Congressional Medal of Honor Society To Present 2020 and 2021 Citizen Honors Service Awards

For Acts of Selfless Service

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Congressional Medal of Honor Society

Jul 14, 2021, 10:00 ET

CHARLESTON, S.C., July 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 20 living Medal of Honor recipients are in Charleston, South Carolina to recognize and honor the Congressional Medal of Honor Society's 2020 and 2021 Citizen Honors Service Awards honorees.

Recipients of the Medal of Honor will present the Citizen Honors Service Awards for Acts of Selfless Service at a dinner being held at the Belmond Charleston Place, after a day of activities highlighting the integrity of the Medal of Honor and its Recipients. This is the first time that this prestigious awards dinner will be hosted in Charleston.

Catherine Herridge, CBS News, Senior Investigative Correspondent will serve as Master of Ceremonies.

"For the Citizen Honors Awards each year, the Medal of Honor Recipients come together to recognize service and commitment beyond the call of duty, not only on the battlefield, but also at home in the course of everyday life," said Drew Dix, President, The Congressional Medal of Honor Society (CMOHS).

In addition to the Citizen Honors Service Awards dinner, Medal of Honor Recipients will conduct Veterans Outreach Programs at Joint Base Charleston and the Scientific Research Corporation.
Recipients will also speak at The Citadel to more than 225 incoming cadet-recruits, who are taking part in the Citadel Success Institute, on the importance of courage, commitment, integrity, sacrifice, citizenship, and patriotism as part of The Congressional Medal of Honor Society's Character Development Program

Each year, CMOHS conducts a nationwide search to select individuals and organizations to receive their Citizen Honors awards for Service and Valor. The Citizen Honors Award Honorees receive their awards from a group of Americans whose actions have defined the words courage and selfless service – Medal of Honor Recipients. The Honorees are ordinary Americans who have gone above and beyond to perform extraordinary acts of service. The 2020 and 2021 Valor Awards for acts of heroism will be presented in Boston in September.

The 2020 Citizen Honors Service Awardees are:

Service Act:
Michael Jernigan of North Richland Hills, TX, for his lifetime of selfless service to improve the lives of blind and impaired veterans. Michael co-founded "Paws for Patriots" at South Eastern Guide Dogs, which provides guide dogs and service animals to veterans.

Youth Service Award:
Zachary Brooks of Summit, NJ for his advocacy of those affected by autism. Zachary founded "Artfully Abled", an art event showcasing the abilities of those with developmental disabilities.

Community Service Hero Award:
Women Veteran Social Justice Network, in Atlanta, GA, for their work to identify, connect and empower Women Veterans through professional and personal connections.

The 2021 Citizen Honors Service Awardees are:

Service Act:
AIDAN REILLY & JAMES KANOFF from Pacific Palisades, CA, for their selfless service as they responded to a nationwide crisis during (and because of) a global pandemic to create a grassroots initiative -- FarmLink Project – connecting farmers with surplus product to communities in need.

Youth Service Award:
CHARLES (Charlie) AUSTIN, from Brunswick, ME, for his selfless service for donating time and money to help fund and develop The Warrior Program, a virtual training program for Special Olympics Maine (SOME). As Charlie grappled with living with cardiac limitations, he was determined to stay in the world of sports and immersed himself in helping athletes of Special Olympics Maine (SOME).

Community Service Hero Award:
THE GARY SINISE FOUNDATION (GSF) for their outstanding service to our military, their families and first responders. Now in its 10^th year of operation, GSF honors our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need through creation and support of unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities.

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society was chartered by Congress in 1958 to create a brotherhood among the living Medal of Honor recipients; to protect and uphold the dignity and honor of the Medal; to promote patriotism and love of country; and to inspire our youth to become worthy and dedicated citizens of our nation. Its membership consists exclusively of those individuals who have received the Medal of Honor. Today, there are 67 living recipients of the Medal of Honor.

For more information about the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, visit the Congressional Medal of Honor Society website at http://www.cmohs.org/

Contact: John Falkenbury @[email protected]

SOURCE Congressional Medal of Honor Society