“It was one of those great stories / That you can’t put down at night / The hero knew what he had to do / And he wasn’t afraid to fight.”
Those are the lyrics that musical legend — and Santa Barbara County resident — David Crosby penned for his song “Hero,” and they’re a perfect introduction to the 20 men, women, and organizations chosen in 2011 as Local Heroes by The Santa Barbara Independent.
Everyone selected has a heartening tale: the mother who fought to get dyslexia-assistance programs into the schools; the retired couple who raise money to buy goats and cows for Rwandan genocide survivors; and the cycling enthusiast who puts about 1,300 new bikes into the hands of young riders every year. And with tenacity, each of the following heroes has fought tirelessly to bring their visions of helping others to fruition.