Centennial Celebration: Celebrate President George H.W. Bush’s 100th birthday this summer

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – The George & Barbara Bush Foundation is gearing up to celebrate what would have been President George H.W. Bush’s 100th birthday.

The centennial celebration is coming up in June.

Maddie Hillin, the Chief Operation Officer for the George & Barbara Bush Foundation, joined News 3 at Six on Thursday to discuss the lineup of events.

“When President Bush chose College Station and Texas A&M University to hold his Presidential Library as well as the Bush School of Government and Public Service, he really wanted the three entities that include the Bush Foundation to really exude the pride and the feelings of what the College Station and Bryan community holds as well,” Hillin said. “Although President Bush is no longer with us, to be able to do this in his honor and to continue to perpetuate his legacy, it’s just so vital and important now more than ever.”

The celebration is June 11-13. June 11 is specifically for Bush 41 alumni.

“It’s for anyone in President Bush’s lifetime of service people that served him well in those aspects and really helped him, as he would say, elevate his career and elevate the world. He couldn’t have done that without the people who worked alongside him in that effort,” Hillin said. “So it is a chance and an opportunity somewhat for the first time ever on an official standpoint the Bush Foundation is hosting this opportunity for those that served him and served him well to come together, reminisce, reunite and really celebrate the great man that they all worked for and aspired to be throughout their lives.”

June 12 will be the day of gratitude. There will be an interview and book signing with Jon Meacham, the author of “The Call to Serve: The Life of an American President George Herbert Walker Bush.” Jean Becker, President Bush’s former Chief of Staff, will interview the author. This spring, Becker is releasing her own book about President Bush titled, “Character Matters: And Other Life Lessons from George H.W. Bush.” That night there will be a dinner for key 41@100 sponsors and supporters. It’s an invitation-only gala inside the new Marine One/4141 Locomotive Pavilion.

June 13’s events are open to the public. That’s when the new Marine One/4141 Locomotive Pavilion will officially open. Later that day, President Bush’s grandchildren will mark the milestone birthday the same way he celebrated all his birthday milestones: jumping out of an airplane.

“They are doing that in his honor which is really exciting,” Hillin said. “Then afterward we will be having a grandchildren panel and just talking about their Gampy and what he meant to them throughout their lives and how his legacy of service has kind of perpetuated throughout each of their lives.”

The celebration will end with concerts from Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen on the Bush Presidential grounds.

Read more about the 41@100 campaign here.