(June 13, 2017) – Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is proud to announce the Homespun Heroes of the week!
KEY WEST
Patricia Blanco of Key West has been named our Homespun Hero of the week as part of Ripley’s Superhero Summer!
Patricia is the librarian at the Monroe County Public Library, and she makes a huge impact on the lives of the children in the community. Patricia goes above and beyond to create special story times and learning activities for children and teens in the community. Activities include reading, movies, games and environmental programming, as well as cultural events to promote education and community responsibility.
“On our small island, there are not many offerings for children. Patricia goes above and beyond her required duties to give the children of Key West a wonderful place filled with activities, learning and a love for reading and a safe place to be themselves,” said resident Allison White.
OCEAN CITY
Rebecca Kiethley of Ocean City has been named our Homespun Hero of the week as part of our Ripley’s Superhero Summer!
Rebecca has been a hero to her own family, as many moms are, but Rebecca has definitely gone the extra mile. Nominated by her daughter, Jenna, she explained that her mom has gone the extra mile for her family. After hitting a rough patch, “My mom stepped up,” said Jenna. “She took in me and all four of my children. She watches them while I work 2-3 jobs at a time. She is truly my hero.”
PANAMA CITY BEACH
Crystie Hicks of Panama City Beach has been named our
Homespun Hero of the week as part of Ripley’s Superhero Summer!
Crystie is a single mother who goes above and beyond in our local community. Her passion is helping mothers who have lost children. Crystie was nominated by Brad Whitehead, who says “Crystie always volunteers to work with and talk to any mother that has lost a child.” Ripley’s wants to recognize Crystie for the difference that she is making to grieving mothers during a critical time in their lives.
ST. AUGUSTINE
Patrick Richard of St. Augustine has been named our Homespun Hero of the week as part of Ripley’s Superhero Summer!
Pat is extremely active in the St. Augustine community. He is employed by Nissan of St. Augustine but spends an extraordinary amount of time giving back.
Pat was nominated for the award by nearly a dozen members of the St. Augustine community! Pat was commended for his volunteer work with the local chapter of 4H, his volunteer hours at a local elementary school, his charity work, and his program of recognizing local police officers for their contributions to the community. Pat also volunteers his time as a local baseball coach.
One individual commended him for the ethics that he instills in the young people of our community, saying “Pat has been at every game and cheered the teams to victories and losses and has taken it all in stride, instilling in the boys that no matter what, win or lose, they’re still amazing and that they can still take away great lessons from the games.”
PRIZES
Winners receive a prize pack from Ripley’s including a lifetime pass to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and will be registered for Super Hero Sweepstakes grand prize of $2500 plus $2500 for their favorite charity.
If you would like to nominate someone who makes a difference in our community, please go to www.ripleys.com/homespunhero. Winners will be announced weekly throughout the summer. This program is part of Ripley’s Superhero Summer, which includes character appearances over the summer with a portion of all proceeds on appearance days going to charity, and a Sweepstakes of $2500 for the winner and $2500 for their favorite charity.
On character appearance days, Ripley’s will show the film Look to the Sky by producer Brett Culp. Look to the Sky is a full-length film about children who have overcome incredible obstacles to give back. It is a truly inspirational film that celebrates the theme of our Superhero Summer, giving back and helping our community.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Suzanne Smagala-Potts
Public Relations Manager
Ripley Entertainment
smagala@ripleys.com
Office: 407-345-8010 Cell: 727-439-0136
About Ripley Entertainment
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is part of the Ripley Entertainment Inc. (www.ripleys.com) family of worldwide attractions, the global leader in location-based entertainment. More than 14 million people visit its 100-plus attractions in 11 countries each year. In addition to its 31 Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, the Orlando, Florida-based company has publishing, licensing and broadcast divisions that oversee projects including the syndicated Believe It or Not! television show, best-selling books and the popular syndicated cartoon strip, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, that still runs daily in countries around the world. Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the third-largest privately held company in Canada.
About Marvel Entertainment, LLC
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy-six years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information, visit www.marvel.com. © 2017 MARVEL
