 Hello!  Thank you! 
 Thank you so much.
 Thank you.
 Thank you so very much. Wow.  What -- what a wonderful welcome. It's great to be here in Fort Pierce in this beautiful theater.  I love being in the sunshine state and...  I really want to recognize a few people. U.S. Congresswoman Lois Frankel is here, as you saw.  Randy Perkins, a candidate for Congress.  Kim Johnson, Chair of the St. Lucie County Commission.  Larry Lee, Jr., state representative.  Everyone, all the elected officials, all of the students and young people, it is wonderful to be with you and I want to thank Eileen for her introduction. We know how hard nurses like Eileen work.  And now that she is retired, she is volunteering for our campaign. This woman never quit and Eileen, we are so glad you are on our team.  I am grateful to all of the elected officials, all of the commissioners, the county commissioners, Martin County, St. Lucie, for all you do for the community, but especially for all you did this summer to clean up the algae that polluted the water.  That threatened wildlife and made life hard for local residents and businesses. This is a serious, complicated problem, isn't it?
 For the entire Treasure Coast.
 And it is a reminder, if we needed it, how important good leadership is.  So I thank all the leaders for their commitment. Now, there are 39 days between now and November 8th.
 Just 39 days left in the most important election in our lifetimes. We have to make every single day count. We have to get more people registered to vote, get more people committed to turn out to vote, we have to drive home the stakes in this election, stronger family, safer communities, an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.  And underneath all of the rhetoric and the coverage and the back and forth, this campaign really comes down to two questions: What kind of future do we want for ourselves, our kids, and our grandkids? And how do we make it a reality? Now, as I said the other night. How many of you saw the debate? 
 Well, as I said, I now have two grandchildren, and no offense, anybody, the two most wonderful, amazing, extraordinary little girl and little boy. And so I think a lot about the future. And you may have noticed that my opponent and I have different views -- about, well, nearly everything when it gets right down to it. Not just about what makes America great, because I think America already is great.  But about what we should do to make it even greater. And about that basic question of how progress happens at all. My opponent believes in what I call a strongman approach. He stood on that stage at his convention and described a hopeless, broken nation. I'm sorry, I'm looking at you, I don't see that.  That in no way resembles the strong, vibrant America I know. And -- and here is what he said. He said, I alone can fix it.  I alone? Well, we've learned that that's his way. One person getting supreme power and exercising it ruthlessly. That is why he admires dictators like Vladimir Putin so much. But that is now how change happens in America. It is never just one person, not even someone as powerful as the president. Every good thing our country has ever achieved has always happened because people have worked together to make it a reality.  Not just the wealthy or the powerful: all of us. We see that every day across America and I bet many of you have been part of it. Maybe you've taught kids to read. Right? Or cleaned up your local park. Or the beach. Maybe you've organized a cancer walk or you've run a food drive. Whatever it is, chances are you have done something to serve your community. And by extension, your country. How many of you, just think back over your lives. How many of you have performed some kind of service of some sort for your community, for other people?
 The reason I know you have is because tens and tens of millions of Americans do some kind of volunteering in your hometowns every single year. It is one of the best things about the American people. We are doers.
 You know, we don't just shrug our shoulders when we see something that needs fixing. We get resigned or apathetic or blame other people and turn on each to find scapegoats. We roll up our sleeves. We get to work to try to make things better in our neighborhood, our community, our city, our state, and our country. That has been our story, the American story, since the beginning of our nation and it is still going strong today. Now for many Americans, including a lot of you here, serving our country has included serving in our Armed Forces.  People are starting to call out their services.  There is no greater service or sacrifice and we are grateful to our men and women in uniform, to their families, and our veterans every single day.  But what's so great is that National Service can take many different forms and it's something that I believe in so deeply that every stage of our lives gives us a chance, from grade school through grandparenthood, to find a way to give back. We've got folks here today from AmeriCorps.  Which my husband created back in 1993.  And I will tell you, to this day, it is one of his proudest achievements because every day AmeriCorps members are there. They're building houses, responding to natural disasters, helping people with disabilities my jobs, find safe places to live. And next week on October 7th, AmeriCorps will celebrate a major milestone: their one millionth member.  I will tell you -- I will tell you, Bill is really excited about this and so am I. And by the way, AmeriCorps has one of the best swearing-in pledges I have ever heard. Here is how it starts. "I will get things done for America." Isn't that great?  I think we should make that a national slogan.
 Now we also have folks here today from City Year, which is part of AmeriCorps.  And every day they're working with students who are at risk of dropping out of school. They're tutoring and mentoring and running after school clubs, all to help young people really discover how capable they are and to be empowered and to stay in school. I am really grateful to them. We also have people here today from the Peace Corps, which represents the best of America to the world.  These corps volunteers are teaching English in Kosovo , staffing health centers in Nicaragua, supporting farmers in Nepal, distributing malaria nets in Uganda.
 Both as first lady and as secretary of state, I got to see the results of their work firsthand. They are making the world a healthier, more prosperous and more peaceful place. Now, maybe not all of you have been a part of one of these programs, but I know you serve in different ways. Maybe you volunteer through your school, with your church or synagogue. Maybe you find through faith-based organizations, as I did when I was a teenager, service opportunities, because for many Americans service is part of our faith. My running mate, Tim Kaine, volunteered in Honduras with the Jesuits as a young man. And it changed his life. Or maybe your whole family volunteers together. Bill and Chelsea and I, every holiday season, would work at a food bank back in Arkansas. However you serve, it feels good, doesn't it? To be part of something bigger than ourselves.  To take our time and labor and put it towards something good that can happen in our country and the world. And you know something very interesting? Service makes us happier, it makes us healthier and there are studies proving that. It's not just how we feel. They've actually followed people. It can also help us find our next job or our true calling in life. It's a smart way to use our greatest asset, our people. And service does something important for us as a society. Too often we Americans can become separated from each other. And I think a lot of people are feeling this way during this election. It's easy to surround ourselves with only those who think like us, talk like us, look like us, read the same news as us. That's understandable to an extent. But it comes with a cost, because it magnifies our differences, which then makes it harder to put those differences aside when our community or country needs us. There aren't many places where people of all ages, all races, all backgrounds, all beliefs come together in common cause, but service is one of them. And that's one of the reasons I think it's so valuable. Because in addition to the good work it does, it helps us reconnect with each other, to feel more a part of our shared American life. I believe one of the jobs of the president is to encourage more service, to help more Americans answer President Kennedy's call. You know it. "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."  But you know sometimes it's hard to figure out, how do you make a difference, especially with everything else going on in our lives. And too often volunteering becomes something only people with lots of time and financial security can do. But that's not how it should be. Everyone should be able to contribute. So what if we, as a country, made it easier for everybody to do that? For everybody to give back. What if we created more service opportunities for Americans of all ages, invested in programs that work, and encouraged entrepreneurs to add a social component to their businesses? What if we strengthen the culture of service in America ...  ... so it wasn't just something we did one day a year, but it became a regular part of our lives? I think that would reflect our values and tap into something so great about America.
 I talk a lot about how America is an exceptional nation. We're not exceptional just because of the size of our military or the size of our economy. We're exceptional because of the generosity and ingenuity of our people.  Way back -- nearly 200 years ago, a Frenchman came to the United States. His name was Alexis de Tocqueville. He traveled around. He was trying to figure out, what is this new place called America? They fought a revolution. What are they doing? Who are they? And he saw how we set up our government and we had three branches and everything that our founders really put into place. But the thing that made the biggest impression on him was our spirit of volunteerism that made democracy as diverse and ambitious as ours possible. If I am elected president this fall, I want to build on that strength by making a major push in support of more national service.  So here is what I plan to do. First, let's triple AmeriCorps.  That was the goal of my friend and the great Senator Ted Kennedy. It was laid out in a law named in his honor, the Edward M. Kennedy Service America Act. It's finally time we get it done. Every year there are hundreds of thousands of more applications for AmeriCorps than there are spots in the program. So if we grow the program from 75,000 annual members to 250,000, we're going to give more people who already want to serve the chance to do so. And then I want to double the college scholarships that AmeriCorps members earn through their service!  And I want to find ways for more students to get college credit for service.  Because I know too many talented, committed young people pass up on serving with AmeriCorps because with their student loan, they can't afford it.
 So let's lighten that burden. if you do National Service, we will began a program to forgive your loans because you are giving back to your country.  And let's keep working for the ultimate goal of making it possible for any American to serve full-time if they want to. Now second, let's grow the Peace Corps.  Since President Kennedy launched it 55 years ago, it's given nearly a quarter of a million Americans the experience of a lifetime and it has fostered friendships and cooperation between Americans and people in more than 100 nations. We've got to do more of that in the world today. We need more Americans of all ages around the world showing our values, serving people. So let's make it possible for more Americans to be a part of this extraordinary program.
 Third, let's expand service opportunities for people of all ages, right? Now, let's be fair, the younger generation is way ahead on this. I've talked to so many young people who are deeply thoughtful about how your lives impact others and the world. Service isn't just something to do to check a box before graduation. It really is woven into your lives. And many who are just getting started in your careers say that having a positive social impact is more important to you than getting a job that yes, pay a salary but doesn't give you any meaning or purpose in your lives.  And I love the fact that as you do service, you come up with new ways of giving back and find a path into charities and non-profit organizations and other ways to serve. That's a sign of true commitment. I've also been impressed by how many young entrepreneurs tell me that they're building a social component into their businesses. Whether it is dedicating a portion of their profits to a charity, giving employees time off to volunteer or adopting a school or community center as a pro bono project for the whole company. That's why my plan to help you refinance and pay back your student loans includes loan forgiveness if you launch a social enterprise or start a business in an underserved community.  We should make it easier for young innovators to follow their dreams while honoring their values and giving back. Now, I also want to get older Americans more involved. Service isn't something only students and young people do. I know that. So I intend to make sure that 10 percent of AmeriCorps slots go to Americans over the age of 55.  Let's give people an encore opportunity after they've ended their formal career so they can apply a lifetime of knowledge and experience toward a stronger community. And finally, I want to create a new means for people to serve in serious, meaningful ways without a full-time commitment. You know, AmeriCorps is a full-time commitment. The Peace Corps is a full-time commitment. The armed forces are a full-time commitment. But the armed forces has another model; the Reserves. Right? It gives people the chance to make a high-impact contribution while still building careers and pursuing their dreams in other ways. So let's do something like that in the civilian space. Let's call it the National Service Reserve.  And here's the idea. If you join the National Service Reserve, you will receive some basic training just like you would in the military reserves. And then when your city or state needs you, you'll get the call. Say a natural disaster strikes and the Red Cross needs all hands on deck or maybe like the crisis in Flint and clean water has to be distributed every day to a lot of families or maybe your city launches a major public health campaign to reduce drug abuse or promote mental health. You will then be sent into action.
 Now, some of these assignments may be just for a few days a month. Some might be longer term. But they will directly address a vital need in your own community. And what are the other advantages? Because you can help meet that need while still being a full-time student, having a job, taking care of your family. You won't have to make service your only priority. Our goal is 5 million people spread across all 50 states and...  We will have an open door the people of all ages, but we want to put a special focus on people under 30 who've said again and again they want to have a bigger impact in their communities, but they cannot leave their jobs, understandably. We'll work with governors and mayors, Republicans and Democrats, because I want this to be a true bipartisan public-private partnership.  I also want to include businesses, colleges, and universities who have unique resources to offer. And because we want workers and students to know that as a they make this contribution, their schools and their employers will have their backs. I really think a National Service Reserve could make a difference for cities and states. There's so much work to be done and so many people who want to help do it. So let's bridge that divide, get people working together in ways that can help communities. Now, I do not think you will hear anything about this from my opponent.  And you know what? I think that is a shame, because National Service has always been a bipartisan goal.  Of course, President Kennedy started the Peace Corps. and my husband started America Corps, but President Nixon signed the Domestic Volunteer Service Act, President George H.W. Bush created the White House Office of National Service, and both President George W. Bush and President Obama have been huge champions of service. This should be something that we all can get behind and -- when you listen to what is being said in this campaign, it can be discouraging, right?
 It can seem hard to find any common ground. So that makes it even more important that we come together wherever and whenever we can. Now I am well aware that candidates do not usually focus on National Service in the final stretch of a hotly fought presidential election. Some might say, well, hey, my gosh, you've only got 39 days to go, why aren't you just out there, you know, beating up on your opponent and doing everything to get the vote out and all the rest of it? Well, I will do that, but...   I've been thinking about this a long time and I did not want this campaign to end without talking about it because it means a lot to m. I'm trying to end the campaign focusing on issues that are really close to my heart. And this is one of them. 
 Thank you.  You know, for me, service is really all about fulfilling the instruction of my Methodist faith and you can see part of -- the creed I like to follow behind me.
 Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.  Now, I've carried those words with me ever since I heard them as a little girl and it's an idea that really got into my head and my heart. But you know what's kept me going are the people that I've met. In a country founded on liberty and equality, I can't think of a more important notion than every one of us is valuable. We all deserve respect. We all should listen to each other. We all can make our mark on the world.  And when we come together in common purpose, we can do so much more than we can ever do on our own. That's why stronger together is more than a slogan. It's a course of action.  So here's what I want to do. I want you to hear me pledge that this will be a vital aspect of my presidency. And I want you to help me bring our nation together, to solve our problems, strengthen our communities, to join with people across America who care about service because it speaks to both what is great and good about the United States. You know, America is great because we are good.  So there are lots of examples. We're gonna be putting examples up on my website of people who have served and who are inspirations. But I want everybody here to know that it can be done. We can do more and we can provide the opportunities to enlist more people. There are so many examples in this community and communities across America. Thirty-nine days left. This is the choice; do we lift each other up or do we tear each other down?  Do we listen and respect each other or do we scapegoat, point fingers and insult each other? Well, I tell you what side I'm gonna be on. And with your help, we're going to demonstrate on November 8th what kind of country we really are. Thank you and God bless you.