80 ‘Heroes’ for Olympic Torch Picked

Dixie Henrikson leads a hand-bell choir for children who are developmentally disabled.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Michael Duarte, the son of poor Mexican immigrants, mentors and tutors several students.

Glen Smith, 13, makes time to help feed the homeless, work at a Hollywood youth center and care for his five younger siblings.

As recognition for their volunteer efforts, they are among 80 “community heroes” selected to carry the Olympic flame through the streets of Los Angeles County. A total of 10,000 men and women will relay the torch to the Summer Games in Atlanta.

The United Way of Greater Los Angeles and Mayor Richard Riordan announced the local runners Thursday morning outside City Hall. About half the runners were there, trying on their white “Atlanta 1996” T-shirts.

A panel selected them from more than 2,000 people nominated by friends and relatives.

The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games and local United Way groups are picking 5,500 “community heroes” nationwide. The rest of the runners will be former Olympic athletes and people selected by Coca-Cola, sponsor of the torch relay.

Thrilled that she will carry the flame, Henrikson, 74, joked, “I want to apply for a downhill” part. The North Hollywood woman helped start Activities for Retarded Children 26 years ago.

Duarte, of Torrance, has been tutoring students for 11 years, in whatever subjects they need. “It’s important to help kids, especially with all the problems we have in L.A.,” he said. “Any way I can help out is worth it.”

The relay will begin April 27 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of the 1984 Summer Olympics. The Los Angeles leg of the relay will end at the county line in Long Beach, with each participant running slightly more than half a mile.

Runners will cover 15,000 miles through 42 states on the 84-day journey to the opening ceremony of the centennial Olympic Games on July 19 in Atlanta.

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The ’96 Torch Bearers

CENTRAL CITIES

Father Greg Boyle: Los Angeles

Denise Carter: Los Angeles

Stephen Chavez: Los Angeles

Gregory Cox: Los Angeles

Lou Dantzler: Los Angeles

Sylvia Dyson: Los Angeles

Mike Edwards: Los Angeles

Darren Gaertner: Los Angeles

Marilyn Gilmore: Los Angeles

Simon Goss: Compton

Frank Kelly: Los Angeles

Glen Smith: Hollywood

James Spradley: Los Angeles

Laura Wiltz: Los Angeles

HARBOR AREA

Gary Couso-Vazquez: Montebello

Michael Duarte: Torrance

Nan Harmon: Palos Verdes

Lisa Hilborn: Whittier

Ryan Holguin: Lomita

Jeff Holliday: Gardena

Kevin Irion: Long Beach

Amye Leong: San Pedro

Eliezer Morales: Los Angeles

Susan Rubin: Whittier

Susan Shapiro: Cerritos

Glenn Thompson: Palos Verdes Estates

Brian Westin: Whittier

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

Roger Barkley: La Canada Flintridge

Ann Bean: Burbank

Troy Bennett: N. Hollywood

Patrick Connelly: Encino

Patricia Cowden: Tujunga

Thomas Dakoske: Agoura

Keno De Varney: Agoura

Liz Giltner: Canoga Park

Agnes Hector: Woodland Hills

Dixie Henrikson: N. Hollywood

Lorenzo Izarraraz: Van Nuys

Robert Keene: Burbank

Kristine Kirsten: Canoga Park

Ethel Klein: Calabasas

Andre Marlellows: Santa Monica

Walter Mosher: San Fernando

Bill Schellenberg: Sherman Oaks

Marianne Wolfe: Northridge

ANTELOPE VALLEY

Greg Oakes: Lancaster

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Licia Davison: Sierra Madre

Daniel Hernandez: Altadena

Patrick McDonnell: Industry

Charles Miller: Pasadena

Brian Nutt: Pasadena

Melanie Watson: Duarte

WESTSIDE

Charles Aronberg: Beverly Hills

Herb Carter: Los Angeles

Larry Collins: Manhattan Beach

Anne Cummings: Hermosa Beach

Natalie Foy: Redondo Beach

Jose Garcia: Malibu

David Grober: Marina del Rey

Marvin Helfgott: Los Angeles

Jeanne Hoagland: Los Angeles

Lora Joy: Los Angeles

Craig Kaufman: Manhattan Beach

Danise Lynn Lehrer: Marina del Rey

Judy Madwin: Los Angeles

Patrick McCoullough: Los Angeles

Florence Newsom: Los Angeles

David Radden: Venice

Dorothy Rodgers-Caldwell: Los Angeles

Pete Roles: Los Angeles

Leandra Sarton: Venice

Jamaal Wilkes: Beverly Hills

OTHER AREAS:

Frederick Abeita: Barstow

Linda Angona: Upland

Ryan Duston: Ventura

Dave Kunst: Newport Beach

Jerry Reese: Garden Grove

Sean Stewart: Seal Beach

Chris Van Duin: Victorville

Source: United Way of Greater Los Angeles