Levine-Brown is Hero: Dr. Linda Levine-Brown of sunshine elementary School, is honored as one of the Kiwanis Club's 2011 Heroes. Shown from left are Kiwanis President Richard St. Dennis, Dr. Winston Bishop, principal of Sunshine Elementary School; Brown, and Rick Anglickis of the Kiwanis.

The Lehigh Acres Kiwanis Club handed out $125,425 in scholarships, presented awards to those who have given service to local youths, recognized five people as Home town Heroes of 2011 and presented an emotional memorial to a slain soldier, who was killed in Afghanistan earlier this year.

More than 150 people gathered Friday night, June 17 in Sweatlock Hall of the Faith Lutheran Church in Lehigh for dinner, including a three-hour program where checks were handed out to students going to college and to others who are gathering scholarship money while students in the lower grade schools with plans to go to college.

The highlight of the evening was a solemn remembrance of Marine Sgt. Jason Amores, who was killed in action and was awarded the Purple Star and the Bronze Star with Valor after his death.

Rick Anglickis, who moderated the program, called on all veterans in the audience to come forward to accept the Home Town Hero Award in memory of Amores. Those attending stood in next to the Hero Award for Amores, who grew up and attended schools in Lehigh. His widow and two children were out of town and were unable to be at the event to accept the award.

Other Kiwanis Heroes for 2011 included Dr. Linda Levine Brown, an assistant principal at Sunshine Elementary School; Capt. Ed Tamayo, who has retired as Lehigh’s Sheriff’s Substation commander and Lehigh firefighters Frank Alverez and Mark Spear, the latter who was not at the ceremony but in Georgia helping to fight a massive wildfire.

Capt. Ed Tamayo, the retired commander of Lehigh's Sheriff's Bravo Zone, is honored as one of the Kiwanis Club's 2011 Heroes. Show from left are Tamayo, Maj. Rob Homan, chief deputy under Sheriff Mike; and Kiwanis President Richard St. Dennis.

Brown was honored for her help in the guidance of new Principal Dr. Winston Bishop at Sunshine Elementary School. He told the group he could not have succeeded if she had been there to show him the ropes.

Tamayo was honored following his retirement on June 1 as commander of the Bravo Substation. Tamayo, a popular commander, headed the East Zone District and was instrumental in helping to bring the crime rate in Lehigh down to lower levels than in Fort Myers and Cape Coral, according to Maj. Rob Homan, chief deputy under Sheriff Mike Scott. Homan was at the ceremony.

Firefighters and EMTs Frank Alverez and Mark Spears were honored for their part in an attempt to save a woman whose car had plunged into a deep canal in Lehigh Acres. Fire Chief Don Adams described the attempt by the two men which brought honors to the two firefighters.

Anglickis, a past District Governor of Kiwanis, said the $125,425 given out in scholarship aid was mainly from profits that the Kiwanis Thrift Store on Homestead Rd. had generated. He also said there is a Kiwanis golf tourney that help to fund some of their projects.

The following people were honored for “Service to Youth.” They included:

Firefighter Frank Alverez, shown here, along with Firefighter Mark Spears, who was in Georgia fighting a wildfire, were honored as the Kiwanis Club's 2011 Heroes. Shown from left are Fire Chief Don Adams, holding the Hero Award for Mark Spears, who was not present, firefighter Frank Alverez, and Kiwanis President Richard St. Dennis.

Kim Conrad, Marilyn Dietzler, Darlene Brown, Rose Davis, Rob Mazza, Mark Dietzler, Greg Stancel and Bree Hamsher. Each was given a certificate of appreciation from the Kiwanis.

The following students in lower grades in Lehigh schools who won “Growable Scholarships” included:

Brittany Cruz, Kiara Desamours, John Frabel, Cole Hamsher, Darrious Harden, Katelynn Heinkle, Marissa Mazza, Chris Smith, Blair Siciliano, Sabrina Theodour and Diego Torres.

Larger scholarship awards were presented to the following students planning to go to college this summer, (some have already become students):

Daisy Aceves, Vincent Damin, Alejandra Dzib, Ronald Hanifen, Stepphanie Desgazon, Dahiangi Hernandez, Milkaela Roach, Jeffery St. Fermin, Nahomi Torres, Lashana Hamilton, Buron Sadluny, Maria Diaz, Taylor Fleming Joshua Roberts, Brenda Vacca, Sam Cluck, Holly Hornor, Shanon McBeath, Laia Murri, Angel Hernandez, Raciely Hernandez, Kyandre Smith, Brittany Stoddard, Yaritza Valentine and Alex Woolston, who received the top scholarship of $6,000.

Vets honor slain Marine: Veterans in attendance at the Kiwanis Club's 2011 Awards Program stand next to a Hero Award made posthumously to Marine Sgt. Jason Amores, of Lehighi Acres, who was killed in action in Afghanistan earlier this year. Those who had served in the military were asked to come forward to "accept" the award in Amores' honor. The soldier's wife and children were out of town.

Others scholarships ranged from $750 upwards to the $6,000 figure.

Each student came forward to accept the scholarship and to say which college he or she was planning to attend.

A special FGCU scholarship check for $5,000 was made to Tennis Head Coach J. Webb Horton and Basketball head Coach Karl Smesko, who accepted the check on behalf of the university.

Kiwanis President Richard St. Dennis presented all of the scholarships and awards while Rick Anglickis called the names of the recipients from the podium. A few people were not present, but the overwhelming majority of scholarship winners attended the dinner of chicken and pork, prepared in the kitchen of the Faith Lutheran Church.

Service to Youth recipients