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DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS IS MARCH 12, 2018

Carmel, CA (January 23, 2018) — The American Red Cross of the Central Coast is currently seeking nominations for our 2018 Heroes Breakfast, which recognizes members of the communities of Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz counties who have shown courage, dedication, and character through acts of heroism and kindness.

Nominees could be people you don't know personally, but they could also be your neighbors, co-workers, friends, or family members. Help us identify our local community heroes by completing our online nomination form and by spreading the word about this honor!

The community is encouraged to nominate a hero at redcross.org/centralcoastheroes for one or more of the following 11 categories:

•  Animal Rescue Hero: This award honors an individual who has rescued an animal from a traumatic situation. It may also be given to an animal that has protected a human in a time of need.

•  Blood Services Hero: This award honors an individual who has played a significant role in efforts to promote and build the community’s lifesaving blood supply or who has been a part of scientific advancements to the biomedical community.

•  Disaster Services Hero: This award honors an individual who has shown extraordinary courage in the face of a disaster or emergency, or made a significant contribution to his or her community’s disaster preparedness, resilience, or recovery.

•  Education Hero: This award honors a professional or volunteer educator (in elementary, middle school, high school, college, or adult education) whose actions have had a profound influence on his or her student(s) or other members of the community.

•  Environment Hero: This award honors an individual who has had a significant impact on the protection and caring for the environment and whose actions have helped change the way his or her community cares for the environment.

•  First Responder Hero: This award honors a professional first responder, such as a police officer, deputy sheriff, firefighter, search and rescue team member, or 911 dispatcher, whose life-saving actions or service to the community has gone above and beyond the call of duty.

•  Healthcare Hero: This award honors a healthcare professional, such as a physician, paramedic, or nurse, whose life-saving actions or service to the community has gone above and beyond the call of duty. This award honors extraordinary commitment to saving/improving lives or treating illnesses.

•  Humanitarian Hero – Adult: This award honors an ordinary citizen (adult) who used life-saving skills (such as CPR, water rescue, or first aid) to assist or save the life of another or a person whose actions have made a significant contribution toward the betterment of his or her community.

•  Humanitarian Hero – Youth: This award honors an ordinary citizen (youth) who used life-saving skills (such as CPR, water rescue, or first aid) to assist or save the life of another or a person whose actions have made a significant contribution toward the betterment of his or her community.

•  International Services Hero: This award honors an individual who has provided outstanding service to the community in the field of international services, including but not limited to international humanitarian aid, refugee support, and reuniting displaced families.

•  Service to the Armed Forces Hero: This award honors an individual who has provided exceptional support to armed forces service members, veterans, or their families. This award also may also be given to a member of our armed forces (active, reserve, national guard, retired, commissioned, or non-commissioned) whose life-saving actions or service to the community went above and beyond the call of duty. 

The deadline to submit nominations is Monday, March 12, 2018. Any of these categories can be awarded as a posthumous honor.

A committee of local community leaders will select the 2018 Central Coast Hero Award recipients based on the degree to which nominees' acts of heroism uphold the values of the American Red Cross and leave a lasting and positive impact on the residents of the Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties. Heroes may not be selected in all categories.

Selected heroes will be honored at the 2018 Red Cross Central Coast Heroes Breakfast on Friday, June 15, at the Twin Lakes Church in Aptos. This annual Red Cross breakfast recognizes recipients of the Heroes Awards while also supporting the life-saving programs and emergency services provided by your local Red Cross Chapter.

Criteria for Hero Nominations:

•  All nominees must work or reside in Monterey, San Benito, or Santa Cruz Counties. Their heroic actions may have occurred elsewhere.

•  The heroic acts must be either an ongoing commitment to the community for more than one year or have occurred between January 1, 2016 and January 15, 2018.

•  Nominations must be received no later than Monday, March 12, 2018.

Visit redcross.org/centralcoastheroes for more details on each of the 2018 Heroes Award categories, to access the online nomination form, and for information on how to purchase tickets and/or help sponsor this important event.

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About the American Red Cross of the Central Coast:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. The American Red Cross of the Central Coast serves the residents of Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties. For more information, visit our website at redcross.org/centralcoast or call us at (831) 624-6921. You may also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

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