Thursday, September 4, 2008
Salem Conference Center

Award Categories	Nomination Criteria
Event History	Past Events

A Community Tradition

The Willamette Chapter of the American Red Cross will host the fourth annual Real Heroes Breakfast on Thursday, September 4, 2008 at the Salem Conference Center.  The event honors extraordinary individuals from our community who are selected from nominations by a committee of dignitaries from both Marion and Polk Counties.  (Event history, award categories and nomination criteria below sponsor information)

Without the support of our sponsors who give so generously, this event would not be possible. 

On behalf of all our anonymous community members who benefit from our services -

THANK YOU!

Allied Video Productions

Executive Officers Club ~ Art Bobrowitz

Parrot & Hollywood Printing

Event History

This annual event is held in September in observance of National Disaster Preparedness Month which coincides with the anniversary of September 11^th, 2001.  Throughout Marion and Polk counties and throughout the world, the Red Cross provides relief to victims of disaster and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

The concept of Real Heroes Breakfast grew out of a desire to develop an event that is closely related to the mission of the American Red Cross - teaching people to save lives.  The powerful work of the Red Cross is accomplished through the simple yet effective process of one person putting their needs aside to help another. Across the nation, over one million Red Cross volunteers do this each day!

The 2007 event was a heart touching event that honored the life-saving contributions of individuals in our community.  The 2008 Real Heroes Breakfast promises to be even better!  The stories of heroism we will share demonstrate the potential each of us hold to save lives and create a better community. Sponsorships and donations at the event will support the lifesaving work which happens in our community-everyday. All proceeds from the Heroes Breakfast are for the benefit of the Willamette Chapter of the American Red Cross. 

Award Categories

hHumanitarian Youth Hero:  (Ages 21 and under)  Presented for the use of life saving training skills  to save the life or lives of others.

hHumanitarian Adult Hero:  Presented for the use of life saving training skills to save the life or lives of others.

h  Professional Rescue Hero:  Presented to a professional or volunteer firefighter or company, or to a law enforcement agent or department whose lifesaving action goes above and beyond the call of duty.

h Crisis Response Hero:   Presented to a crisis response or 911 dispatcher whose lifesaving action goes above and beyond the call of duty.

h Medical Hero:  Presented to a medical professional or an organization whose lifesaving action goes above and beyond the call of duty.

hCommunity Partner Hero:  Presented to a community group, neighborhood, organization or local company that consistently demonstrates a commitment to making a difference in the community.

hAnimal Rescue Hero:  Presented to an animal that has used trained or innate skills to help save lives.

h Spirit of the Red Cross Hero: Award presented for outstanding humanitarian contributions in keeping the live-saving mission of the American Red Cross.

Nomination Criteria

h Nominee must have saved (or assisted in saving) a life by intervening in a life threatening situation and/or by giving the victim the aid they needed (or would have needed) to survive.

h The nominee can be a professionally trained life saver or simply a good citizen.

h The nominee cannot have caused or contributed to the incident itself.

h The nominee must live or work in the Marion/Polk County community.  The heroic act may  have occurred outside these counties as long as the hero is a resident of either of them.

h The heroic act must have occurred after January 1, 2007

Here are a few examples of what a donation to your American Red Cross makes possible:

$ 2,500  Helps three families recover from a house fire (lodging, food, clothing and medicine)

$ 1,000  Provides 250 blankets for disaster victims

$    750  Sponsors free Basic Aid Training to over 500 local elementary students

$    500  Provides 5,000 emergency preparedness brochures to our community

$    250  Sponsors lodging for a family of four for one week

$    100  Sponsors food for one week for a family  of three

$      70  Sponsors two people who need first aid and CPR training