I have a Cocker Spaniel at home that is 12 years old. He suffers from severe hip dysplasia an abnormal formation of the hip socket that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause crippling lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. The dysplasia is so severe that at one point he lost all mobility. He was basically a paralyzed dog. It was heartbreaking hearing him cry because he couldn't move or walk to his food bowl. We had to put him in diapers and put dog pads because he couldn't go outside. He was in so much pain that at one point he didn't want anyone to touch him. I immediately went online searching for a solution and started educating myself about pet products with hemp or cannabis oil.
The president is calling on all Americans to participate in our nation's recovery and renewal by serving in our communities. There are many ways to get involved. America's new foundation will be built one community at a time - and it starts with you.
A slew of other Obama campaign officials and supporters of the president are also joining the inaugural committee, including actress Eva Longoria. She has been named a committee co-chair.
Obama will take the oath of office in a private ceremony on Jan. 20, a
Sunday.
The report also finds that parents of school-aged children contributed more than 2.5 billion hours of their time to volunteer efforts in 2011, most of it to school-based projects, underscoring the pivotal role that schools play as hubs for local volunteer efforts.
Overall, 64.3 million Americans (more than one in four adults) volunteered through a formal organization last year, an increase of 1.5 million from 2010. The 7.9 billion hours these individuals volunteered is valued at $171 billion. Among citizens who volunteered through an organization, the top activities included fundraising or selling items to raise money (26.2%); collecting, preparing, distributing, or serving food (23.6%); engaging in general labor or transportation (20.3%); or tutoring or teaching (18.2%).
In addition to this formal volunteering, two out of three Americans (65.1% or 143.7 million individuals) volunteered informally by doing favors for and helping out their neighbors, an increase of 9.5 percentage points from last year. Among other key findings, almost half of Americans (44.1%) actively participated in civic, religious, and school groups.
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| President Barack Obama delivers remarks at Browne Education Campus in
Washington, D.C., before participating in a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
service event with First Lady Michelle Obama and daughter Malia, Jan.
16, 2012.
January 16, 2012.
(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
To find a volunteer opportunity please visit http://www.serve.gov/
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