Jeff Mitchell isn’t fond of being associated with the word “hero.”
But that is undoubtedly what he is to thousands of western Washington service men, women and their families.
It was also the reason the Sammamish resident and president of Operation Bald Eagle was honored Friday at the 11th annual SAMMI Awards Ceremony with the Unsung Hero award.
“When I heard about it and I had to go interview for it, I told my wife I don’t know if I want to do it because it’s not about me,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell first started Operation Bald Eagle in June of 2009 as a way to support military service men and women, along with police and fire fighters across the region.
He focused on building care packages to send overseas, along with supporting grieving families who lost loved ones in the line of duty — something he named Project Picking up the Pieces.
“If I’m having a bad day, there’s nothing in comparison to helping somebody else,” said Mitchell, who also works full time as an operations manager at Verizon.
In its third year, Operation Bald Eagle continues to gain momentum. When it started, the organization sponsored 60 troops. The number is now at more than 1,000.
This past Thanksgiving, the home-based nonprofit earned enough funds to support 300 turkey dinners for troops. At Christmas, they worked with the Issaquah Police Department to collect over 400 toys in three weeks.
Mitchell, who has no military experience but served briefly as a reserve police officer, carries his father’s passion for service. A Navy veteran and later a successful businessman, Mitchell watched his dad commit selfless act after selfless act.
“My dad was one of these people, he was always about giving to others in need,” he said. “What my dad taught me is if you sacrifice for others, it’s the most rewarding thing you’ll ever go through.”
Now a father of three, Mitchell is proud to see those values continue on. This past Christmas, his 5-year-old son asked for toys from a box that were being donated. When Mitchell explained the significance of the toys, it only took a second for his son to react.
“He goes, ‘I get it dad,’” Mitchell said. “He walks back to his room and he gets one of his new toys and goes, ‘Dad, give this to them.’”
Operation Bald Eagle will soon hit a bit of a speed bump. Mitchell learned two weeks ago, he will have to move to Utah within the next few months for his full-time job. He said he plans to continue work in Washington, but will expand in Utah as well. Others have already volunteered to keep the program alive here.
Earning the SAMMI acted as a bittersweet sendoff for Mitchell.
“It’s really humbling,” he said. “I didn’t like the connotation hero, because I’m not a hero. The people I deal with their the heroes. There’s times where I just get choked up with I talk about these families because they do everything.”
2012 SAMMI AWARD WINNERS
Arts – R. Joseph Scott: The conductor and music director for the Sammamish Symphony and Orchestra has been at it for 13 years. He was recognized for helping create a rich cultural environment in Sammamish.
Business – Rhonda Newton: The owner of Rhonda Newton DDS, Family Dentistry, has been involved with Kiwanis and various Sammamish charities the last 16 years. She was recognized for using her business resources to help support community causes.
Courage – Court Huston: An advocate of Helping Other People with Epilepsy, she travels around dispeling common myths about epilepsy. She was recognized for overcoming great obstacles to live life to the fullest and inspiring others to meet challenges.
Learning Promotion – Ronda Patrick: The Eastside Catholic teacher helped launch the school’s DECA program. She was recognized for enriching and inspiring contributions to create a positive environment for students.
Teen Spirit – Jordan Lim: The freshman at Inglewood Junior High has helped plan and organize monthly food donations Heroes for the Homeless. She was recognized for showing a passion for helping others.
Environmental Award – Pauline Cantor: The Sammamish resident volunteers as a Sammamish Parks Commissioner among several other organizations. She was recognized for being an advocate of environmental awareness through the use of time, talent and resources.
Trevor Price Award – Ryan Brown, Nathan Gelbrich, Allie Murphy: The trio launched the St. Joseph’s basketball tournament, which helps funds scholarships for other children. The students were honored as youth under 13 who outwardly displays compassion, respect and kindness.
Youth Advocate – Connor Creswell: The Eastside Catholic senior started Cool Kicks, a program that donates shoes to foster kids. He was recognized for being shining example and inspiring his peers and younger generations to follow suit.
Spirit of Sammamish – Kent T. Kiernan: The former police sergeant partners with various organizations to help plan for emergencies and disasters through volunteer involvement with the Sammamish Citizen Corps Council. He was recognized for embodying the highest level of commitment to the community.
