of Light. If President Bush’s unique commitment to service and voluntary action has inspired you, we encourage you to post a tribute to him.
A Point of Light is an inspiring individual, organization or company that is dedicated to voluntary action.
We want you to be creative. While voluntary action includes Americans who donate their time to overcoming challenges in their communities, it also includes those who have donated their resources and used their voices to make a difference. All of these people are Points of Light.
Instructions for Filming a Tribute
Introduce yourself with your name, organization affiliation if applicable and where you live.
Clearly state that you want to nominate/honor a Point of Light.
Identify the person being honored by his or her name, organization affiliation if applicable and where they live.
Talk about the impact your Point of Light has had in your community.
Be very specific and think of this like you’re telling a story. If your Point of Light has been involved in the community or volunteerism for a long time discuss her ongoing commitment, if there is a specifically powerful example of how she has had an impact, relate that story.
Avoid wearing white, red, all black and busy patterns.
Your video should be around 1 minute in length.
To post your video, please go to http://pol.gpgwebreview.com. Videos should be in MOV, MP4, or WMV format and should be no larger than 750mb in size. If you have any questions, please contact Tim Miller at tmiller(at)gpgdc(dot)com or 202.292.6977.
Instructions for Writing a Tribute
Include your name, organization affiliation if applicable and where you live.
Clearly state that you want to nominate/honor a Point of Light.
Identify the person being honored by his or her name, organization affiliation if applicable and where they live.
Talk about the impact your Point of Light has had in your community.
Be very specific and think of this like you’re telling a story. If your Point of Light has been involved in the community or volunteerism for a long time discuss her ongoing commitment, if there is a specifically powerful example of how she has had an impact, relate that story.
If possible, please include a photo of the individual you are honoring.
Hi my name is Dee Dee Myers, and my “Points of Light” are Zack Rosenburg and Liz McCartney of the St. Bernard Project in New Orleans. Zack, a lawyer, and Liz, a teacher, decided to go down to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. They thought they’d spend a month there helping residents rebuild their homes, but what they found when they got there it totally changed their lives.
As they began talking with residents in those first weeks, they realized that people wanted to rebuild more than just their homes. They wanted to rebuild their communities and their entire lives. So Zack and Liz decided to move to New Orleans full-time and start an organization, the St. Bernard Project, which would help people do just that, to rebuild.
So working together, these residents and the St. Bernard Project began trying to overcome all of the obstacles that still face residents more than five years later. Obstacles like contractor fraud, high cost, disability and all kinds of other really tough barriers, and they’ve been very successful. They’ve already rebuilt nearly 350 homes and they have 50 more in construction. Thanks to Zack and Liz hundreds of New Orleans families now have a more hopeful future. That’s why Zack Rosenburg and Liz McCartney are my “Points of Light.”
SAMPLE WRITTEN TRIBUTE
Remarks by President Obama at Points of Light Institute’s 20th Anniversary
And that, ultimately, is the idea at the heart of President Bush’s vision: that each of us has a role to play, and all of us have something to contribute. He didn’t call for one blinding light shining from Washington — he didn’t just call for a few bright lights from the biggest nonprofits; but he called for “a vast galaxy of people and institutions working together to solve problems in their own backyard.
And today, 20 years later, think for a minute about the impact that he’s had. Think of the thousands of people and organizations who’ve been named Points of Light –and the countless others he inspired to do their part. Think of all the people they touched and the lives they changed –- and all of those who were helped who went on to help others. That’s the extraordinary ripple effect that one life, lived humbly, with love for one’s country, and in service to one’s fellow citizens, can have. May we each strive to make that kind of difference with our own lives.
Thank you, President Bush.
The Points of Light Institute Tribute Guest Details
Date
:
Monday, March 21, 2011
Location
:
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts –
2700 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20566
Time
:
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Due to security requirements, please arrive at least 60 minutes prior to the start of the formal program. Time of arrival subject to change.
Attire
:
Black Tie Optional
Tickets
:
The ticket distribution process will be announced closer to the date.
Photo ID will be required to pick up tickets.
Airport Information
:
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is located approximately 4 miles from downtown Washington D.C. and is a 14 minute drive to the Kennedy Center. DCA is the closest airport to the Kennedy Center.
Other nearby airports:
• Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is located in Loudoun and Fairfax Counties, Virginia. It is 26 miles and 30 minutes (non-rush hour) from downtown Washington D.C.
Transportation Information
:
Transportation from airports and hotels to the Kennedy Center should be arranged by each guest. Parking is available at the Kennedy Center.
Hotel Information
:
Discounted rates have been negotiated at hotels in the D.C. area. Please contact Williamsburg/American Express Travel (grouptravel(at)willtrav(dot)com); (888) 232-9394) to check availability and to reserve your room.
The Hay-Adams, the official hotel of The Tribute (Sixteenth & H Streets, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006): please inquire with Williamsburg about special rates.
The Fairmont Hotel (2401 M St NW, Washington, DC, 20037): $339 for the night of Monday, March 21, 2011. Rates expire 2/18/11.
, changed the world and touched the lives of millions. With passion, dexterity, boldness, and idealism he set out to create institutions and movements to alleviate suffering, cultivate bonds of empathy and reciprocity across difference, and usher in a world where every individual realized their own unique potential. In reflecting upon his life, we are reminded in the most profound ways possible, the power of an individual to change the world.
I was at the University of Michigan a few months ago to celebrate the 50
th
anniversary of the founding of the Peace Corps. At the event, Senator Harris Wofford told us the story of the agency’s founding. He shared how the idea was born of an improvisational interaction with President Kennedy and a group of students who took President Kennedy’s words and challenged him to turn rhetoric into reality. The students created a petition with 1,000 signatures asking the President to launch a program that called upon the nation’s young people to serve the world.
President Kennedy took note and asked Sargent Shriver and others to create a major policy proposal for what was, within 10 days, coined and framed as the Peace Corps. Harris told us that in the initial frenetic months of its foundation, Sargent Shriver was given a long memorandum that drew out a cautious and conservative approach to the incremental growth of the Peace Corps. Harris recounted that Sarge would give this memorandum to every person who came in to interview for the job and ask them their opinion of it. If they liked it and expressed approval for its safe and prudent approach, he politely dismissed them and continued to search for individuals who would reject caution and aspired to exponential growth and change.
As we consider the world before us and the sometimes seemingly insurmountable challenges, I hope that our dreams and actions are enlivened by Sargent Shriver’s spirit of boldness and expansive innovation. Movements are built over the generations and I believe that we truly are, after 50 years, on the precipice of a vision that Sargent Shriver and President Kennedy and the thousands of grassroots students originally envisioned- hundreds of thousands serving internationally,
. (In fact, the Service World policy proposal that Points of Light and a coalition of organizations are advancing is a wonderful opportunity to advance this vision.)
In celebrating Sarge’s life, may we all be inspired by his uncommon idealism, tenacity, and compassion. And may we be emboldened to re-double our own pursuits of a world that recognizes the singular worth of every individual and the unity which binds us all, forever, together.
In service,
Michelle Nunn
CEO, Points of Light Institute, and Co-Founder, HandsOn Network
More than 20 years ago, under President George H. W. Bush’s leadership, the Points of Light movement began, its core mission the advancement of the powerful American ideal of voluntary action.
Today this movement is stronger than ever and is proving to be one of President Bush’s greatest legacies.
Given the needs facing our country, the message of service and call to be a “point of light” is a powerful and relevant message.
As President Obama said at the Points of Light Institute Presidential Forum last year, “service isn’t separate from our national priorities, or secondary to our national priorities…It’s how we will meet the challenges of our time.”
In that same speech, President Obama went on to talk about President Bush’s vision: “He didn’t call for one blinding light shining from Washington — he didn’t just call for a few bright lights from the biggest nonprofits; but he called for “a vast galaxy of people and institutions working together to solve problems in their own backyard.”
To honor President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush and to celebrate the power of each person to create change, we invite you to help us create a “galaxy” of light.
We’d like to collect thousands of tributes here that can be shared with President George H. W. Bush, President Obama, and all of our living presidents to demonstrate the power of this idea – that America’s spirit of courage, compassion and patriotism is alive and well and demonstrated every day by heroic acts of service large and small.
Please share your own personal tribute to George and Barbara Bush and/or your tribute to someone who has been a “point of light” in your life or your community in the comments section below.
Request for Proposals
In recent years, we have had an incredible line-up of prestigious speakers, including First Lady Michelle Obama, artist Jon Bon Jovi, actress and activist Ruby Dee, civil rights icons John Lewis and Andrew Young, comedian John Oliver, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and California First Lady Maria Shriver.
We would like to invite you to join this impressive list of speakers at the 2011 National Conference on Volunteering and Service in New Orleans, LA, June 6-8.
Please join us in sharing your experience and expertise by presenting a session during this year’s conference. These sessions are a platform for showcasing innovative programs, new ideas, and proven methodologies.
Deadline for Submitting Proposals is midnight EST on November 29, 2010.
Proposal Submission Guidelines
Read the Terms and Conditions. Note: by submitting your proposal, you are committing to these terms and conditions. If you, or the presenter for whom you are submitting, are able to meet these conditions, please continue with the application process.
Read the Review Criteria and use it to guide your proposal.
Review the RFP Framework so you can align your proposal with the conference goals and objectives.
Prepare your proposal in the attached Word version of the RFP.
The online RFP system does not allow you to save your work and come back to it.
The submission requirements for workshops and immersion learning session proposals are different from those for a mini-presentation.
Review and Notification Information The Program Selection Committee will evaluate proposals submitted based solely on the information provided, and will make final selections accordingly.
The conference planning team will respond to all submissions by Spring 2011 via e-mail.
AmeriCorps Alums: “Pulling out all the stops” for the National Conference on Volunteering and Service!
The 2009 National Conference on Volunteering and Service is almost upon us, and AmeriCorps Alums is using the occasion to showcase and highlight the amazing service movement and those who have made it possible.
And what will AmeriCorps Alums be doing, you ask?
For starters, we’ll have our signature booth set up in the exhibition hall, but this year, we’re pulling out all the stops. There will be a red carpet, cameras and a video camera…everything needed to capture the stories of folks committed to a lifetime of service! AmeriCorps Alums will also be rolling out our new line of apparel, as well as giving away some fantastic gifts to Alums who stop by to share their stories.
We’ll also be convening a workshop — “AmeriCorps Alumni and Local AmeriCorps Programs – a Perfect Marriage,” as well as a series of ‘Tweet-ups’ (or social networking info sessions) that focus on de-mystifying all those icons, sharing best practices and discussing the pros and cons of diving into the online waters.
To cap it all off, AmeriCorps Alums will be hosting the After-Party at a gorgeous local gallery called 111 Minna. The AmeriCorps Alums After-Party will feature hot local bands The Attack Plan and Monte Casino, as well as delicious seasonal cuisine and beverages for all sets. Get your discounted tickets to the soiree here: http://www.americorpsalums.org/events/event_details.asp?id=62152
Now is the time to celebrate the historic passage of the Serve America Act and connect with leaders and changemakers from around the country. So, please join us June 22-24 in San Francisco for the 2009 National Conference on Volunteering and Service Conference—we guarantee you won’t be disappointed!
Today’s post comes from Michelle Nunn, CEO of 
