Given hero's honors

Eleven local volunteers were recognized for their efforts in the community at the American Red Cross Clovis Real Heroes Breakfast on Wednesday at the Clovis Civic Center.

Esther Steinle won in the military hero category for her non-profit organization Angel Arms. Since 2013, Steinle has been providing travel assistance to single airmen from Cannon Air Force Base so they could spend the holidays with their families.

link Staff photo: Aubry Buzek

Tech. Sgt. Thomas Perry from Cannon Air Force Base received the disaster relief hero award at the American Red Cross Clovis Real Heroes Breakfast on Wednesday. The Red Cross honored 10 local heroes for volunteering and charitable efforts in the community.

Clayton Franse, the manager at the Red Cross, said one of the service members helped by her organization had not seen her parents in Hawaii for over five years, and another was able to go home and see his cousin, who was dying of cancer.

“It’s such an honor to meet the young airmen who get to go home,” Steinle said. “They’re single and they sometimes haven’t been home for four or five years. Over the holidays it would be hard to be away from your family, so they are very deserving.”

The staff of Albertson’s won the work place safety hero award.

“There was a couple that had got separated from each other,” Franse said. “The staff came up and called the paramedics and the police and brought calm to the situation.”

Clovis Police Department Officer Brian Wanzor won the law enforcement hero award.

“He was called on a scene as one of the senior officers,” Franse said. “He went out to a disturbance and there were guns involved, unfortunately. By taking the skills he had learned by being a police officer he was able to save the life of his partner and bring down a chaotic situation that probably saved the lives of others inside the house.”

Susan Ingram, a first-grade teacher at Cameo Elementary School, won the education hero award.

“She goes above and beyond the call of duty, always taking care of the children, giving them the extra time and making sure they are a priority,” Franse said. “She definitely deserves this award.”

“I appreciate the honor to be here,” Ingram said. “I’m just one of those people that are blessed to be able to work with children, and actually get paid to do it.”

Jayci Nigreville won the water-safety hero award for her efforts teaching youth swimming lessons and working as a lifeguard in the summer.

“She’s always putting others first and volunteering at every chance she gets,” Franse said. “All this while maintaining an A average in school. So that’s an award in itself.”

Linda Cross won the pet-hero award for starting a low-cost spay and neuter program, hosting clinics to provide vaccinations and microchips for pets in low-income families, and working to ban animal gas chambers in the state.

“Our job is not always pleasant,” Cross said. “There are a lot of sad days, and sometimes you get really tired because you get hit with one bad thing after another, but we are able to help people. ... This means a lot to me and gives me courage to keep fighting.”

General Surgeon Dr. Fred Hammill won the medical hero award for extraordinary patient care at Presbyterian Plains Regional Medical Center.

“He doesn’t just treat you as a number on a chart,” Franse said. “He actually takes the time, gets to know you, and gets all your questions answered. He makes you a priority when you’re in his office.”

Donald Glidewell won the good samaritan adult hero award.

“A fire had broken out at a residential community,” Franse said. “He, without being called upon, went and helped an individual that was in a wheelchair and also one that could not hear the alarm going off in her apartment. He went in and was able to retrieve both of them, and he helped until the fire department came. He is definitely a true hero.”

The good Samaritan youth hero award went to both Maggie Land and Ashleigh Merritt, who volunteer with the children's free reading program at Clovis-Carver Public Library.

Tech. Sgt. Thomas Perry from Cannon won the disaster relief hero award for assisting local residents after extreme weather hit the Clovis area in 2014.

“Back last summer, during one of our typical storms where I’m sure the wind was blowing heavily, he helped a local resident in clearing some trees,” Franse said. “And he always goes above and beyond in helping anyone, whether they are in the work place or strangers. That’s an example of a true hero.”

“We don’t do this for recognition,” Perry said. “What we do it for is for those who are less fortunate; we want to give as much as we can to help them in their time of need.”