1. Casey Anderson started building the Montana Grizzly Encounter in 2002. Casey is an advocate for wild grizzly recovery and protection, saving bears born in captivity, otherwise scheduled to be euthanized, by providing them with a natural habitat at the grizzly bear sanctuary. In turn, the Encounter allows visitors a better understanding of this great creature and encourages them to make a difference in the conservation and preservation of the grizzly bear.

1. Bill Austin founded the Starkey Hearing Foundation in 1973, and has donated more than 120,000 hearing aids to people who cannot afford them. Austin, one of the country's leading philanthropists, travels around the world with his Hearing Corps volunteers on self-financed missions, fitting people for hearing devices and "fixing broken ears."  In fact, he is often called the "Santa Claus of Hearing."

3. Faith Beasley (Rottweiler Service Dog) On September 4, 2007, Leana Beasley had a toxic reaction to medication she was taking and suffered a grand mal seizure.  Her Rottweiler Faith, knowing something was wrong, dialed a special 9-1-1 speed dial button and barked into the phone. Faith used her seizure response training to roll Leana into a recovery position and when police arrived, she unlocked the door and lead police to Leana.

4. Dr. Sean Boutrous, Houston based plastic surgeon who volunteers his time to travel to patients in need and offer his services free of charge. Dr.Boutrous recently built an ear for a child born without one. While doing surgeries Dr. Boutrous takes the opportunity to train local surgeons who in far off areas would never normally get the chance.

James L. Clark, a former Army medic, went beyond the call of duty and spent nearly two weeks in New Orleans helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina, a trip he funded himself. Driving with medical supplies and gun for protection, James worked tirelessly under extremely dangerous conditions and with little support, to help those affected by this national tragedy.

Karen Fessler, a youth advocate and concerned parent assisted in the founding and start up of a non-profit organization called Project Connect Homeless Children's Fund (for homeless and troubled youth) (and has just been appointed to run the organization). In addition, Karen is also a homeless liaison for her school district and goes out of her way to help homeless children get an education against all odds.

Samuel Huffman of Lodi, CA put his life on the line to rescue an elderly woman on May 10, 2008.  Eighty-two year old Marguerite Jones was crossing the railroad tracks when her wheelchair tipped over, dumping her on the tracks.  Huffman was driving by when he noticed Jones lying there with a train swiftly approaching.  He jumped from his car to assist Jones, just managing to pull her from the tracks as the train whizzed by, missing them by only three feet.  The motorized wheelchair was destroyed by the locomotive.   

Jerry Quinn, a Boston businessman who donated $100,000 to a stranger to get a life saving kidney transplant, as well as opened his home to a family of nine evacuees from New Orleans.  Jerry’s giving nature continues annually as his restaurant provides free Thanksgiving dinners to those in need.

Jon Thomas (JT) Robertson a 10 year old boy, inspired by his love of trains, collected enough recyclables to buy out 382 seats on the Attica-Arcade Railroad, allowing disadvantaged children and adults an opportunity to take the ride of a lifetime.  JT is continuing this tradition and has started The Extreme Train Makeover, where his goal is to collect enough recyclable to buy out all three A&A Railroad trains and give nearly 1000 kids a chance to live this historical experience.

Joan Smith, school teacher at High Point Regional High School, of a very special class with the physically oldest and developmentally youngest kids at school. Joan had her students collect cards and letters to let soldiers know they care, and asked fellow High Point students to pitch in. In all Smith’s class collected 1,700 letters and $3,300 worth of phone cards for military men and woman in Iraq.

Jourdan Urbach, a 17-year-old concert violinist from Juilliard Pre-College, New York, founded Children Helping Children. This musical charity raises funds for pediatric wards of hospitals and national medical organizations specifically targeting neurological disease through in-house hospital performances and Gala Benefit Concerts. CHC has raised over $1.3 million to date and has become a major fundraising arm of the national medical community.

• Officer Corben Whitney, a California Highway Patrolman of Fresno, rescued a four-year old boy and two other passengers from a burning vehicle. It took Officer Whitney several attempts to finally free the young boy from his inflamed car seat.   Officer Whitney was off duty and on the same drive home, had just tackled, and stopped a hit and run participant from fleeing the accident.

Leo Wyatt risked his life to save three victims when their twin-engine Cessna lost power and crashed into three homes in Compton, California on April 12, 2008.  This is actually the second time Wyatt has rescued someone after a plane crash. About 20 years ago he and his friend pulled a man out of a plane after it crashed into a telephone pole in Compton. Wyatt was recently honored by the Compton City Council for his role in the rescues and the Mayor presented him with a key to the city.