NORFOLK, Va. — He called on Americans to serve as a "thousand points of light" in their communities through volunteer service.
On Thursday, sailors from the ship which bears his name did just that.
In honor of former President George H.W. Bush's 100th birthday later this year, crew members from the Navy aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush were all over Hampton Roads performing community service. More than 1,300 sailors were at 77 locations in all, doing good deeds.
Outside Norfolk's Queen Street Baptist Church, sailors handed out boxes of food to the needy.
Back at the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, an assembly line of shipmates loaded up the boxes for delivery.
"It's exciting for us, especially for me, knowing that I made a difference on a family's life," said Aviation Boatswain's Mate Equipment 3rd Class Kyle Tardiff.
Foodbank President and CEO Christopher Tan was thrilled to have so many volunteers helping out.
"We'll probably pack seven to 800 boxes of food for people in need. And they do with a great joy. And we're really grateful to have them," he said.
They made a huge difference, completing an estimated 3,000 community service hours this one day alone.
Undoubtedly, they would've made their ship's namesake, the late 41st President of the United States proud.
"And we're asking these sons and daughters of America to go out and defend liberty and freedom. And we do that and that is our mission. But when we come home, we have a civic responsibility to volunteer to a part of the community," said Captain Dave Pollard, USS Bush commanding officer.
It was a true case of no rest for the weary.
Last April, the Bush returned from a more than 8-month deployment.
Other Bush sailors volunteered at numerous locations, including Glenside Elementary School, Nauticus, Virginia Wesleyan University and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Brock Environmental Center.