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Celtics Recognize the "Heroes Among Us"
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New England is home to many individuals who have made an overwhelming impact on our community, positively affecting the lives of others. For the fourth season, the Boston Celtics will recognize an individual or individuals at each home game who have made a special contribution.
Here are the 2000-01 December "Heroes Among Us":
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Janet Lopez - (pictured with Paul Pierce and Bo Outlaw) Janet, a civilian 911 operator in Lowell for just seven months, has been personally responsible for saving two lives over the phone! The first was when Janet received a frantic call from a mother whose baby was choking. Janet gave instructions on the Heimlich manuever to the mother's friend over the phone, and after 40 harrowing seconds, the baby coughed up a piece of tin foil from a juice container. The baby was breathing when EMT's arrived, and is doing fine. Just weeks later, Janet talked a man through the Heimlich manuever over the phone, saving the life of his 78-year old mother.
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Robin and Caitlin Phelan - (pictured with Antoine Walker and Kendall Gill) In 1996, Robin and her daughter Caitlin saw a news report that showed children at one of Boston's many soup kitchens, and vowed to do something to help. Caitlin suggested they bring teddy bears to the children, and the Teddy Bear Drive Foundation was born. The Foundation collects new teddy bears from 22 drop-off sites and distributes them to 29 shelters and social service organizations throughout Boston, providing children with a holiday gift they otherwise might not receive. The Teddy Bear Drive Foundation is on track to collect more than 5,000 new teddy bears this season alone.
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Ron Adams - (pictured with Antoine Walker and Michael Finley) In 1994, students in Ron Adams' Broad Meadows Middle School classroom met a 12- year old former child slave from Pakistan. Angered that slavery still existed, his students organized students from all 50 states to raise $147,000 to establish a school for former child slaves in Pakistan. To share lessons learned building the school, his students helped co-found a national, student run project called Operation Day's Work-USA. Students perform ONE DAY of community service to raise the funds to bring an educational project to children in a developing country. Over 700 Quincy students have been involved in these global projects.
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Marianne Moran - (pictured with Paul Pierce and Vlade Divac) Each year, the Massachusetts Department of Education honors a Teacher of the Year who exemplifies fine teaching in the Commonwealth, and who is worthy of speaking for and energizing the teaching profession. Marianne, a math and science teacher for over 26 years at Methuen High School, was chosen for her innovative teaching techniques and dedication to education reform and curriculum revision.
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Monsignor Thomas McDonnell - (pictured with Antoine Walker and Ron Mercer) Monsignor McDonnell, the parish priest for Saint Augustine's in South Boston, is the founder of the Simon of Cyrene outreach ministry. Established 22 years ago, the year-round program delivers hot meals to physically and mentally challenged individuals, and offers a welcomed visit to homebound and lonely people in 55 communities throughout Massachusetts. This year also marks the 40th anniversary of his ordination into the priesthood, and Father Tom was recently elevated to the rank of Monsignor.
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Rocky Nelson - (pictured with Paul Pierce and Antonio McDyess) When Rocky's daughter was diagnosed with cancer, he and his wife sent her to Camp Carole, a camp dedicated exclusively to young people battling cancer. After just one week, she returned home with a new outlook on her life and her illness, and is now cancer-free. Rocky, a teacher and head football coach at Woburn High for 31 years, was so impressed with Camp Carole's work that he created the Carole Classic, the largest attended high school football game in the state. The Classic covers over 60% of the operating costs of the Camp, and the funds raised by the game have allowed over 300 children with cancer to attend Camp Carole.
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Officer Bill Baxter - (pictured with Jalen Rose and Paul Pierce) While thinking of new ways to teach cultural sensitivity and understanding, Officer Baxter partnered with Bread and Circus to create an innovative series of cooking classes as part of the Boston Police's Gang Resistance Education Training program. While studying different nationalities and food origins, the kids create a menu, shop for food and enjoy the meal together. Most importantly, the program demonstrates how the kids can work together towards a common goal, and how important their own partnerships can be in providing them with positive alternatives to crime.
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Matthew Kinel - (pictured with Antoine Walker and Lamar Odom) At the age of six, Matthew became involved in fighting the battle against breast cancer when his grandmother was diagnosed with the disease. He started by walking with his mother in the annual "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" walk, but is now a fierce fundraiser. He does more than walk in the annual event; he goes door-to-door raising thousands of dollars from sponsors, and recruits new walkers from his Needham neighborhood.
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Anna Ling Pierce - (pictured with Paul Pierce, sons J.T. and Michael, and Sam Mitchell) Four years ago, Anna lost her 14-year old daughter to liver cancer. Immediately, she and her husband, John, worked tirelessly to raise money "Ali's Army", an endowment fund in her daughter's name. The tragedy made national headlines when, just 11 months after losing Ali, John died of a heart attack while training for a marathon he was running in his daughter's honor. Because of her courage and dedication to the memory of her daughter and husband, "Ali's Army" became "Ali and Dad's Army" at the insistence of Anna, and to date, she has raised over $3.5 million dollars for pediatric cancer research.
