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The American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter recently announced the recipients of its Contra Costa County Heroes Awards, to be honored at the Contra Costa Heroes Breakfast at 8 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Crow Canyon Country Club.
The annual program celebrates everyday heroes, recognizing those individuals and organizations that make a difference in their community through acts of extraordinary courage and kindness.
Among this year’s heroes is Capt. Chesley Sullenberger, who famously landed U.S. Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in New York. Other award winners include a high school student who saved the life of a fellow BART passenger and two residents who have helped improve the welfare of youth in the area.
The event will also pay tribute to former Danville Mayor Mike Shimansky who passed away earlier this year. Shimansky was a loved and revered Contra Costa County community member and long time Red Cross volunteer.
This year’s honorees include the following Contra Costa County citizens and organizations:
* Life Saving Hero: Sara Broski from Alamo will be honored for her quick thinking and courageous action when she performed CPR on a woman riding BART who had suffered cardiac arrest. Her training and willingness to act in an emergency situation ultimately saved the woman’s life.
* Act of Courage Hero: Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger III from Danville will be honored for his brave and daring landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in New York’s Hudson River. Captain Sullenberger remained calm throughout the situation, and ensured that all those on board the aircraft made it safely to shore.
* Act of Kindness and Philanthropy Hero: Corporal Larry Lewis from Richmond will be recognized for his tireless work as a school resource officer for the Richmond Boys Club. He has served as a mentor for many young people in his community, and as the driving force behind the completion of the Richmond Police Activities League gymnasium.
* Community Service Hero, Individual: Lori Cohee, who works in Martinez, will be recognized for her creation of a nonprofit organization that is meant to provide programs and resources for foster children in the Bay Area. As a foster child herself, Cohee understands how important it is to give foster children guidance as they transition out of the foster system and into their independent lives.
* Community Service Hero, Organization: The Monument Crisis Center in Concord will be honored for its commitment to providing food, education, assistance and referrals to families and individuals in crisis situations. The center’s staff remains devoted to promoting awareness of community needs and available resources to at-risk individuals and families in Contra Costa County.
* Animal Rescue Hero: The Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek will be honored for its efforts to educate and inform school groups about wildlife and the environment. Docents at the museum are also often responsible for rehabilitating injured or orphaned animals that are brought into the museum, and preparing them for release back into the wild.
Tickets for the event are available for $40 per person and can be purchased online at www.heroesredcrossbayarea.org or by calling (415) 427-8086. All proceeds from the event support the disaster preparedness and relief efforts of the American Red Cross in the Bay Area, including efforts in Contra Costa County.
