By Katie Knapp Schubert
Omaha, NE – More than a dozen people were honored Wednesday by the American Red Cross for their service to the community.
The Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross honored public service and life-saving efforts during the annual Heroes in the Heartland event. Among this year's award recipients are Aura Whitney-Jackson, who was honored for a lifetime of service. Scott Anderson, the founder of At Ease, received the commitment to community award. At Ease provides services to military personnel and their families.
The firefighters of Omaha's Station 21, day shift received the Public Service award for rescuing a young boy from a north Omaha house fire. Miller Park Elementary school principal Lisa Utterback received the Good Samaritan award for assisting two people shot near the school last year. Nicole Vetter, a physical education teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School in Council Bluffs, was recognized for saving a co-worker's life by performing CPR when the woman suffered a heart attack.
Red Cross Heartland Chapter CEO Tina Labellarte says the organization provided assistance at 350 local disasters last year.