Bellevue residents Gordon and Myrna Conger will be honored on March 11 by the American Red Cross Serving King & Kitsap Counties at its 2010 Heroes Breakfast.

The couple will receive the agency’s Community Leadership Award. Puget Sound Energy sponsors the award.

During western Washington’s catastrophic floods last winter, the couple coordinated the relief efforts of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) in connection to the ongoing Red Cross response. More than 8,000 LDS volunteers went house to house in Lewis County, helping to provide food to people affected by the floods and cleaning up in the weeks that followed.

“The partnership with the Red Cross helps us deliver our volunteer services to the community,” says Gordon Conger.

Months later, when King County faced the possibility of wide-spread flooding throughout the Green River valley, the Congers stepped up again. When they heard that the Red Cross was preparing for the potential need for more and bigger shelters, they helped coordinate the disaster training and volunteer registration of more than 200 new shelter volunteers through the Red Cross ReserveCorps program.

Their warmth and commitment to disaster relief makes western Washington a more prepared place to live. “Gordon and Myrna are two of the most genuinely kind people who really care about our community that I probably have ever met,” adds Susan Pelaez, Red Cross Director of Preparedness and Community Engagement.

Fifteen heroes will be honored at the Fourteenth Annual Heroes Breakfast – sponsored by Costco Wholesale. The event will be held from 7:30-9 a.m. at the Washington State Convention Center in Downtown Seattle. All proceeds will support disaster relief efforts in King County.