REAL HEROES: Five from Carson, two from Douglas to be honored at Red Cross event

Local heroes will be honored Thursday at the Northern Nevada American Red Cross 2010 Real Heroes Breakfast at Harrah's in downtown Reno.

Five people from Carson City and two from Douglas County are among the 34 people from the region who have been nominated in eight categories.

Nominations have been submitted by residents throughout Reno, Sparks, Carson City, Minden/Gardnerville and Fallon. Nominees will be honored for their 2009 efforts in the following categories: Good Samaritan, unsung hero, workplace hero, animal rescue hero, firefighter hero, law enforcement hero, medical hero, military hero and Hero of the Year will be picked from among those winners.

Winners in each category, as well as an overall Hero of the Year, were decided by a neutral panel and will be announced at the breakfast.

Proceeds from the event, in its seventh year, will benefit the Northern Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross and will be used to provide emergency assistance for local families who are displaced from their homes due to fire or disaster, to teach community members lifesaving CPR, and to provide support to the armed forces.

Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased by calling 856-1000. Guests are encouraged to pre-purchase tickets so there is an accurate count of how many people will be attending, but they also may pay at the door, said Monica Myles, Red Cross special event coordinator.

This event is made possible with donations from the following sponsors: Nevada Appeal, KTVN Channel 2 News, Americom Broad-casting, Harrah's Reno, NV Energy, Renown Health, Charles Schwab Bank, the Reno Police Department, Q & D Construction, GE Energy, AT&T, UPS and the Washoe County Honorary Deputy Sheriff's Association.