President's Call to Service Award
{{Short description|American volunteerism award}}
{{distinguish|President's Volunteer Service Award}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
rightThe President's Call to Service Award is awarded by the President of the United States to people who have completed more than 4,000 hours of community service. It is the highest level of the President's Volunteer Service Award.{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/council/pvsa.asp |title=The President's Volunteer Service Award|accessdate=June 10, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090610182211/http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/council/pvsa.asp |archivedate=June 10, 2009 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/|title=The President's Volunteer Service Award|publisher=presidentialserviceawards.gov|accessdate=September 13, 2014}}
Background
The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, which administers the award, was established within the Corporation for National and Community Service through a 2003 executive order by President George W. Bush.{{cite web|url=http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/tg/pvsainfo/dspExecutiveOrder.cfm|title=President's Volunteer Service Award|publisher=presidentialserviceawards.gov|accessdate=September 13, 2014}} The President's Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) encourages citizens to live a life of service. The award is offered in four categories depending on amount of service, including Bronze, Silver, Gold and the "President's Call to Service Award" (referred to as the "President's Lifetime Achievement Award"). Depending on the level of service, awardees may receive a personalized certificate, an official pin, medallion, and/or a congratulatory letter from the President.{{Cite web|title = The Award|url = http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/the-award|website = www.presidentialserviceawards.gov|accessdate = December 21, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151218205619/http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/the-award|archive-date=December 18, 2015}}
Recipients must have contributed their volunteer hours under the auspices of a Certifying Organization/ Leadership Organization. That organization must submit an application on behalf of the intended recipient, a record of the volunteer's hours, and a payment to the PVSA. The Organization must be based in the United States or Puerto Rico. The award is not competitive, and there are no other requirements.
Notable recipients
While numerous Americans have been awarded some degree of the President's Volunteer Service Award, comparatively few have been awarded the highest honor - the President's Call to Service Award (also referred to as the President's Lifetime Achievement Award).
{{incomplete list|date=September 2014}}
Past recipients of the award include:
- 2004: Frank Shankwitz, Founder of the Make-A-Wish Foundation{{Cite web|url=http://www.wishman1.com/uncategorized/presidents-call-service-award/|title=President's Call to Service Award|last=Shankwitz|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911140650/http://www.wishman1.com/uncategorized/presidents-call-service-award/|archive-date=September 11, 2016|url-status=dead}}
- 2005: Zach Bonner, founder of the Little Red Wagon Foundation{{Cite web|url=http://www.lrwf.org/about-our-founder.html|title=About our Founder|quote=In 2006 Zach received the "Presidential Call to Service Award" from President Bush|access-date=September 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623231048/http://www.lrwf.org/about-our-founder.html|archive-date=June 23, 2016|url-status=dead}}
- 2008: S. Truett Cathy{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/04/14/daily32.html|title=S. Truett Cathy applauded by President Bush |newspaper= Atlanta Business Chronicle|accessdate=September 13, 2014}}
- 2014: Betsy Thies, 47-year volunteer at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden{{Cite web|url=http://www.sbbgphotos.org/show_public.php?index=BD_21779|title=Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Image Library|website=www.sbbgphotos.org|access-date=February 13, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.sbbgphotos.org/show_public.php?index=BD_21776|title=Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Image Library|website=www.sbbgphotos.org|access-date=February 13, 2020}}{{Cite news|last=Windhager|first=Steve|url=https://www.sbbg.org/sites/default/files/article_downloads/IronwoodV23-3_0.pdf|title=Director's Message|date=Fall 2015|work=Ironwood|access-date=February 13, 2020}}
- 2017: Dee Dawkins-Haigler, former member of the Georgia House of Representatives{{cite web | url=https://ocgnews.com/dawkins-haigler-honored-with-presidents-lifetime-achievement-award/ | title=Dawkins-Haigler honored with President's Lifetime Achievement Award | date=January 20, 2017 }}
- 2023: Dr. William Banfield, composer, educator, and author{{Cite web |last=Shulze |first=Talia |date=2023-10-25 |title=Composer and Educator Bill Banfield to Receive "President’s Call to Service" Award |url=https://symphony.org/composer-and-educator-bill-banfield-to-receive-presidents-call-to-service-award/ |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=Symphony |language=en-US}}
- 2024: Ibrahim Garza, banker, author, entrepreneur{{Cite web |last=Gonzalez |first=Roberto H. |date=2024-02-05 |title=Valley Innovator Ibrahim Garza Earns President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Financial Literacy Initiative |url=https://texasborderbusiness.com/valley-innovator-ibrahim-garza-earns-presidents-lifetime-achievement-award-for-financial-literacy-initiative/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Texas Border Business |language=en-US}}