AirLife Denver Flight Nurse Receives
'Spirit of the Red Cross Award'

Denver, CO – The American Red Cross Mile High Chapter will present the “Spirit of the Red Cross” Award to AirLife Denver flight nurse Greg Hynes at the annual Red Cross Breakfast of Champions on March 4. Hynes redeemed his remaining vacation time with AirLife Denver to volunteer to perform disaster relief medical care in Haiti after last year’s devastating earthquake.

Shortly after a 7.0 magnitude quake struck Haiti in January 2010, Hynes didn’t think twice about taking a leave of absence at AirLife to spend three weeks providing trauma care to Haitians injured by the earthquake. Hynes is a registered nurse who works for AirLife Denver, emergency medical /critical care transport service of the HealthONE system. His coworkers note that “when Greg is not being a hero overseas, he is a hero right here in Colorado,” cheerfully picking up extra shifts, caring for patients with kindness and compassion, and inspiring others with his positive attitude.

The Breakfast of Champions honors community leaders and life-saving everyday heroes. These heroes are the beacon of hope that many see in their most desperate hours.  This event is devoted to honoring those who put aside their own needs to come to the aid of others. Hynes is one of 10 award winners at the Breakfast of Champions, which is the Red Cross Mile High Chapter’s largest single fundraising event of the year.

HealthONE and the Red Cross partner to educate Colorado communities on disaster preparedness, lifesaving skills training and to provide health and safety education to best prepare for emergencies. “We are grateful to have knowledgeable and passionate professionals at HealthONE, like Greg [Hynes] so that we can provide the safest and highest quality care to our patients, where-ever they are,” said Linda Kanamine, vice president of public affairs and marketing at HealthONE. HealthONE is proud to be a long-time supporter of the American Red Cross Mile High Chapter and the Breakfast of Champions.”

In November 2010, Hynes returned to Haiti for a second stint, giving selflessly of his time and talent to help establish medical training programs for Haitian nurses and emergency responders – therefore improving the impoverished country’s capacity to respond to future disasters.

Although Hynes was not serving as a Red Cross volunteer at the time, he receives the “Spirit of the Red Cross Award” for his model demonstration of humanitarianism, voluntary service and dedication to health, safety and preparedness.

“I am humbled and honored to receive this award,” said Hynes. “Helping the Haitian people was something I had to do as soon as I saw the devastation from the earthquake. I wanted to play an active part in getting help to those who needed it most.”

Join us as we honor Hynes and other Colorado Heroes at the 2011 Breakfast of Champions.

American Red Cross Breakfast of Champions
7:30- 9 a.m., Friday, March 4, 2011
Hyatt Regency at the Colorado Convention Center, 650 15^th Street, Denver, CO
www.ColoradoRedCross.org/Champions
Media are welcome. For coverage and access, contact Jim Rettew at (303) 579-2005.