Rear Admiral William J. McDaniel (Ret.) Humanitarian Award Awarded by: Whidbey Island Bank	Rear Admiral William J. McDaniel, U.S. Navy Medical Corps (Ret.) was a key figure in the massive coordinating efforts amongst the many varieties of resources as well as personally treating countless victims following the dramatic Asian tsunami on December 26, 2004. Rear Admiral McDaniel was instrumental in the coordination of day-to-day activities from the delivering of supplies, treating the wounded, to building new long-term infrastructures. He often worked alongside other military forces, UNICEF, and other world organizations resulting in the kindling of friendships and mutual respect among nations, victims and rescuers that, weeks before, had been separated not only by vast distances but also vastly different cultures. Rear Admiral McDaniel’s untiring efforts not only carried out a massive humanitarian mission but also built friendships, highlighted a positive rapport amongst people of different nations, and created longstanding relationships where they never existed; all through the act of human kindness.
Mathew & Austin Cross Youth Good Samaritan Awarded by: Whidbey Printers	The American Red Cross Island County Chapter Disaster Services Department responds to approximately 20 call outs a year. More than half are single family fires. The call out on October 2, 2005 was just that kind of response until the events leading up to the call were explained to the North Whidbey Disaster Team that responded to the call. Mathew, age 11 years old, Austin age 8 years old and their mother, Marcy, were asleep in their North Whidbey home with their two dogs, Shadow and Maggie. Mathew smelled smoke coming from the master bedroom. He tried unsuccessfully to wake his mother who was asleep in the family room. Austin, remembering what he had been taught, called 911. Shortly after his call a Deputy arrived and was able to wake up their mother and get everyone out of the home safely. Due to the heroic actions of Mathew and Austin, there were no injuries and the Fire Department was able to contain the fire to the master bedroom. Heroes can be anyone that knows what to do in an emergency. It’s never too early to train a child on how to call 911.
Kelly Elder Emergency Services Awarded by: Island County Fire Chiefs Association	On October 21, 2005 Kelly received a 911 call from a cellular phone. The caller advised Kelly that he was experiencing medical problems and didn’t know where he was. Kelly transferred the call to Jefferson County 911 and continued to monitor the call to ensure the transfer was successful. The caller proceeded to advise 911 that he was blind and that he and his guide dog had been attacked by another dog while out walking. The caller had lost consciousness and was awakened by his guide dog licking his face and didn’t know how long he had been at this current location. Kelly provided the coordinates of the call to Jefferson County and disconnected from the call; a short time later Jefferson County also lost connection with the caller. Kelly was able to provide a faxed copy of the information and map to Jefferson County dispatch as well as simultaneously connecting to someone with Internet access in order to map out the caller’s location, including street names. Kelly soon received a call to thank him and to let him know that the man and his dog had been located right where Kelly had told them that he would be. Kelly’s actions were imperative in locating this caller. Kelly’s quick thinking and resourcefulness assisted a person in need of emergency services.
“The Quilting Ladies” Joanne Johnston, Rose Rip, Marveen Thierstein, Desire Thierstein Adult Good Samaritan Awarded by: Alaska Federal Credit Union	The Quilting Ladies, as they became known by the Disaster Services Department of the chapter, get together and quilt year-round. After seeing the destruction on television in the Gulf States they wanted to help. This lead them to contact the chapter and spoke to Disaster Services Manager Cynthia Monrean. The ladies had handmade quilts they wanted to give to the children of evacuees who had come to Island County with nothing. As part of the services the evacuees received, the children picked out their own new quilt. Parents and caregivers of these children have shared that the children loved their new blankets and were comforted by having their very own blanket after having lost everything. We acknowledge this generous act by four ladies who come together as friends. We thank them for their time and effort for making a difference to all the children that came to Island County from the Gulf States.
Lorraine Newland Animal Rescue Awarded by: Wal-Mart	Lorraine is a member of two canine rescue organizations. This year alone she was involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of around 20 dogs. After Hurricane Katrina, Lorraine took one of the first flights into New Orleans, rented a SUV and drove into the French Quarter. Her first rescue was that of another rescue worker who lived in the area and had become stranded at a small shelter. They immediately became a team and spent several days transporting animals, breaking into houses to save animals, and helping search for animals that had been left behind. At night, when the temperature dropped into the nineties, Lorraine worked at a local center walking and caring for some of the 1500 dogs that had been relocated there. Finally, the night before Hurricane Rita hit, Lorraine packed up eight dogs and left for home, having to drive NE through Mississippi and Arkansas to avoid the poor weather, clogged freeways, and sold-out gas stations before heading west. Thanks to Lorraine’s hard work and dedication, to date four dogs have been relocated with their owners in Texas and two more to Georgia.
Whidbey Lone Stars 4-H Club Lourdes Shuart, Jackie Vannice-Zahrt, (18 Members) Humanitarian Award Awarded by: Whidbey Island Bank	Lourdes Shuart, Whidbey Lone Stars’ Project Leader, attended a Red Cross Community Disaster Education presentation the week following Hurricane Katrina. When she shared the information with club members at their next meeting about Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Island County, they wanted to help in some way. When Lourdes called and offered to help, the chapter was rapidly running out of comfort kits for clients. (Comfort kits are a collection of personal care items for disaster survivors.) The Whidbey Lone Stars said they would help. The chapter purchased the supplies, and provided the Red Cross bags to make 50 (fifty) comfort kits for the Hurricane Katrina evacuees that relocated to Island County. The supplies filled the back of Lourdes’ SUV. The club members met at Oak Harbor Senior Center to assemble the kits and then delivered them to the Chapter. Thank you to the Whidbey Lone Stars for such a timely and rapid response to Hurricane Katrina disaster relief efforts in Island County.
Updated March 1, 2006	.