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The White House
Office of the First Lady
For Immediate Release

Remarks by the First Lady and Dr. Biden at a Service Project

Charlotte Convention Center
Charlotte, North Carolina

10:22 A.M. EDT

MRS. BIDEN:  Good morning.  I just want to thank you all for coming and helping today.  And thank you so much to the USO, who always does such wonderful things for our troops.  Michelle and I are inspired every day by the courage and the strength and resilience of our military families, and we’ve had the honor of working together to help promote programs for our military.  So we’re working hard, right, Michelle?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, indeed.  A lot of progress.
 
MRS. BIDEN:  So, anyway, I’d like to introduce our First Lady, Michelle Obama, who was worked tirelessly for our military families.  So thank you, Michelle.  (Applause.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Thanks, Jill.  All right, so this is really good because I see a lot of my friends and family who are here -- actually working, which is a very good thing.  (Laughter.)  As Jill said, we are delighted to be here.
 
This has become a convention tradition.  And it’s also become kind of a friends-and-family tradition that when we come together for big events like this, that we find ways to give back.  I know that my brother has brought his entire team to D.C. and we’ve done work in food pantries, and I just want to thank you all for taking the time to be a part of giving back, even at a time when we’re focused on the Party and the President and speeches.  Events like this remind us really why we’re here, why we’re doing this.
 
And I want to echo Jill in thanking the USO, because they’ve been just a phenomenal partner.  I mean, the truth is we can shine a spotlight on the service and sacrifice of our military families, our veterans, our servicemembers, but organizations like the USO are doing the hard work on the ground every single day, and they prop us up in so many ways.  So let’s give them a round of applause.  (Applause.)
 
And I also just want to take a second to thank somebody who is here, a behind-the-scenes kind of guy -- Steve Kerrigan, who has been the CEO for the convention, who has done -- (applause) -- Steve has done an amazing, amazing job.  This has been a phenomenal few days here in Charlotte.  (Applause.)  And I want to thank you and your team for putting together an excellent several days here.
 
Today, this service project caps off 4,000 hours of community service, and that was part of what Steve and the rest of the organizers wanted to make sure.  When we come into a city like this, we take it over.  (Laughter.)  We inconvenience people.  We make it hard for people to walk around and breathe and get to work. 
 
So our view was that while we’re here on the ground -- and the team has been here on the ground for months.  Everybody who has worked on the convention has made a commitment to give back to this community in varying ways, and we’ve surpassed our goal of 4,000 hours of service to the Charlotte community.  And I am very proud of our team for making that commitment and achieving that accomplishment.  (Applause.)
 
So you all are helping us to continue that goal.  And again, thank you.  I hope you’re having fun.  Kids, I hope you all working -- (laughter) -- doing some work.  So Jill and I are going to come out there and join you.
 
Thanks so much.  Take care.  (Applause.) 
 
END
10:26 A.M. EDT