Most heroes live and work among us without much notice. But we all know who they are.

The Island County Community Health Advisory Board is again planning to honor those individuals who go the extra mile in helping others in need.

This annual award is the Linda Lee Martens Health Hero Award of Island County, named for the late executive secretary of the local Health Department, President of the Soroptomists International, and memorable participant in many local activities: an ordinary person with an extraordinary love for others.

Do you know anyone who goes that extra mile on behalf of others? Someone who quietly sacrifices time and effort making our community a better place to live? They may be a volunteer, a Big Brother or Big Sister, a mentor, foster parent, or someone who is always there in time of need. They may be a student who performs outside school hours or who regularly participates in humanitarian activities.

Awardees in years past have been recognized for promoting child abuse prevention, for fostering parentless children, for working to reduce substance abuse, for addressing environmental issues, for helping establish activities to support adolescents’ needs, for assisting the elderly in finding health care, and for enhancing the community’s health and quality of life in numerous other ways.

We are inviting you to nominate individuals or groups who have made significant accomplishments toward bettering community health in any manner. Elements to consider include such factors as: project scope and objectives, measurable results (insofar as possible), urgency of the problem addressed, number of people affected, funds raised and/or committed, etc.

Let people know you think they are a hero. Send in your nomination.

The Island County Board of Health will honor nominees at a Joint Special Board of Health / Community Health Advisory Board dinner meeting to be held during Public Health Week on April 3. Nomination forms and guidelines are available by calling 679-7350, online (www.islandcounty.net/health/CHAB/LLM-Nomination%20form.pdf), at any public library, or at any office of the Island County Health Department.

Nominees must be residents of or employed in Island County. Awardees will be recognized in three categories: Adult, student (under age 18), and agency.

Please submit nominations prior to March 3 to: Carrie McLachlan, Island County Health Department, P.O. Box 5000, Coupeville, WA 98239.

Roger Case, M.D., is the Island County Health Officer.