Community Hero Cathy Dunham honored by the Municipality of Anchorage

Congratulations to UAA's Cathy Dunham for being one of four residents selected in Anchorage's 2011 Community Heroes for her heroic volunteerism. Cathy, along with the other three community heros, will be honored at the 4th Annual Safe and Sound Emergency Preparedness Fair, Sept. 17, 2011, at the Loussac Public Library. These Anchorage residents were nominated by members of the public as inspirational heroes during the Who's Your Hero? Contest that ran during the month of August. All four of the Community Heroes and their stories are featured on myhero.com.

Ms. Dunham's award will be presented by Lt. Ron Swartz of the University Police Department.

Here's Cathy's story:

Cathy has volunteered with the University Police auxiliary since it began in 2007. Her enthusiasm has served as an inspiration for the other members, who are all staff or faculty at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Members of the UPD Auxiliary Emergency Team (AET) have elected her as their leader, serving as a liaison between the volunteer responders and the police commanders. She played a prominent role in the taping of a Volunteers In Police Service (VIPS) feature video "Community Involvement in Campus Safety," produced and distributed globally via the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Dunham has represented the AET at community readiness fairs, volunteers to assist in annual evacuation drills and helped to plan the Team's participation in the Special Olympics Alaska Law Enforcement Polar Plunge in December 2010. She has had perfect attendance at Team monthly meetings and training sessions and has facilitated the sessions in the absence of the police coordinator. In her regular role at the University, Cathy is the office manager for the department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. She also volunteers as her facility's Building & Safety Coordinator.

Thank you for your service, Cathy.