The Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross will be hosting their annual Heartland Heroes recognition ceremony tomorrow night in Decatur.
The 4th annual Heartland Heroes event is an opportunity to recognize people making a difference throughout the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross's service areas of DeWitt, Macon, Moultry, Piatt, and Shelby Counties. Executive Director Carl Baker says the night starts out with a wine tasting put on by the Niemerg Family Winery. Then a catered meal and the awards ceremony caps off the event.
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Debi Meeds is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross Southern Missouri Region, covering 40 counties in southern Missouri. She will be the keynote speaker at the event and has served in many positions throughout her 20 years as a Red Cross employee and has responded to many disasters. May 22, last year, she was on-scene and opened the Red Cross shelter in Joplin just hours after the devastating tornado passed. Meeds calls hero awards her favorite type of event and is honored to be the keynote speaker of the event.
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Meeds recalls the night of the Joplin tornadoes. She says volunteers were unable to get to the scene of the devastation. She credits those who stepped up to help to keep from focusing on the devastation.
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The event is tomorrow night at the Decatur Conference Center and Hotel from 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. Tickets for the event are $50 each and include wine and a plated dinner. Tables of eight can be purchased for $350. For more information on the event or to purchase tickets call 217.428.7758.
Awards include:
Young Courage Award – Larrissa and Hannah Steffen of Moweaqua who saved their mother and potential by-standers when they brought their mother’s vehicle to a stop when she became unresponsive behind the wheel.
Young Courage Award – Mason Rickman of Mt Zion who dialed 911 after his mother became unresponsive.
Citizenship Award – Bethany Mrosko of Decatur who coordinated a mobile pack event for Feed My Starving Children.
Citizenship Award – Don Niehart of Effingham who organized the Central Illinois Honor Flight.
Valor Award – Christine Matlock of Shelbyville who stayed with a trapped teenager in a SUV rollover.
Everyday Hero Award – Colton Beams, Cody Weaver, Donald DJ Hart, Bill Fornshell of Decatur and Atwood who saved a family from a burning house.
Senior Award – Betty Gaumer of Decatur who founded and still organizes Operation Enduring Support.
In Memoriam Award – Caleb Witty of Decatur who lost his life protecting his sister.
