MOUNT VERNON — The fifth annual American Red Cross of Knox County Hero’s Breakfast will be held March 19 at the Lakeholm Church of the Nazarene. Angel An, weekend news anchor for 10TV News, will emcee once again at this year’s event. The Mount Vernon News and WNZR radio have teamed up as this year’s Heroes media sponsors.
Craig Krenzel, former Ohio State Buckeye quarterback, will be the keynote speaker. In addition, annual heroes awards will be presented. This year’s winners include:
Few things can send ripples of fear through a community more than the invisible threat posed by widespread illness. This year’s American Red Cross Healthcare Hero Jackie Fletcher, RN, of the Knox County Health Department, was right in the middle of such a situation in Knox County. Recently there were concerns in the public schools regarding MRSA. (Methicillin-Resistant Staphyloccus Aureus).
“Jackie very calmly gathered the facts and set out on a mission to educate everyone and anyone on MRSA,” explained Pam Palm in her nomination.
“Overwhelmed,” was about all Fletcher could muster when being notified of the award.
Hospice of Knox County is an agency that provides comfort to families and patients during some of the most difficult times that human beings can face. Kathy Wantland, a registered social worker and bereavement coordinator for hospice, has been named this year’s American Red Cross Workplace Hero.
“When she sees a need of a patient or a patient’s family members, she will not rest until those needs are met,” explained Melissa Jones, who nominated Wantland for the award.
No one knows when they may be called upon to interact with another person in a way that will probably never be forgotten. This year’s American Red Cross Youth Hero, Michael Leis, had such an opportunity and he made the most of it. Centerburg Mayor George Shaw nominated Leis for the award.
“An individual pulled into the [Hometown] Market with his mother of 84 years of age in full cardiac arrest with no breathing or pulse present. Mr. Leis immediately went to the car and started CPR on the victim,” wrote Shaw in his nomination. Shaw explained that although the victim passed away the next day, “Mr. Leis’ actions gave the family additional time with their loved one.”
When Cpl. Beth Marti and Officer Jessica Butler of the Mount Vernon Police Department arrived at the scene of a house fire on West Burgess Street, neither had time to think about the impact of the next few minutes on the lives of at least two men. The officers were told that two men were inside of the fully involved structure. Both officers entered the burning home and pulled both victims to safety.
Robert Brorien Jr. nominated the officers for the American Red Cross Public Safety Heroes. Police Chief Michael Merrilees complimented his officers in a second nomination.
“Cpl. Marti and Officer Butler are just a link in the chain that served the lives of these two men by doing nothing more than is expected of them,” said Merrilees. “In a job that is often thankless, these two officers risked their lives to save a stranger.”
The average adult has 10 pints of blood coursing through their veins. Ira Price, this year’s American Red Cross Senior Adult Hero, has donated 41 gallons of blood. There are eight pints in a gallon, so Price has donated enough blood to fill nearly 33 adults. Price began his blood donations in 1947 and has a standing appointment at the Mount Vernon Moose for their blood drive, every 56 days (the minimum time between donations). In addition to supplying blood for the American Red Cross, the 78-year-old boasts that he still plays softball, and is a retiree of Continental Can after serving the company for 42 years.
When fans of the East Knox Bulldogs basketball, softball and baseball teams buy a bag of popcorn, a hot dog or a soft drink, they probably do not realize that they are helping to support Camp Smiling Turtle. This year’s American Red Cross Education Hero, Roxanne Berry, a special education teacher dealing with multiple handicapped children in the kindergarten through third grade in the East Knox school system has turned the yard at her home into a summer camp for handicapped children.
“The connections made through ‘hands on’ contact between an autistic or Down syndrome child and the gentle horses, Harry the Cow and the gentle dogs, is a miracle to witness,” wrote Steve Rose, in his nomination of Berry for the award.
Caring for others is the essence of the American Red Cross Humanitarian Hero, Jackie Cordle’s life. Julie Laughlin, in nominating Cordle for the award said, “Jackie Cordle gives and gives of herself. When low-income families face the loss of electricity or heat, she comes to the rescue. She is an active member of the senior center and Centerburg community as a whole.”
Laughlin said Cordle is the standard by which others aspire.
“When people speak of ‘pillars of the community,’ Jackie is the foundation upon which the other pillars sit,” she said.
Conard “Dude” Conway has been selected as this year’s Armed Forces Hero for the Knox County Chapter of the American Red Cross.
“One of the awards of which I am the most proud is my ‘Man of the Hour’ sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. One reason that it means so much is that my good friend, Hal Clawson, was the presenter,” Conway said after being notified of this year’s honor.
Conway enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942 at the age of 17. He served three years overseas in an amphibious force landing troops on foreign soil. He served in 14 operations reclaiming islands that had been taken by the Japanese army, including the Philippines, Corregidor, Bataan and New Guinea. Conway was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Victory Ribbon, American Area Asia Pacific Theater with four Bronze Stars, Philippine Liberation Medal with one Bronze Star and the Presidential Unit Citation. He obtained the rank of 1st Class Petty Officer.
After returning from World War II, he was employed by Cooper Industries for 45 years, where he served as the local union president for 30 years.
Conway served on the Mount Vernon City Council for 12 years. He has received numerous awards including the Cooper Industry Community Service Award, Distinguished Service Award, Distinguished Service Award for Outstanding Community Service for Mount Zion Lodge 9 F&AM, Outstanding Contribution to the Knox County Career Center, where he has been involved since its start in 1968, Service Above Self Award for Outstanding Contribution to our Nation presented by school boards and superintendents of Knox and Richland County.
Conway is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Mount Vernon, Post 4027.
After serving as a teaching assistant at the New Hope School, Nancy Gregg made the decision to become a full-time teacher working with students with disabilities, and now teaches the transition class for the Knox County Educational Service Center at Mount Vernon High School.
“Nancy has become an excellent teacher,” explained Ann Simpson, who wrote the nomination for Gregg. “Her confidence has inspired students, parents and our community to believe that people with disabilities can achieve their goals and participate in the activities of their community.”
