Island County residents, organizations and businesses were honored this month as recipients of the Linda Lee Martens Memorial Community Health Hero award.

The Island County Board of Health convenes annually with the Community Health Advisory Board to honor the recipients that are selected out of a pool nominated by the community.

Those honored were: Kristen Lasher, Annie Jesperson, Nathaniel Talbot, Cary Peterson, Whidbey Island Nourishes, Karen Strawn, Whidbey Camano Land Trust, Francis Bagarella, Beach Watchers of Island County, Logan Weiler, Joseph Busig, Richard Epstein, Impaired Driving Impact Panel of Island County, Island Drug and Janie Keilwitz.

The award, named in honor of the late Linda Lee Martens, began in 2000. She has been described as “an ordinary person with an extraordinary love for others.”

A longtime community activist, Martens served as the former executive secretary of the county health department, as president of Soroptimist International of Coupeville and was involved in numerous community service activities at the local and national level. She died in 2001 as a result of cancer.