Three Santa Monicans — a local firefighter, a founder of a local school and a member of Santa Monica’s oldest family — were honored by the American Red Cross on Thursday for their contributions to the city.
The Red Cross of Santa Monica hosted the 9th Annual Spirit Awards at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel, where longtime local Ysidro Reyes was given the 2003 Lifetime Humanitarian award.
Crossroads and New Roads Schools founder Paul Cummins and Sarah Billman, the 2003 Santa Monica Firefighter and Paramedic of the Year, were honored with the Red Cross’ Spirit Award.
“We are so proud to honor these deserving people with a Spirit Award,” said Tom Miskimen, executive director of the Red Cross of Santa Monica. “We are also delighted this event will help raise much needed funds to provide emergency aid, health and safety education both in our community and beyond.”
Reyes’family was the first to settle in Santa Monica and when he was born, Santa Monica was only 38 years old. Reyes founded the California Ambulance Service and also introduced the first air ambulance service in the country. Reyes operated the Wilshire Funeral Home.
In 1936, Virgil Kingsley joined the firm then known as Gates, Mendenhall and Gates. Eventually the giant conglomerate, Service Corporation International, acquired the Wilshire Funeral Home. SCI is the parent company of Gates, Kingsley and Gates, along with many other mortuaries. Reyes is now a director at Gates, Kingsley, Gates, Moeller & Murphy.
Reyes is a past board member of the American Red Cross of Santa Monica and dozens of other organizations throughout the city.
Cummins in 1970 became the headmaster of St. Augustine’s Elementary School in Santa Monica and a founder and headmaster of Crossroads school. He is currently the executive director of the New Visions Foundation. He has written several articles on education and numerous poems which have appeared in anthologies and in journals.
Cummins serves on the board of trustees of the Sam Frances Foundation, American Poetry Review, ExEd, the Camino Nuevo Charter Academy and New Roads School. He and his wife, Mary Ann, live in Santa Monica with their four daughters.
Billman, who has worked for the Santa Monica Fire Department for six years, started her career on the ladder truck and then transferred to an engine company. She obtained her paramedic license two years ago and is currently assigned to engine company #1. Her passions in life include spending time with family and friends, coming to work and riding her bike. She has two sisters, two brothers and 11 adopted brothers and sisters. The Spirit Awards event is the most significant annual fundraiser of the Santa Monica Red Cross.
The evening’s honorary committee is Brian Dennehy, Rachel Griffiths, Hugh Jackman, Al Jarreau, Nicole Kidman, Olivia Newton John and Jane Seymour.
The American Red Cross of Santa Monica, established in 1917, provides health and safety education, youth services, first aid and CPR training. Thursday’s event will fund all the local programs, as well as local disaster relief services that aid victims of wildfires, earthquakes and floods with essential humanitarian relief such as food, shelter, blankets, first aid kits, hygiene kits, plastic sheeting and other services.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 26, 2003. Read the original PDF.