Red Cross Celebrates True Heroes
by Teri Linkov

The Lemonade Gang. Photo courtesy of the American Red Cross of South Central Connecticut/Erica Singer.

You don’t have to leap tall buildings in a single bound, have x-ray vision or fly like a bird to be a super hero. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. You can never be too young or too old but one thing they all have in common is that they all are super. The American Red Cross of South Central CT will honor their picks for the ninth annual Heroes of South Central CT Awards with a breakfast on Wednesday, March 25 at 7:30 a.m. at the Omni New Haven Hotel.

This year the Youth Good Samaritan Award will be given to The Lemonade Gang of Branford. Co-Founders Ryan Bloomquist and Greg Nobile, who are now sophomores at Branford High School, started the gang several years ago. As children they had a friend, Brian Kelly, who suffered with adrenoleukodystrophy. Rather than sit back and agonize over their friend’s suffering they set up a lemonade stand and sent the profits to the Myelin Project. It wasn’t long before they started performing for neighborhood families and friends to raise money for the research being done by the Myelin Project.

Within a short time, they learned that they could tap into their common passion for musical theater and perform shows as a means for significant fund raising. The first public production was Grease performed at the Owenego Inn in Branford. It was such a huge success that the gang wanted to do more – and they did. When Ryan’s baby sister Hanna was born with cancer, they wanted the donations that they raised through their performances to go toward childhood cancer research as well. They created a holiday concert that took place at the Blackstone Memorial Library. With the funds raised they were able to provide Christmas for families of Hanna’s pediatric oncologist, families that would otherwise not have been able to afford such cheer in the face of insurmountable medical bills.

 To date they have raised over $50,000 creating summertime and holiday fundraising events. Since December 1 of 2007, the gang has raised over $20,000 through performances and extremely generous contributions of individuals and corporations. When Hurricane Katrina hit, the gang set to work and organized a show at their middle school, sending all proceeds to the Red Cross through the Ellen DeGeneres Show. The gang has evolved over the years. Some members are here for a show or two, but the core group has stayed intact. While their passion has grown so too has their commitment to the Myelin Project and organizations dealing with childhood cancer. They plan on continuing the tradition of a summer show to benefit the Myelin Project and a holiday concert to benefit an organization, such as the American Cancer Society’s Camp Rising Sun. In between performances don’t be surprised to find them selling lemonade. According to the American Red Cross of South Central CT, “They are the unsung heroes of today’s teen youth, certainly heroes in the eyes and hearts of many of Branford’s residents, as well as the hundreds who have benefited through the knowledge gained in research projects funded by the extraordinary generosity and efforts made by Ryan and Greg.” “They are the true essence of what being a hero is all about, it has never been about them, nor will it ever be, they know it’s all about giving of themselves and not asking nor expecting anything in return.

They are two of the most unselfish, giving, compassionate and unique men.” They truly make a difference in this world. Other American Red Cross of South Central CT honorees include Cheryl DeFlippo of New Haven, founder of the Greater New Haven Cat Project in the category of Animal Rescue. For the past eight years, DeFlippo traps feral cats for spaying/neutering, provides veterinary care to cats who have fallen ill, returns altered cats to their owners/colonies and goes to the GNHCP center to clean cages, purchase supplies, drop off food, answers calls for assistance and provide foster homes for homeless cats.

In the area of law enforcement, Officer Matthew Haynes and Officer Christopher Zitnay, both of the West Haven Police Department, were honored for administering the Heimlich Maneuver to an 8 year old child. For the 911 Dispatcher award, Dispatcher Seth Willox and Shaileen Morton of the Milford Fire Dispatch were singled out for working as a team and talking a woman, who was in labor, and her husband through the successful delivery and resuscitation of the first of their twin babies. Firefighters Captain Douglas DeChello, John Riccio, Paul Clini, Anthony Bova, Daniel Johnson and Leo Kelly, all of the West Haven Fire Department, were honored for the transportation and delivery of the twins. The Adult Good Samaritan honor went to Brandt Thomas, Madison lifeguard, Todd Chemacki, Madison Law Enforcement Officer and Brandon Hall, Madison Parks and Recreation Department for rendering immediate life-saving care to several victims and one critically injured person when lightening struck a pavilion at Hammonasset Beach State Park. Father and son John and John Douglas York of Meriden also won the Adult Good Samaritan Award. They saved two ice fishermen who had fallen through thin ice. In the Medial category Sharon Moales, LCSW, of Hamden is the final honoree. She is the lead social worker in the Children’s Emergency Department of Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital. Moales makes a huge difference in the lives of the children who come in with psychiatric, behavioral and traumatic medical and social events every day. The American Red Cross touches lives in the community everyday through programs and services. As an organization committed to helping the community, they salute the individuals who are making a difference through their actions.

This article was originally printed in the March 2009 issue of Connecticut Parent Magazine