WARWICK – Like most Americans, a visit to one’s home turf by the nation’s Commander-in-Chief, is truly exciting, especially when it’s only the very first in a two-term presidency.
And so, will the area JAYCEES in Rhode Island, add their warmest welcome as President George Bush steps on little Rhody soil in Newport today.
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“Our JAYCEE organization applauds America’s Chief Executive as he addresses the Naval War College within the terrain of this international city which happens to be here in our beloved Rhode Island,” said Ron Holloway, Vice President of JAYCEE Community Affairs.
The President is expected to briefly meet with Sherrill Estes, of Tiverton, to acknowledge her overall volunteer efforts, and with the family of the late Sgt. Michael R. Weidemann, a 23-year-old Newport soldier who was killed in Iraq last October.
“The JAYCEES humbly salute the outstanding community service assistance of Ms. Estes and the remarkable young military career that tragically, yet heroically ended for Sgt. Mike Weidemann,” aidJAYCEE President Dave Legault, himself a six-year Air Force Veteran.
“One of the rather sincere poignant ironies between Ms. Estes and Sgt. Weidemann is that our Executive Director [John J. Lancellotta] – in both a personal and familial way – actually shares a couple of their own significant events in life. [Jack] has a lovely and innocent brother in a group home, as does Sgt. Weidemenn and, as with Ms. Estes, is a proud recipient of the Presidential Service Award as a perennial volunteer here in Rhode Island.”
The President’s Volunteer Service Award is a recognition program for Americans of all ages who contribute a significant amount of time to volunteer service. The program recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved an extraordinary amount of community and public service input – over 4,000 hours of service, in the case of A Presidential Award – while exhibiting outstanding volunteer service and civic participation. It is through these acts of kindness and decency that we are able to demonstrate the true character and compassion of our country.
Lancellotta was nominated by the Volunteer Center of Rhode Island and was presented his Presidential Award by Kelly Nivens (former Executive Director of the Center) and Mayor Scott Avedisian (host of the central city in Kent County) on behalf of President Bush and the Council on Service and Civic Participation.
When asked about the comments by his fellow JAYCEE comrades, Lancellotta, who’s the administrator for the JAYCEE Education & Library Foundation, stated: “It’s always humbling to receive such accolades in service to humanity, especially when we honor our military and volunteer public servants which indicates the quality of commitment and the genuine caring character our country is made of.”
He went on to further say, “when speaking to our young community leaders, I always leave them with this line: ‘Eight of our last nine U.S. Presidents were JAYCEES,’ [members of the United States Junior Chamber, the worldwide individual development and community enhancement organization for people ages 18 and 40] so your God-given ability and leadership training is limitless in achievement to society.”
Contact: JAYCEE Office, (401) 828-9191
