Red Cross seeks heroes

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Orange County Chapter of the American Red Cross is seeking nominations to honor members of the community who performed heroic acts during 2008.

Bravo for Bravery is an annual event that recognizes and celebrates ordinary people who have performed extraordinary acts of courage. But the Red Cross cannot honor these heroes without the help of the public.

Orange County residents are encouraged to nominate anyone who they feel demonstrated courage and compassion during an emergency. Nominees may include everyday people who saved a life; law enforcement, first responders or medical professionals who went above and beyond the call of duty; and anyone who performed CPR. The Chapter is also accepting nominations of animals that were involved in saving someone’s life.

The nomination deadline is April 30. Nomination forms are available at www.oc-redcross.org or by contacting Michelle Heyn at (714) 481-5367. A committee of community leaders, including last year’s Disneyland Resort® VoluntEAR of the year, will review the nominations and select award recipients.

Nominees will be recognized, and winners will be announced, by KOCE’s Maria Hall Brown at the 6th annual Bravo for Bravery breakfast on June 4 at the Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin, Calif. Award recipients will be awarded a medal and all honorees at the event will receive a token of appreciation.

For one of last year’s winners, Officer Mark Black of the Tustin Police Department, the Bravo for Bravo award was the first of many honors that has come his way since pulling a man from a burning truck moments before it exploded. When asked about his heroism, he showed a humbleness characteristic of many Bravo nominees.

“The way I look at is was that I was just doing my job,” Black said. “I’m not a hero. This was an added bonus.”