 The chairs aren't too hot. Well, I appreciate your presence here today and deeply appreciate all that many of you have been doing to ensure that our countrymen continue to enjoy the richness and beauty of America. It's a story I like to tell, and I've told it an awful lot of times, but I hope I haven't told it to any of you. It has to do with an old farmer who picked up some creek-bottom land. It was all covered with rocks and overgrown with brush, but he set to work and he hauled the rocks away and he cleaned the brush and he cultivated and he fertilized and he planted and he had a garden spot. One day at church he asked the preacher if he wouldn't have to church, come on out and see what he'd done. Well, Reverend got out there and he looked at that corn and he said, I've never seen such corn. He said, how the Lord has blessed this land. I mean, those melons, I've never seen anything so big. He said, God, it's certainly been good that way and the old boy was getting a little fidgety and finally he said, Reverend, I wish you could have seen it when the Lord was doing it by himself. Today we are honoring praiseworthy citizens who are giving God a hand in preserving our precious gifts. Unlike the farmer in the story, more often than not, those we honor today are protecting our land from some of mankind's more wasteful and destructive ways. Some of America's greatest assets are, of course, the parks, national forests and other public lands that have been set aside for the benefit and enjoyment of our people and for future generations. One thinks of America, one thinks of Purple Mountain Majesties, bald eagles of natural duty and of great halls where our ancestors gathered to lay the foundations of our democracy. We take pride in our freedom and we also take pride in the natural grandeur of our land. And there's much to be proud of. We honor our country, the world's first and best national park system, national forests and wildlife refuges, extraordinary urban park system and preserved historic sites. And all this is the legacy of caring individuals, perhaps like the ones we honor today who acted to see that these treasures were preserved and passed on. Our administration has been soundly committed to the restoration and maintenance of this inheritance. In the last six and a half years, we've spent $1 billion to restore our national parks which have been permitted to fall into some disrepair over a period of time. In the past six and a half years, as I say, we've done that and we've strictly upheld laws protecting our endangered species and to vigorously pursue plans to recover them. We've moved to stem the serious loss of final wetlands. We've set aside millions of acres to create 29 new wildlife refuges and protected thousands of miles of scenic rivers and trails. One of the hallmarks of our administration has been the concerted effort we've made to mobilize the American people to get them involved in helping each other and in community building projects instead of just waiting for government. We call it our private sector initiatives program. Secretary Hodel came to me with the idea of a take pride of the American campaign. I thought it was terrific. If we really rely or totally rely on government, whether in conserving our public lands or in any other worthy endeavors, the job is not going to get done. Public land managers have a tough assignment. They take their responsibility seriously, yet I'm certain they will verify that there can be no greater boom to the conservation and preservation of America's national treasures than the active involvement of the American people. This is what the take pride in America campaign is all about. Some 20 years ago when Lady Bird Johnson first brought this issue to the American people we owe her a debt of gratitude and I think we can show her our appreciation of this campaign. Today we recognize individuals and organizations that were doers who are protecting what belongs to all Americans. And with this we are reaffirmed that preserving our parks and public lands is important to us. Our message to anyone who would trash or vandalize our public lands has been forcefully stated. And that may be putting it mildly by some of the distinguished celebrities that were with us today. Those who would reduce the natural beauty of our land had better pay attention. They either clean up their act or get out of town. Just in case some people don't take seriously we've enlisted Lou Gossett Clint Eastwood Charlie Bronson who couldn't be here for them to give those other people the message. I want to thank our celebrities and each and every one of you for the role that you're playing. I know the ad council has given time to send the word over the airwaves and across the country and they deserve a special thanks. So too do secretaries Bennett who held the ring and given us inspiring and energetic leadership. Today we've selected 38 recipients for our Take Pride in America Award. They've been selected from over 500 nominees. Let me suggest however that all those who contribute their time and effort are winners and clearly our country is the greatest winner of all. This is the first time this award ceremony or part of it has been held here at the White House. I think it underscores how important we feel this issue is and our citizens need to know that they can and should make a difference. I ask the 38 award winners to stand. Thank you all. God bless you and I bet it won't take you long to get back in the shade. I'm heading there right now.