Unsung Heroes
Unsung Hero Sean Vernon
Sean Vernon joined the Atlantic Coast Young Marines at an early age and by hard work and dedication, he steadily worked his way to the Master Sergent of the Unit. Since 2017, We Can Be Heroes Foundation Volunteers observed his dedication and professional manners. He...
Unsung Hero Dani Hernandez
- Danette ("Dani) Hernandez has led a life of volunteer service to veterans, military and the Northeast Florida community. Dani serves in many leadership and volunteer member roles and volunteers at various venues to help veterans and the community. Some examples of...
Unsung Hero Vietnam Veteran Rick McAllister
: UPDATE: Vietnam Airborne Veteran Rick McAllister did lead “Last Patrol: A Pilgrimage of Brotherhood” as discussed below when the project was in the planning stages. Watch the beautiful and amazing story - click here. https://youtu.be/mxxc-VRi7rU Rick was...
Unsung Hero Eadie Dumm
Edith Dumm is a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Post 7909 of Jacksonville, Florida. When she heard about the Atlantic Coast Young Marines desire to travel to World War II sites in Germany and France and be present for the D-Day Anniversary,...
Unsung Hero Dianne Lavelle
Dianne Lavelle of Jacksonville, Florida, volunteered to help the We Can Be Heroes Foundation program for homeless veterans in Northeast Florida. While holding down a full-time nursing job, Dianne spent countless evening and weekend hours working an online veterans...
Unsung Hero Russell Greaney
Russell Geaney is a mentor and inspiration to veterans in need in Jacksonville. He served in Vietnam in the U.S. Army. He graduated from Hudson Valley Community College and took various courses at Boston University and Northeastern University. Russell was a...
Unsung Hero Rose Hayden, Jacksonville FL
Rose Hayden is an active volunteer in Jacksonville. She has served in many capacities for years. Rose is an active member of the Let Freedom Sing Choir and dedicates time for practices and performances throughout Northeast Florida. The Choir is in high demand and...
Unsung Hero Josephine Griswold
Josephine Griswold has been a blessing to many people in Jacksonville, FL. When there is a need, she is there to fill it. She gives weekly donations of nonperishable food for homeless veterans in Jacksonville. Josephine helps neighbors who cannot afford to care for...
Unsung Hero Chaplain Steve Hanley
.Chaplain Steve Hanley has always been a hero to his sister, Gerri. He survived serving in the Vietnam War. He was 18 when he went in and was a signalman. When Gerri was in college, a boy tried to strangle her while sitting in a car in front of their home. Gerri...
UNSUNG HERO RECOGNITION – Bill Karandos “Kombat”
Bill Karandos “Kombat” served in the U. S. Maine Corps from 1968 – 1974 during the Vietnam War. He was engaged in combat during the Vietnam War and is indeed a military hero, however, this Unsung Hero nomination is for his community service to our youth over the last...
Unsung Hero Carolyn Bennett
Carolyn Bennett has led a life of volunteer service to the community. She assists the those in physical or spiritual need, the youth and the elderly. Carolyn serves in many leadership and volunteer member roles plus she served America as a military wife. Her current...
Jodi Tipton, Unsung Hero for Decades
Jodi "GiGi" Tipton has been an unsung hero for decades in service to her Jacksonville Beach community, friends, church, and country. She has been a friend to those in need and a model citizen. Jodi and her late husband Bob have been two visionary volunteers who...
Unsung Hero Barbara Montgomery
Barbara Montgomery of Waldorf, Maryland was nominated on three occasions as an Unsung Hero. It is our pleasure to share some of this Model Citizen, World War II Veteran Widow and Volunteer Extraordinaire Stories. Barbara has led a life of volunteer service to the...
Unsung Hero – CPO Clarence Roach
The late First Class Petty Officer Clarence J. Roach Clarence was a hero. He was a hero as a child, he was a hero as a young adult, he was a hero to his fellow shipmates, and he was a hero to me and our children. I have learned to be grateful to have loved and loss...
Unsung Hero George Carroll Serves Community Over 5 Decades
Thank you George Carroll for serving your community for over 5 decades. Thank you, George Carroll, for serving your community for over 5 decades. 1.George Carroll has served this country and communities across America for over five decades and in many...
Larry Michalove: Vietnam Veteran Wrote Children Stories During War Service
The Four Little Children stories became a way to escape from the stories he didn’t want to tell. They also were a way to continue to connect with the family he thought he might not see again. .. Retired LtCol Lawrence (“Larry”)...
Unsung Hero Michelle Hodges Donates Thrift Store Proceeds to Charity
One of the Unsung Heroes in our community is Ms. Michelle Hodges. Michele opened a small thrift shop in Macclenny, Florida, in June of 2018 with the intention of helping those in the local community who are in need. By June of 2019, she had paid herself back the...
How to Make Memorial Day Meaningful for an Older Veteran
How to Make Memorial Day Meaningful for an Older Veteran If you’re a caregiver to a loved one who served in the military, this day of remembrance offers a special opportunity to connect. Every year on the last Monday in May, Memorial Day honors those who have died in...
Thank You Korean War and Vietnam Veteran John Heath
John A. Heath served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. When he joined the Army for the Korean War, he was so young he had never shaved and was nicknamed "Baby". When he went to the Vietnam War years later, he was nicknamed "Pappy". He has given our country his love...
Jeannie and Doug Ping Receive Unsung Hero Lives Here Yard Sign
WE CAN BE HEROES FOUNDATION Founder Beth Heath present “Thank You to the Unsung Hero who lives here” Yard Sign to Jeannie and...
Unsung Hero Pastor James Sykes Serves Community during Pandemic
Pastor James Sykes kept his Church open during the pandemic, serving his community by providing food, daycare, and education. His Bishop, some government, and many others pressured him to close. He withstood the pressure and created hope in a time of great fear....
Unsung Hero Todd Oakes Founded Veterans Support Group
Todd Oakes founded the Veterans Support Group in our community, Cascades at World Golf Village, in 2009. Under his leadership, this organization holds two fundraisers : A Thanks for Giving Gala in November recognizing all of our resident veterans and a Hawaiian Luau...
Thank You Air Force Veteran DeMitri Shepherd
DeMitri sacrificed his time, his time with family., and his freedom to serve his country for twenty years. He is a true Patriot and believes that serving his country is the honorable thing to do. He spent many years serving abroad and never complained. ...
Unsung Hero Cliff Leonard Artistic Gift Helps Grieving Families
Cliff Leonard has made about 50 bronze busts over the past 13 years to remember our fallen service members. Each one takes about two months to make. On March 13, 2021, Cliff Leonard told us "Roughly 13 years ago I began sculpting, what I call my Little Brothers....
Unsung Hero Jeff Jefferson Continues Service with Health Issues
National Guard Veteran Carl "Jeff" Jefferson Lay began serving his country after high school in 1989, serving through the Gulf War through Operation Enduring Freedom, both as active duty, National Guard, and back to retiring from active duty. Due to combat issues, he...
Unsung Hero National Guard Veteran Jeff Lay
Thank you National Guard Veteran Carl "Jeff" Jefferson Lay This veteran began serving his country after high school in 1989, serving through the Gulf War through Operation Enduring Freedom, both as active duty, National Guard, and back to retiring from active duty. ...
Veteran George Swanson Serves with Little League for 34 years and counting
Vietnam Era War Veteran George Swanson has been a key volunteer with the very active Waldorf, Maryland Little League for over 31 years. Service to his country and his community is important to George. In 1989, he starting coaching girls softball when his young...
Unsung Heroes Jeannie and Doug Ping Honor Library Volunteers
Unsung Heroes Jeannie and Doug Ping host annual picnics for the volunteers of the *Citizens for the Charles County Public Library (C4CCPL) to thank them for their many volunteer hours at the Used Books Bookstore in LaPlata, Maryland. This bookstore is run as an...
Shari Duval Receives Unsung Hero Lives Here Yard Sign
National Spokesman Ryman Shoaf for the WE CAN BE HEROES FOUNDATION present "Thank You to the Unsung Hero who lives here" Yard Sign to Shari...
Bob Tipton, Unsung Hero for Decades
UPDATE: Bob Tipton passed away September 2, 2020. He is sorely missed. His story is inspiring and endearing. He touched many. Let him inspire you to follow in his footsteps in service for all that is good in this, the greatest country ever ... and anywhere....and...
Unsung Heroes Susan Shoaf Makes Masks and Dresses for Needy
Susan Shoaf has been an Unsung Hero for years with service to her community and helping those in need. When Susan heard masks could help reduce the spread of COVID-19, she immediately began sewing durable masks. She sewed over 700 surgical masks in first months of...
K9S FOR WARRIORS – BORN BY MOTHER’S LOVE
K9S for Warriors - Born by a Mother's Love The Founder of K9S for Warriors is SHARI DUVAL. K9s For Warriors was born from a Mother's love for her Son. SHARI set her mind to finding a way to help her son Brett, who came back after two tours in Iraq a different man....
School Club Connects Students with Heroes
Mason Romero and his good friend Jake Simone founded a club to serve military and veteran organizations and connects students at their school with heroes who serve our country. Already a K9s for Warriors and USO Volunteer, Mason Romero was inspired to form the Student...
Drs. Stevenson and Flanagan Save Life on Plane with Makeshift Ventilator
A normal flight to Jamaica turned into a life-saving endeavor after two anesthesiologists created a makeshift medical ventilator to save an elderly woman who had gone into respiratory arrest.Matthew Stevenson and John Flanagan were on a JetBlu flight in January when...
Vietnam Veteran Ron Elliott Transports Veterans to Final Resting Place
The boots polished to a high shine, and the rifles and helmets in a fallen soldier tribute, have accompanied many service members on the journey to their final resting place, in the bed of Ron Elliott's truck. "I transport the casket in here and I deliver them down...