Red Cross Announces 2012 Solano County Heroes

The American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter announced the recipients of its 2012 Solano County Heroes Awards, all of whom will be honored at the 2012 Solano County Heroes Breakfast on Friday, September 28 at the Paradise Valley Golf Course in Fairfield. The annual program celebrates everyday heroes, recognizing those local individuals and organizations that make a difference in their community through acts of extraordinary courage and kindness. This year’s honorees include the following Solano County citizens and organizations:

·         Lifesaving Hero

o   Sergeant Markevis Holloway, of Travis Air Force Base, assessed and performed first aid until the paramedics arrived on scene to three individuals who collided in a major car accident on I-80.

o   Sergeant Roy Galloway, of Travis Air Force Base, rescued a man who collapsed due a massive seizure and prevented him from choking at the Fairfield DMV.

·         Public Safety Lifesaving Hero

o   Sergeant Martin Bandvik, of the San Francisco Police Department, quickly transitioned from a mindset of making an arrest by deadly force to saving a man who was attempting to take his and his wife’s life in Suisun.

o   Steve McGraw, a Fairfield firefighter, took the initiative to help a 50-year old male who was unconscious and faced down in the Fairfield City Pond by pulling him to shore and accessing his vitals.

·         Act of Courage Hero

o   Bill Putnam and Roy Thomas risked their own personal safety to save the lives of two men in wheelchairs just prior to their van becoming engulfed in flames in Vallejo.

·         Act of Kindness & Philanthropy Hero

o   Nancy Kaplan, DPM, a podiatrist at the Sutter Medical Foundation in Fairfield, gives her time, energy, finances and expertise to help children not only in Solano County, but also in Mexico. She has provided care as a volunteer for LIGA International (The Flying Doctors of Mercy) putting her medical expertise and Spanish skills to great use.

o   Randolph Thomas, M.D., a pediatrician at the Sutter Medical Foundation in Vacaville, participates in medical missions for Project Mercy in Ethiopia, providing medical care to over 1,000 children within a two week span along with three other doctors.

·         Community Service Hero , Individual:

o   Adrienne Waterman has invested thousands of volunteer hours to create a growing organization called “Food Rescue,” which rescues thousands of pounds of fruit to feed the hungry in Vallejo and Solano County.

o   Master Sergeant Michel Sullivan, of Travis Air Force Base, has committed over 1,094 volunteer hours with the Travis AFB Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, where he has been paramount to the 50% of drop in sexual assault reports this year.

·         Community Service Hero, Organization

o   YIPPIE Foundation, a Fairfield nonprofit organization, is dedicated to teaching job readiness, vocational mentoring and life skills to Solano County’s homeless, foster care, and poverty-level youth (ages 16-24) to provide them with hope and confidence.

o   Travis AFB Drug Education for Youth (DEFY), Timothy Finney and 17 others have devoted over 1,670 volunteer hours collectively to educate children about early drug prevention including a summer camp and mentoring program for youth in Solano County. 

·         Animal Rescue Hero

o   Animal Place Rescue Ranch has rescued or provided permanent refuge to a diverse amount of animals including chickens, turkeys, sheep, pigs and goats since August 2010.

The actions of these Heroes embody the principles and ideals of the Red Cross’ humanitarian mission. For more information or to purchase tickets for the Heroes Breakfast event, please visit: www.redcrossbayarea.org/heroes.  This event benefits Red Cross disaster readiness and relief efforts in Bay Area.

About the Heroes Awards Program

People in the Bay Area make a difference in the lives of others in their communities every day. The American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter and civic leaders from six counties in the Bay Area are joining together to celebrate everyday heroism, recognizing those individuals and organizations whose extraordinary acts of kindness and courage make them heroes. American Red Cross chapters around the country hold events in their communities to recognize acts of heroism by local residents and pay tribute to those who have performed lifesaving acts. Each year, nearly 900 people attend events in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Solano Counties to honor local heroes. For more information about the events and corporate sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.redcrossbayarea.org/heroes. All proceeds from the events support the disaster preparedness and relief efforts of the American Red Cross in the Bay Area.

About American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter 
As a community-based, humanitarian organization, the American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter provides relief to those affected by disasters and empowers individuals in our community to prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.  By helping people in the Bay Area learn how to take care of their families and neighbors, the Red Cross strengthens the community and makes it ready for all types of disasters, including home fires, earthquakes, wildfires and health emergencies. Call 1-888-4-HELP-BAY (1-888-443-5722) or visit www.redcrossbayarea.org to learn more. You may also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Info: American Red Cross press release