Red Cross presents Dexter PD’s Officer Spaulding with Community Hero Award

BREWER — The Northern and Eastern Maine Chapter of the American Red Cross recognized community members who have gone above and beyond in service to others at its 21st annual Real Heroes Breakfast on March 21.

“These Real Heroes are ordinary people who perform extraordinary acts in service to others. Our communities are lucky to have them, and we salute them for their acts of courage, kindness and unselfish character,” said Chapter Executive Director Caroline King. “That spirit of humanitarianism is what drives them and what drives the humanitarian mission of the American Red Cross.”

The 2018 Real Heroes include Officer Kenneth Spaulding Dexter Police Department, who was presented with the Community Hero Award.

On April 22, 2017, Officer Spaulding responded to the home a 1-month-old boy who was unconscious and not breathing. He assessed the child and performed CPR until the ambulance crew arrived. Two days later, a doctor who treated the baby called the police department to let them know that Spaulding had saved the child’s life.

“It’s an honor and a privilege every day to wake up and put on the uniform to serve the people of Maine,” Spaulding says.

Emera Maine was presented with the Community Impact Award. Emera Maine has been a longtime corporate partner of the American Red Cross and instrumental in the success of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign. Its generous financial support, in-kind marketing and advertising contributions and employee participation helped the Red Cross install hundreds of smoke alarms in Machias, Ellsworth and Dover-Foxcroft to ensure that families are prepared for the possibility of a home fire.

Photo courtesy of Memorymaker Photography
RED CROSS REAL HEROES — The Northern and Eastern Maine Chapter of the American Red Cross recognized community members who have gone above and beyond in service to others at its 21st annual Real Heroes Breakfast on March 21 in Brewer. Among the honorees was Officer Kenneth Spaulding of the Dexter Police Department, who was presented with the Community Hero Award for performing life-saving CPR on an infant in 2017. Pictured with Spaulding are front, from left, Sienna Probert of Hampden and Hampden Academy and Nicole Dutton, representing Hampden Academy, the Biomedical Services Award. Back, Suzanne Moreshead of Carmel, Volunteer Hero Award; Sarah Reynolds of Farmington and Cascade Brook School, Lifesaver Hero Award; Officer Spaulding; and Terri Johnson, representing Emera Maine, Community Impact Award.