Red Cross ‘Heroes’ to be honored

The Aroostook County chapter of the American Red Cross will be honoring 21 individuals and three organizations who’ve gone above and beyond in service to others during the annual “Real Heroes” breakfast on Saturday, May 10 at the Fort Fairfield Community Center.
“These Heroes share a common theme of helping others in need,” says Joyce Knorr, branch manager of the Red Cross office in Caribou. “This award recognizes and thanks these very special individuals for taking action and making a difference.”
The recipients in the Aroostook County region, as described by Knorr are:
Hero Awards
• Timothy M. Tweedie of Houlton, sponsored by Sargent Trucking Company and F. A. Peabody Company.
Tweedie, a teacher at Houlton High School, intervened in an altercation that began when a student threatened another with a knife. According to reports, Tweedie disarmed the knife-wielding student, who also attacked him during the incident.
• Leda Walker of Presque Isle, sponsored by Huber Engineered Woods, LLC.
Walker, manager of Homeless Services of Aroostook, works tirelessly to create a home-like environment where clients feel valued and cared for. She spends extra time with the children at the Presque Isle shelter, and strives to improve the life situation of those who use the service.
• Lorraine and Joe Chamberlain of Caribou, sponsored by Aroostook Centre Mall and Hampton Inn.
Lorraine Chamberlain, LCSW, director of integration and emergency services at AMHC and her husband, Joe, work tirelessly to coordinate the Andy Santerre Snowmobile Run, the major source of funding for the Sexual Assault Services program. Without their hard work, this program would not be able to support victim services to youth and child victims of sexual assault  or educate people about sexual assault and prevention/early intervention.
• Eldon Jandreau of Portage Lake, sponsored by WAGM-TV.
Jandreau took action when he found a man who had collapsed on his porch. The victim had fallen through some nearby ice and was in danger of hypothermia. Jandreau called 9-1-1, and followed the dispatcher’s first aid instructions until paramedics arrived, likely saving the man’s life.
• Graves Institute of Self Defense of Presque Isle, sponsored by Machias Savings Bank.
When an elderly man went into cardiac arrest, five instructors from the school quickly responded, using CPR and even the school’s AED. The instructors, William Graves, Jerod Kingsbury, Lucy Newbegin, Jay Pevey and Mitch Wheeler, are credited with saving the man’s life.
• Tami Kilcollins of Fort Fairfield and Steve Mazerolle of Caribou, sponsored by Pines Health Services.
Kilcollins and Mazerolle work tirelessly to purchase, prepare, and serve meals to those less fortunate. They make sure the local soup kitchen is stocked and people have meals. Their nomination says “there’s no way to know how many lives have been saved by providing a warm meal and comfort to many who are in need, feeling unworthy and unappreciated. Their display of kindness to others, helps to make those less fortunate feel valued and provides a sense of purpose in the those lives ”
• Jenna Bradstreet of Presque Isle, sponsored by MMG Insurance.
Bradstreet used her first aid skills when a coworker suffered a reaction to an injection. She acted swiftly and knowledgably, calling for help and caring for the person until first responders arrived.
• Robert James McKenzie of Caribou, sponsored by Duncan Graves/Lancaster Morgan Funeral Homes and Katahdin Trust Company.
McKenzie came to the aid of his grandmother who fell on an icy driveway and slid under a parked vehicle. Unable to free her, he called 9-1-1 and followed the dispatcher’s instructions until help arrived.
• John Wallace of Limestone, sponsored by Cary Medical Center.
An advocate for veterans for more than two decades, Wallace has logged countless miles throughout the state and to Washington D.C. He helped form Vietnam Veterans of America, and was a key part of the effort to bring Telemed services in Caribou.
Young Hero Awards
• Carson Scott of Mars Hill, sponsored by C.S. Management, Inc.
Scott’s older brother was diagnosed with a life-threatening blood disorder and needed a bone marrow transplant. Carson, now 6, was a match and bravely donated the badly-needed marrow.
• Shae and Ian Michaud of Presque Isle, sponsored by TAMC.
When their mother went into hyperglycemic shock and didn’t respond to verbal prompts, the siblings took immediate action. Shae Michaud called her grandparents while Ian Michaud grabbed marshmallow fluff from the kitchen. They fed the fluff to their mother, while asking questions to keep her conscious until help arrived.
• Amanda Winslow of Chapman, sponsored by McCain Foods, Inc. and Office Max.
Eleven-year-old Winslow saw an unconscious man on a nearby roof and got help. The man, a diabetic, had passed out while working. Her alertness prevented a potentially tragic situation.
• Darby Clark and McKenna Condon of Ashland and Abigail Cote of Mapleton, sponsored by B&R Insurance Company.
When a teacher collapsed in a school restroom, the three 9-year-olds jumped into action. Clark and McKenna went in different directions to find help, while Cote stayed with the teacher until help arrived.
Extra Mile Award
• TAMC of Presque Isle, sponsored by Emera Maine.
TAMC is honored for helping the Red Cross with community activities and fund-raising efforts throughout the year, and especially for hosting this year’s Real Heroes Breakfast.
• Transformations Ministries of Presque Isle, sponsored by Gateway Title of Maine.
Transformations Ministries is recognized for helping recruit new disaster responders and board members for the Aroostook Branch of the American Red Cross, as well as for assembling and storing numerous comfort kits and providing a meeting/training facility at no cost whenever needed.
• Hampton Inn of Presque Isle, sponsored by TD Bank.
Hampton Inn is honored for assisting the Red Cross in its fund-raising efforts by donating special overnight packages toward its summer raffles, which helped raise nearly $15,000 over the past three years. Also for providing meeting space for the organization’s board committees, special rates for disaster responses, and support towards assisting Red Cross staff which has also saved hundreds of dollars.
For tickets or more information about the Real Heroes Breakfast, call 498-5050 or email joyce.knorr@redcross .org.