Heroes named at annual event from Shawnee State University

Published 9:23 am Monday, September 7, 2009

PORTSMOUTH — At the Eleventh Annual Ohio River Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross Local Heroes breakfast, several people connected to Shawnee State University were named including two Fundraising Heroes, one Military Hero and two CPR/First Aid heroes.

Barbara and David Lodwick were named Fundraising Heroes, sponsored by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Engineers Local 75.

They are strong supporters of Shawnee State University and the Southern Ohio Performing Arts Council.

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They supported the Red Cross by opening up their home for a wine tasting event raising nearly $2,000.

Sam McKibben, adjunct faculty at SSU, was sponsored by King’s Daughters Medical Center and named Military Hero. He served in the U.S. Air Force for four years active duty and 16 years in the Reserve.

He was also in the Navy and Navy Reserve with four years of active duty and 18 years active and reserve drilling members.

Since 1999, he serves in the Ohio Military Reserve. McKibben is a radio announcer for Hometown Broadcasting and WNXT.’

A former part-time sports studies, health sciences faculty member at SSU, April Barnette, and Joe Wood, a visitor at SSU, were named CPR/First Aid Heroes.

They worked together to try to save the life of a person who had collapsed in the elevator in the James A. Rhodes Athletic Center at SSU.

Together the pair alternated breaths and compressions for about 20 minutes before the ambulance arrived on the scene.

They were sponsored by King’s Daughters Medical Center.