Heroes Honored At 15th Annual Appreciation Dinner From left: Pinellas County Commissioner John Morroni presents a $20,000 donation for the Children's Burn Foundation to Tammy Wunderly, Irene Gaccek, and Jason Purvis. Pinellas County Commissioner John Morroni hosted the 15th Annual Appreciation Dinner for Emergency Personnel on Jan. 29. A record 530 people were in attendance, including Gov. Charlie Crist, to recognize the contributions of the following awardees for 2009: Officer Christopher Cooper and his K-9 Partner Rocco, St. Petersburg Police Department Detective Jeremy Lewis, Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Firefighter/Paramedic Michael Pounds, Safety Harbor Fire Rescue Sergeant Traci Reed, Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Emergency Medical Technician Andrew Wright, Sunstar The Pinellas County Sheriff's Patrol Division "Each of these individuals proves the dedication of our brave men and women right here in Pinellas County," said Morroni. "They are definitely the kinds of heroes we can admire. The crowd loved them all." Morroni also announced that $20,000 was raised for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Suncoast, and an additional $20,000 for the Children's Burn Foundation of Florida, Inc. "I am grateful to the community for their generous response to this year's dinner, especially during these difficult financial times. It says a lot about the Pinellas County community." The dinner started in 1995 in memory of Belleair Police Officer Jeffery Tackett. The 28-year-old officer died from a gunshot wound on June 13, 1993, when he responded to a call alone.

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