Thanksgiving Day, 2002

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Part III

The President

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Proclamation 7628--Thanksgiving Day, 2002

Proclamation 7629--National Farm-City Week, 2002

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 7628 of November 21, 2002

Thanksgiving Day, 2002

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

In celebration of Thanksgiving Day 1902, President
Theodore Roosevelt wrote, ``Rarely has any people
enjoyed greater prosperity than we are now enjoying.
For this we render heartfelt and solemn thanks to the
Giver of Good; and we seek to praise Him--not by words
only--but by deeds, by the way in which we do our duty
to ourselves and to our fellow men.'' President
Roosevelt's words gracefully remind us that, as
citizens of this great Nation, we have much for which
to be thankful; and his timeless call inspires us to
meet our responsibilities to help those in need and to
promote greater understanding at home and abroad.

As the Pilgrims did almost four centuries ago, we
gratefully give thanks this year for the beauty,
abundance, and opportunity this great land offers. We
also thank God for the blessings of freedom and
prosperity; and, with gratitude and humility, we
acknowledge the importance of faith in our lives.

Throughout the Thanksgiving holiday, let us renew our
commitment to make our country and our world better. As
we welcome new opportunities and face new challenges,
we are thankful for the resolve and generosity of so
many of our people who are touching countless hearts
and souls through thoughtful acts of kindness. By
answering the call to serve others, Americans are
building a culture of service that strengthens our
Nation. We also honor and salute the selfless sacrifice
of the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who are
defending our lives and liberty at home and abroad with
skill, honor, and dedication.

This Thanksgiving, we recognize the ties of friendship
and respect that bind us together. And we renew our
pledge to uphold the timeless principles of freedom,
equality, and opportunity that have made our country
into a great Nation. By working together, we will
continue to build mutual trust, peace, and hope for all
across this land and around the world.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 28, 2002,
as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage
Americans to gather in their homes, places of worship,
and community centers to share the spirit of
understanding and unity, and of prayer, as we express
our thanks for the many blessings we enjoy. I also
encourage Americans to reach out in friendship to the
larger family of humankind.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-first day of November, in the year of our Lord
two thousand two, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-seventh.

(Presidential Sig.)B