Waldron Island now has a disaster preparedness booklet, thanks to Joanne Colman Wester and her band of middle school students.

And the initiative and efforts of those students to ensure their community is better prepared in the event of a disaster have not gone by unnoticed. Colman and her middle schoolers (pictured above) are among the dozen recipients honored by the Islands Chapter of the American Red Cross at its annual “Real Heroes” award ceremony, May 2, in Anacortes.

In addition to the Waldron “Real Hero” brigade, the 911 dispatch crew of San Juan County Sheriff’s Department was honored, collectively, as an “Everyday Hero” for its contribution in helping to prevent and alleviate suffering in the face of emergencies. Lopez Island’s Paul Neave, a longtime Red Cross volunteer and former board member, was recognized for “extraordinary service” and as an “outstanding volunteer.”