These Herndon Heroes Went Above And Beyond In 2020

HERNDON, VA — 2020 was not a great year for a lot of people. However, what 2020 was good for was revealing the people in our community who have gone the extra mile to help others in difficult times.

We at Patch asked readers to nominate those in Herndon who they thought deserved special recognition in 2020. Before we change the calendar, let's give these Local Heroes one last round of applause.

Here are Herndon's Local Heroes for 2020:

Stephanie Wright Bringing People Together: Herndon Hero

Charles Marts nominated Stephanie Wright of Herndon for her work with Eye of the Heart, a Herndon small business which works on bringing charities, businesses, and individuals together.

Keven LeBlanc Volunteers Endless Hours: Herndon Hero

"He completely invests himself into this community and volunteers endless hours for many different causes, such as for Art Space Herndon, Herndon Holiday Homes, for the Herndon WinterMarkt and much more. I believe he definitely is a true Herndon Hero," said Nikki Pugh, who nominated her friend Keven as a Local Hero.

Nikki Pugh 'Is The American Dream': Herndon Hero

Jacob Reeves nominated his friend Nikki Pugh of Herndon. They both are moderators of the Herndon VA Community Facebook page. The pair, along with Sierra Moore, also organized the June 4 Herndon Car Rally for Racial Justice. Pugh also initiated the idea for the Herndon German WinterMarkt.

Herndon's Coco Buck Is The 'Epitome Of A Hometown Hero'

Brenna Danatzko nominated her friend Coco Buck, who spreads her positivity around Herndon despite recently undergoing brain surgery. She helped organize a Black Lives Matter protest earlier this year and is starting a pop-up gym class for school-age children.

Local Hero: Herndon Woman Helps Feed Those Stuck At Home

Herndon resident Fanny Laske-Salazar's part-time job at the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority and full-time role as a mother certainly qualifies her to be an essential employee in many people's book. But, it's the extra work she does that inspired her spouse Darius Laske to nominate her to be a Patch Local Hero.

Local Hero: Herndon Violinist Plays So Others May Eat

Susan McIntosh, a violinist with the Pan American Symphony Orchestra, would probably not consider her job to be essential. But her neighbor, Karen McDonald, thinks McIntosh was performing a service benefiting the Herndon community that needs to be recognized. Ever since the pandemic hit and Virginians were ordered to stay at home, McIntosh has been presenting violin concerts in her driveway to raise the spirits of her neighbors.

Local Hero: LINK Continues Vital Mission Of Feeding The Hungry

Bob Ashdown, store and restaurant pickup coordinator for LINK, nominated Lisa Lombardozzi, LINK's president, to be a Patch Local Hero. The Christian food pantry serving Ashburn, Herndon, and Sterling has been helping to distribute food to individuals in need throughout the community for years. When the pandemic struck, LINK didn't miss a beat and stepped up its lifesaving mission.

Herndon Mother Cares For Coronavirus Patients: Local Hero

Julian Guevara nominated his mother, Herndon resident Veronica Garcia, to be a Patch Local Hero. "She has been working day and night, sometimes for 15 hours straight to help the hospital get through the COVID-19 pandemic," he said, of his mother. "Often she gets home to greet us and rest, only to get called back to the hospital an hour later. She is one of the many health care workers fighting endlessly and tirelessly to help us get through these difficult times."