LEWISTON – The Central and Mid Coast Maine Chapter of the American Red Cross is honoring community members who go above and beyond in service to others at its 17th annual Real Heroes Award Breakfast March 10 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Gendron Franco Center, 46 Cedar St.
“Real Heroes live among us, helping people in need and enriching their communities through their courage, kindness and unselfish character,” said Johanna Lloyd, chairwoman of the Real Heroes committee and a member of the chapter Board of Directors. “We’re delighted to recognize this year’s Real Heroes – everyday people who have done extraordinary things. Join us in this celebration of these inspiring heroes who embody the humanitarian spirit of the American Red Cross.”
The 2020 Real Heroes of Central and Mid Coast Maine are:
* Youth Community Real Hero Award: Owen Brigham of Bowdoin — Owen and his father were alone at home when his father started choking. Owen saved his father by performing abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver).
* Service to the Armed Forces Real Hero Lifetime Award (posthumous): Ruth Sylvester Benjamin of Auburn — Benjamin’s service included work with the Red Cross in the Pacific theater during World War II, organizing recreational units during the Korean War and with the Service Club Branch of Special Services, Department of Defense, in Washington, D.C.
* Workplace Real Hero Award: Larry Lord of Jay — Lord, the maintenance manager of LEAP in Farmington, who cleared coworkers out of the office before a fatal propane explosion.
* Community Service Real Hero Award: Amanda Simoneau of Wilton — Simoneau, deputy director of Franklin County Emergency Management Agency in Farmington, for going above and beyond her job duties to meet the needs of residents displaced by a fatal propane explosion in September and support the community in the aftermath of the disaster. * Good Samaritan Real Hero Awards: Pamela Bois and Lawrence Foster, both of Richmond — Bois and Foster helped a stranger escape a burning vehicle following an accident near their homes.
* Blood Services Real Hero Award: Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick — For its work promoting blood donation and collecting lifesaving blood to ensure patients have the care they need.
For more information about tickets, visit redcross.org/maineheroes.
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.
