Four people who make a difference in the lives of others were honored Monday by Elon University in the 16th annual “Hometown Heroes” awards ceremony on campus. Freshmen class officers selected the honorees for “making a positive difference by touching lives and strengthening their home communities” in a program sponsored by the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life.
Honorees were nominated by freshman students and chosen by class officers, who presented the awards in McKinnon Hall. This year’s honorees include:
Heather Meyer – Winter Park, Fla.
Nominated and introduced by Ashley Braun
Meyer moved to Haiti this summer to work for a year at an orphanage. She had already volunteered for several summers as an active member in the Hope for Haiti Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping orphaned children in the impoverished nation.
As a dance teacher, Meyer launched the Dance Abilities program, providing free classes and multiple performances for children with Down Syndrome who dream of performing.
“I was super surprised and felt humbled to have been nominated for this,” Meyer said. “Since Ashley’s a former student it means a lot. It’s confirmation of the heart I put into working with children.”
William Hastings – Pipersville, Pa.
Nominated and introduced by Caroline Spall
While an English teacher at Falmouth High School and adviser to the school newspaper, Hastings inspired students to take their publication to new heights. In that process, and following an editorial battle with school administrators, he ultimately put his job on the line to stand up for the students’ creative work in the face of opposition.
“It’s fantastic and humbling,” Hastings said. “For someone who’s a writer and an English teacher, I’m at a complete loss for words expressing how I feel. This is very special.”
Logan Aldridge – Greenville, N.C.
Nominated and introduced by Alexander Stevenson
In 2004, at the age of 14, doctors amputated Aldridge’s left arm shortly after he tangled himself in a rope while wakeboarding in a Virginia lake. The undeterred left-handed Aldridge soon learned to use his right hand to write and to play lacrosse.
Now 19 and a freshman at East Carolina University, Aldridge has started a nonprofit whose mission is to raise money for interactive games and activities at children’s hospitals across the Southeast.
“This means a lot to me, coming from a friend like Alex,” Aldridge said of the award. “It makes me feel special being here and doing something I thought was just natural to do. Seeing other people be inspired motivates me to continue doing what I’m doing.”
Kevin O’Brien – Apex, N.C.
Nominated and introduced by Molly O’Brien
O’Brien battled alcohol addiction from the age of 16 that eventually cost him his college career and nearly ruined his life. With the support of family and the strength of his faith, he has enjoyed 13 years of sobriety.
Today, serving both his church and his community as Director of Recovery Ministries at Apex United Methodist Church, O’Brien uses his experience with addiction to help others through their own struggles with substance abuse.
“It’s such a tremendous honor anyway, but to have it come through my own child is a beautiful thing,” O’Brien said.