BOISE, May 12, 2017 — On Tuesday, May 16, from 12:00 to 1:30 PM, the winners of the 2017 Hometown Heroes awards will be honored at the American Red Cross’ annual lunch at the Riverside Hotel in Boise. The event celebrates the spirit of humanitarianism and recognizes ordinary individuals who have done extraordinary things to help others.

“Our annual Hometown Heroes event is a great way to recognize the exceptional people among us and give them our heartfelt thanks,” says Christopher Davis, Chief Development Officer of the American Red Cross of Idaho and Montana. “Once again, the community has rallied around our annual celebration and we are very grateful for their incredible support.”

Hometown Heroes brings together community leaders, corporations, first responders, emergency and safety personnel, and other worthy individuals who view safety as a priority. The 2017 award winners will be announced on the morning of Tuesday, May 16. We will meet and talk with these remarkable people, hear their stories, and make sure they know how much they are appreciated.

Local organizations have been very generous and we wish to thank those who made this event possible: Our Title Sponsor: Albertsons; our Presenting Sponsors: AT&T, CenturyLink, and Holland & Hart; our Award Sponsors: Gardner Company and Regence Blue Shield of Idaho; our Idaho 100 Society Sponsors: Albertsons, Idaho National Laboratories, Holland & Hart – Idaho, Melaleuca, and Wells Fargo; our Media Sponsor: 6 On Your Side.

The awards presentation will be emceed by Scott Dorval, chief meteorologist at Six On Your Side. The media is welcome to attend and share our Heroes’ stories with their audiences.

MAKE A DONATION To help the people affected by disasters, please make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Please visit www.redcross.org/idaho or call 1-800-853-2570. Contributions may also be sent to American Red Cross of Idaho, 5371 W. Franklin Road, Boise, ID 83705.

VOLUNTEER People who are interested in ongoing or longer-term volunteer opportunities can visit www.redcross.org/idaho and click on “Volunteer” to start their application. Training is free and open to the public. A background check will be performed on all applicants.

About the American Red Cross:

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, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.