(WFRV) GREEN BAY A Green Bay resident and insurance broker with Associated Bank's insurance division, has been tapped for the national “Heroes In Our Midst” award for giving his time and compassion over the past six years to guide and mentor a young Green Bay child into his teenage years.
Chris Ostrand, a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Wisconsin, received the special award Tuesday afternoon during the Packer's Power Lunch at Lambeau Field.
“Heroes In Our Midst” is a national program sponsored by the Greeting Card Association to reinforce the tradition of connecting with others, and to encourage Americans to reach out to the everyday heroes in their own lives through card sending. The program, which recognizes one Hero in Our Midst each month, has helped to generate hundreds of cards for community and personal heroes.
“This program is all about the rewards of connecting to others and building human ties. We believe exchanging greeting cards is one of America's most cherished traditions for connecting to others,” said Juliette Bogus, Heroes In Our Midst spokesperson. “Americans everywhere have a special card story of how someone impacted their life or created a lasting bond or shared memory through a greeting card.
We hope that in honoring Chris Ostrand for his mentoring role as a Big Brother and making a difference in someone's life, others will be inspired to make special connections with the heroes in their own lives,” Bogus added.
After Ostrand accepted the Heroes In Our Midst award, his “Little Brother” Matthew Kaercher read his own greeting card to Ostrand, thanking him for being a positive role model and influence in his life over the last six years.
Matthew has been paired with Ostrand since he was nine and attributes his improved grades and his drastic life turn-around to the mentoring efforts of his Big. He is now 15 and attends East High School in Green Bay.
Heroes In Our Midst representatives say they hope area residents will be inspired not only to send a card to Ostrand, but to become everyday heroes themselves, by reaching out to others through the type of personal interaction and caring that cards provide.
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