Media Contact:
855-559-0333
NCCRpublicaffairs@redcross.org

Deadline for Nominations is January 26, 2018

SANTA ROSA, CA (November 20, 2017) – The American Red Cross of the California Northwest is currently seeking nominations for our 2018 Heroes Breakfast, which recognizes members of the communities in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma Counties, who have shown courage, dedication, and character through acts of heroism and kindness. These people could be your neighbors, co-workers, friends, or family. Extraordinary acts of heroism occur in our community every day. Help us identify our local community heroes by completing our online nomination form below and spread the word.

 The community is encouraged to nominate a hero at redcross.org/CalNWHeroes2018 for one of the following categories:

•  Animal Hero: This award honors an animal that has protected a human in a time of need or a human who has rescued an animal from a traumatic situation.

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

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

•  Education Hero: This award is given to a professional or volunteer educator (in elementary, middle school, high school, college or adult education) whose actions have had a profound influence on their student(s) or members of their community.

• Environment Hero: This award is given to an individual who has had a significant impact on the protection and caring for the environment and is vital in changing the way their community cares for the environment.

• First Responder Hero: This award is given to a professional first responder, such as a police officer, deputy sheriff, firefighter, search & rescue team member, or 911 dispatcher, whose lifesaving action or service to the community goes above and beyond the call of duty.

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

• Humanitarian Hero - Adult: This award is given to 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 to a person whose actions have made a significant contribution toward the betterment of his or her community.

• Humanitarian Hero - Youth: This award is given to 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 to a person whose actions have made a significant contribution toward the betterment of his or her community.

• International Services Hero: This award is presented to someone who has provided outstanding service to the community in the field of international services, including but not limited to international humanitarian aid, refugee support, restoring displaced families, etc.

• Service to the Armed Forces Hero: This award is given to someone who has provided exceptional support to armed forces services members, veterans, or their families. This award may also be given to a member of our armed forces (active, reserve, National Guard, retired, commissioned or non-commissioned) whose lifesaving actions or service to the community went above and beyond the call of duty.

The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, January 26, 2018. Any of these categories can be awarded as a posthumous award. The 2018 California Northwest Heroes Award recipients will be selected by a committee of local community leaders based on the degree to which their acts of heroism uphold the values of the American Red Cross and leave a lasting and positive impact on the residents of the Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma Counties.

Criteria for Nominations:

•  All nominees must work or reside in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma Counties. The heroic acts may have occurred elsewhere.

•  The heroic event must be either an ongoing commitment to the community for more than one year or have occurred between January 1, 2017 – December 31, 2017.

•  Nominations must be received by Friday, January 26, 2018.

Selected heroes will be honored at the 2018 Heroes Breakfast on Friday April 27, 2018 at Hyatt Vineyard Creek in Santa Rosa. The annual Red Cross California Northwest Heroes Breakfast recognizes acts of heroism by local residents and pays tribute to those who have performed lifesaving deeds while supporting the lifesaving programs and emergency services provided by your local Red Cross Chapter.

Visit redcross.org/CalNWHeroes2018 for more details on each of the 2018 Heroes Award categories as well as the online nomination form, how to purchase tickets, and how to become a sponsor.

_____

About American Red Cross of the California Northwest:
With office locations in Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma counties, 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. For more information, visit our web site at www.redcross.org/calnw  or call us at 707-577-7600. You may also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

# # #