The South Central Michigan Chapter of the American Red Cross is pleased to announce the selection of the 2006 Everyday Heroes. The American Red Cross will host its annual event on March 30th at the Cascades Manor House to honor the following Everyday Hero Award recipients:

Adult Good Samaritan

Billie Meade

In the early morning hours of October 16, 2005, Billie Meade was awakened by an unusual sound. It took him just a couple of moments to realize it was the sound of his smoke alarm. As the sleep cleared from his mind, he left his bed to check his apartment. He opened the door of his second floor apartment to find the hallway filled with smoke and flames. The apartment quickly filled with smoke and Billie made his way back to the bedroom to waken his girlfriend. He yelled for her to quickly dress and get to the balcony, telling her the building was on fire. With the apartment still filling with smoke, Billie helped his girlfriend make her way to the balcony of the apartment. There Billie jumped from the second floor balcony to the ground. He told his girlfriend to jump and he would catch her. Billie realized that there might be other residents of the apartment building that were sleeping and were not aware of the fire. Billie was especially worried about his 90 year old neighbor on the ground floor. Billie, giving no thought to his own safety, re-entered the burning building to warn other tenants of the threatening and growing fire. As he went into the building he pounded on doors and yelled for the other tenants to leave. Inside the hallway of the ground floor, Billie encountered another resident of the apartment who was confused and could not find his way through the thick smoke. Billie got him out safely and then went to check on his 90 year old neighbor. The woman would not answer the door despite Billie pounding and yelling for her to get out. Billie finally broke the door in and escorted the woman to safety though the glass sliding door in her apartment.

Billie lost everything he owned that day. He did manage to save his beloved black leather motorcycle jacket. His girlfriend had a few scrapes and bruises and the front of her car melted from the heat of the fire. Billie had some smoke inhalation but as he stood watching the firefighters put the fire out he dismissed the thought that he was responsible for saving several lives that morning. He was thankful that he woke up. He was thankful for the working fire detectors. He was thankful that everyone made it safety out of the fire and no one was seriously injured.

Youth Good Samaritan

Olivia Ruthanne Baxter

Olivia is a very active and precocious 4 year old. In September 2005 after Hurricane Katrina hit down south she was in her parents’ room and happened to see a news broadcast and began to cry. When asked why she was crying she responded, “Because they are hurt and all their houses are gone!” After a few minutes of her mother’s consolation she wanted to know what she could do to help these people. They called her grandmother who told her to get a jar and put Hurricane Relief on it and a big red cross and ask her neighbors if they would like to help. Before asking anyone else she went around her house looking for any “loose” change and placed it in her jar. When she was done collecting her had $14.76 and she immediately had her grandma and grandpa take her to the Red Cross Chapter in Jackson. The volunteers cheerfully accepted her donation and returned her small jar. As they left the building she began to cry. When asked what had happened she sadly replied the jar was empty so how could she help now? Her grandpa told her she could always fill it up again. With everyone’s help she did and raised another $274.00.

She, at the age of only 3 gave from her heart never asking for any recognition or a medal or a gold star. All she wanted was to help and make a difference.

Cassandra Allen

Cassandra has been very active helping people in the community. In the past she has volunteered at the Interfaith Shelter, a Jackson nursing home, and a daycare center. She has also given her time working on Toys for Tots before Salvation Army took over the program. Cassandra is also active in the community as a volunteer vocalist and Youth speaker. She does not charge for any of her services. Cassandra has worked with the “Hats Off For Cancer” Program for six years and provided hundreds of hats to children with cancer. Cassandra is an Epilepsy survivor. Cassandra is the only Jackson-area student to receive a Congressional Award for volunteer service this past year. She was named a Presidential Scholar for both her grade-point average as well as her volunteer activities. She also received a letter of commendation from Governor Granholm.

Medical Response

Wayne Gooding

Wayne Gooding, who has worked with Jackson Community Ambulance for 16 years, thought there was something to gain by helping Hurricane Rita victims. The Federal Emergency Management Agency contracted with Huron Valley Ambulance to provide assistance to victims of Rita. A few days before the storm, Gooding and four other paramedics and EMTs from Ann Arbor, South Lyon and Jackson left for Houston where they were stationed for five days before heading to Beaumont, Texas. Gooding’s responsibilities included working at points of distribution, assisting the Coast Guard in transporting people and caring for the forestry division while they cleared roads. He also served at different counties’ 911 services because many of the ambulance services were wiped out. Gooding, who also assisted in New York City after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, gained knowledge he believes fortunate to have. “I brought home the knowledge of how to handle such a big disaster if a disaster that size ever happened here,” he said.

Educator

Mrs. Samella Kendrick

Mrs. Kendricks has helped so many kids better themselves in this community that they are too numerous to name. She has gone out of her way to encourage, strengthen and sustain many young people in the Jackson area. Many students owe so much to her “Be Attitudes” and her can-do spirit. Mrs. Kendricks taught in the Jackson Public Schools for 33 years and was chosen Teacher of the Year in 1998. She has rendered her service beyond Jackson Public Schools by starting the Martin Luther King Program with another teacher twenty-eight years ago to bridge the gap of diversity. She started Jackson Enrichment, Exploration, Exposure Project, Inc. (JEEEP, Inc.) a travel program for children who come from dysfunctional homes. Children from this community and Jackson County has traveled with this program to Disney World, Washington, DC, New York, Chicago, Wisconsin Dells, Mackinac Island, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Branson, Missouri. The Program was funded by Jackson Community and Mrs. Kendricks. Her dream is to fund the program without any assistance every year.

Workplace Samaritan

Ms. Diana Parks and Mr. Donell Grice

On 8/19/05 the Jackson Fire Department had an occasion to respond to the Hope Home for a subject choking. Upon their arrival they found a resident had experienced a seizure while eating dinner and because of it developed an airway obstruction. The Fire Department found her conscious and being tended to by Donell Grice and Diana Parks. Mr. Grice performed the Heimlich Maneuver and Ms. Parks did a finger sweep, thus causing the resident to vomit and dislodge the obstruction. The quick actions of Mr. Grice and Ms. Parks provided the resident with the opportunity to enjoy her future life in a much more desirable fashion. Their actions were timely and performed without causing any further injury to her and very likely saved her life.

Business & Industry Humanitarian

Eaton Corporation Department 50 -- Internal Response Team

Some years ago the Eaton Corporation, which operates Aeroquip facilities in Jackson, formed an Internal Response Team of employees to respond to medical emergencies. Marty Baumgartner is darned glad the company did. On April 26, 2005, team members quickly responded after Baumgartner suffered a heart attack at the Aeroquip plant on East Avenue, where he works as an associate quality control analyst. Baumgartner said he was on his way to talk to another employee when he collapsed into her lap. On the way down, he evidently hit his nose and blood flowed alarmingly. Responding team members rolled him on his side and attempted to stem the bleeding. Paramedics arrived soon after and he was rushed to Foote Hospital. The Internal Response Team have undergone rigorous training to serve on the response team as “first responders.” The team is highly trained and effective. Baumgartner is grateful fellow workers were there to help him. “They take their work very, very seriously,” Baumgartner said. “I definitely feel in my heart that if they weren’t there things would be a lot different.”

First Shift Eaton Aerospace Department 50 Team Members include: Lynn Ann Bacon, Lori Barnett, John Brittain, Norm Crittenden, James Dun, Karen Farr, Alice Fleming, Clarence Hose, Chris King, Cameron Kohn, April Loring, Rick Prus, Statia Randolph, Fred Shaffer, Jackie Simmons, and Lisa Soles.

Honorary Everyday Hero

Doris Stafford

An honorary Everyday Hero award is being presented posthumously to Doris Stafford. On Saturday, October 22, 2005, beloved wife and mother Doris Stafford passed away. Doris was 78 years old. She is survived by her husband of 50 years Dick, and 11 children, and 43 grandchildren. Doris lived an exemplary life of service to God and others. Humility, diligence and charity all found a welcome home in her heart. Doris was a retired nurse graduating from the Mercy School of Nursing and from Michigan State University, and a treasured American Red Cross volunteer. She began her volunteer service to the organization in August 1977 working at our local blood drives. She has dedicated many hours of her time to the Blood Services Department and continued to volunteer at our Blood Pressure Clinics once a month. Many clients looked forward to seeing Doris at the clinic and will miss her presence there. Doris consistently gave of her time, energy and resources for causes she considered greater than herself. All those who had the privilege of her friendship know the heritage of this good woman, with a kind heart and a discerning character will live beyond all those who survive Doris. We will all remember her love and devotion. Honorable Mention Mrs. Shirley Brown Mrs. Brown has volunteered with the youth in Jackson for many years. She has been a volunteer coach for the Girls and Boys Basketball teams at the Elementary, Junior high and High School level. She has also volunteered for the Recreation Department in Jackson and Northwest School district for several years. For several years she was involved with the Jackson area YMCA, coaching basketball and later with the Southeast Little league baseball and coaching several other sports. During this time, she made sure the young men of Jackson were involved with the church that sponsored the team for several years. For several years she has parented her two grandchildren, raising them from infancy. It is her plan to continue to volunteer with youth well into her retirement years.

Stan Gibbs

A student at the school where Mr. Gibbs is employed overdosed by taking approximately 120 of his mother’s antidepressants. This occurred immediately after lunch. The student told staff what he had done and because of Stan’s knowledge of First Aid he immediately turned the student so he was lying on his left side. The student was rushed to the ER and was in serious condition. After 36 hours the student passed the critical stage. The doctors in the emergency room credit Stan with saving this student’s life. By having the student lay on his left side, it slowed the digestive process thereby slowing the absorption of the drugs into his system. Without Stan’s quick thinking there may have been a more serious tragedy occur.

JTV Channel 17, a Platinum Cross Partner, will produce a video featuring each hero’s courageous acts to be viewed at the event. Please join us in celebrating your Everyday Heroes. Tickets are just $25.00 per person and now available for purchase at your local American Red Cross. All proceeds raised from this event will go to support the programs and services of your local South Central Michigan American Red Cross. Contact Cathy Lopez at (517)782-9486 for information or to purchase tickets.