My Meeting with
President George W. Bush
by Delmar (Pete) Beverly
I met President George W. Bush at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora
just after 5:50 p.m. on February 20. Soon after Air Force One
arrived on the tarmac, I found myself standing under the
Presidential Seal on the side of the plane for the photo-op. The
President first greeted Governor Owens and then walked towards me
and said, “You don’t have an overcoat.” I told him that I am a tough
old bird, and he said, “Me too”. President Bush handed me a box
containing a lapel pin representing the President’s USA Freedom
Corps Call To Service Award. President Bush shook my hand and said,
”We like to recognize and reward people for what you do.” I replied,
“Thank you, Mr. President. I accept this volunteer award on behalf
of Habitat for Humanity volunteers around the globe.”
Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver Lori
Vaclavik nominated me for this award for my volunteer work building
Habitat homes. My daughter, Gina Beverly, introduced me to working
with Habitat for Humanity in India and Bangladesh, and after her
death I wanted to dedicate a home to her memory. Habitat for
Humanity Metro Denver helped me accomplish this goal.
Here is a copy of the letter I gave to the President’s aide:
President George W. Bush
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington DC
Dear President Bush:
Mr. President, I accept this award on behalf of Habitat for Humanity
volunteers around the globe. There is an untold story concerning
Habitat for Humanity involving the Department of Energy (DOE)
Building America Program. Habitat and many other homebuilders are
using DOE-supported designs and methods for low-energy homes that
can be seen online at:
http://www.buildingscience.com
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Habitat for Humanity
Metro Denver designed and built a net zero energy home in Arvada,
which is meeting it’s goals. This method of building should be
utilized in rebuilding the Gulf Coast damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
Other reasons for using net zero energy design are related to
homeland security, the energy network required could be reduced and
would allow the power distribution to be spread out and the loss of
a power plant would be less of a problem. Using photovoltaics to
build net-zero-energy homes would replace the need for constructing
more polluting fossil-fuel power plants. |
