A select group of Iowans were honored for their courage this morning in Des Moines as part of the “Heroes of the Heartland” award program. Bobbie Bishop is spokeswoman for the central Iowa chapter of the American Red Cross. Iowans nominated more than 30 people who make a difference in their communities and a committee chose ten people for the awards. One of the honorees is Mike Kruse, a Muscatine firefighter who was killed in the line of duty in September of 2002. Bishop says another honoree is from southeast Iowa, as Fairfield 9-1-1 dispatcher Karen Beard went above and beyond the call of duty as she helped a frantic caller who spoke little English. Bishop explains the goal behind this program. Other honorees include: Captain Leonard Murray of Pleasant Hill, who created the Des Moines Bomb Squad; Sydne (sid’-nee) Souder, a Des Moines speech-language pathologist; Des Moines 911 dispatcher Sandy Morris; Bob Bauer of Ankeny, a fundraiser for various charities; Lowell Marshall of Adel, who’s donated more than five-thousand hours of volunteer service at Iowa Lutheran Hospital; Jon Rathier and the Grimes Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, which are winning a combined award; and Iowa National Guard Sergeant Jimmy Parker of Boone.
