San Francisco (Obama.net)- The citizens of the United States of America all go through similar daily grinds. Each and every one of us wakes up in the morning, eats breakfast, takes a shower, goes to work, put in a long day of hard work, come home, and then take care of bills and our families. However, some of us actually do a little bit more than the rest and President Barack Obama, like other President’s in the past, recognizes and rewards the extra work some people put in.
Wednesday, Barack Obama is set to present the Presidential Citizens Medal to thirteen Americans who honor the United States on a daily basis.
The Presidential Citizens Medal is the second highest award that can possibly be given to a citizen of the United States. The award was created in 1969 by former President Richard Nixon. Some notable recipients of the award are Elizabeth Taylor from the cinema world, and boxing legend Muhammad Ali.
The spectrum of the work that these thirteen men and women do is wide.
One man, George J Weiss Jr, began a volunteer rifle squad that has given the final salute over 56,400 times in the last thirty years.
Other recipients include on person who assists the poor, another who works with deaf children, and someone that helps bring education to pregnant young women.
Also receiving the Presidential Citizens Medal are Jorge Munoz who feeds 130 people on a nightly basis in Queens, New York, and Susan Retik, a widow from the September 11 tragedy that supports other widows in Afghanistan.
Obama chose this years winners by having American’s nominate people that they know.
What exemplifies what it takes to win such an award can be seen in the attitude of Susan Retik. Retik said, “I don’t believe people are born with hate in their heart. We all want the same thing in life. And you know, those things are health and happiness, and peace and security. They want those same things for their children the way that we do for ours and it doesn’t make them bad people because they happen to be born in a different country.”
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