Suggested anchor lead: The lazy days of summer can mean that many people have more free time and are looking for new activities.  One of the nation�s largest service organizations is spreading the word that a great way to have fun, as well as make a difference in your community, is to volunteer.  Lee Shephard has that story:

Research shows that the main reason people volunteer is simply because they�re asked.  With that in mind, Senior Corps is asking.  It�s launched a campaign to recruit a hundred thousand additional community volunteers age 55 and over.  Called �Ask A Friend, Share Your Volunteer Spirit,� the campaign is in part a response to President Bush�s call to service for all Americans.  Tess Scannell, Director of Senior Corps:

�We�re asking people to get involved, to volunteer themselves and to have some fun while they�re doing it.  Ask a friend, and get involved in something in an area in their community where they feel they can make a difference.�

Currently more than half a million Senior Corps volunteers are engaged in such activities as tutoring and mentoring children with special needs, working with local police and fire departments to keep neighborhoods safe, helping homebound individuals remain independent in their own homes, and building houses for the homeless.