Giraffe Heroes Database
Letter "K"
Entries beginning with "K"
Michael Killigrew of Grass Valley CA put his career as an artist on hold to found and sustain "Direct Connections," linking students in the US and USSR. Killigrew was sure the future stability of the two countries depended on young people making contact and he risked his financial and professional well being to make it happen.
Home when commended: North America, US, California Home now: North America, US, California Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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LaVaughn King of Daly City CA braves drug dealers to buttonhole young buyers with a stay-clean message and devotes endless hours to the anti-drug organization she has founded.
Home when commended: North America, US, California Home now: North America, US, California Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Not so long ago, if a woman cried rape there was a good chance no one listened—no one except Fairfax VA's Connie Kirkland. Kirkland set up a 24-hour rape crisis center in the 1970's, long before the value of such facilities was common knowledge. Her pioneering efforts have been emulated worldwide.
Home when commended: North America, US, Virginia Home now: North America, US, Virginia Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Sonja Kjaer of Seattle WA champions the 400,000+ Americans who, like her, suffer from Tardive Dyskinesia/Tardive Dystonia (TD/TD), a painful neurological disorder. Though living on disability benefits, she has spent thousands of her own dollars to run a nonprofit that provides TD/TD information, support, and prevention education.
Home when commended: North America, US, Washington Home now: North America, US, Washington Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Francis Kleeman MD of Kennebunk ME took the national concern about sky-rocketing health care costs very personally, rallying people in two counties to create and staff a free medical/dental clinic. Kleeman pesonally enlisted dozens of volunteers and rounded up donated equipment in his truck.
Home when commended: North America, US, Maine Home now: North America, US, Maine Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Michael Klosner of Bayside NY gave up his Wall Street job, endless hours of his time and much of his own money to found Operation Graffiti Storm. Klosner organizes kids who've been arrested for defacing property to repair the defaced schools, building, utility poles and mailboxes.
Home when commended: North America, US, New York Home now: North America, US, New York Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Broadcaster Ted Knight and WCBD-TV in Charleston SC kept broadcasting a series of anti-fraud, pro-consumer news reports despite outrage from the business community and serious advertising losses.
Home when commended: North America, US, South Carolina Home now: North America, US, South Carolina Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Emma Lou Kogo of Detroit MI led her neighborhood in a fight against drugs, founding "Just the Neighbors," a citizen block-watch program. Risking her life time and again, Kogo broke up drug buys and reported drug sales to the police. Thanks to her efforts, the crack house on her block was closed down and Just the Neighbors went on to close other crack houses in the area.
Home when commended: North America, US, Michigan Home now: North America, US, Michigan Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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When he was a medical student in China, Nepalese Sushil Koirala started a global campaign for peace on the Internet. Now a licensed physician, he ignores chances to build a profitable medical career, instead devoting his boundless energy and limited resources to creating peace and democracy within his country and around the world.
Home when commended: Asia, Nepal Home now: Asia, Nepal Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Dr. C. Everett Koop of Bethesda MD, former US Surgeon General, came under heavy fire when he treated AIDS as a health issue, not a moral one, and when he initiated campaigns against smoking and for AIDS education in schools. An evangelical Christian, Koop was denounced by many conservatives, but continued to take positions he saw as serving the common good.
Home when commended: North America, US, Maryland Home now: North America, US, New Hampshire Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Larry Koralik of Woodstock IL found schools in Jamaica that had no books, so he did something about it. Koralik sent millions of books to the schools, and founded the International Book Bank, devoting all his time and resources to finding free textbooks and shipping them to schools in 41 Third World countries.
Home when commended: North America, US, Illinois Home now: North America, US, Illinois Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Greg Kramer, a Garrison NY businessman, founded Harvest With a Heart to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to food banks. After a year of frustrating negotiations, with no outside financial support and with limited personal resources, he got the NY National Guard to deliver the first load of gleaned apples for Thanksgiving. He went gone on to deliver thousands of pounds of apples to food banks in the greater Hudson Valley, New York City and Vermont.
Home when commended: North America, US, New York Home now: North America, US, New York Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Joe Kramer MD of Leonia NJ walked away from a lucrative suburban medical practice to devote his life to the poor in one of New York City's most dangerous neighborhoods. Dr. Kramer sees patients without charge if they have no insurance, and considers it part of his practice to press city officials and private agencies to help the neighborhood, to find housekeepers for the elderly, lecture kids to stay in school, and get jobs for ex-cons.
Home when commended: North America, US, New Jersey Home now: North America, US, New Jersey Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Sue Kremelberg and Susan Sweetser went public with their experiences as rape victims re-victimized by the legal system. Both women were raped by the same man, their cases lumbering through year after year of traumatic, disrespectful court hearings. They became devoted activists for legal reform and support for victims. Kremelberg has started support groups for rape/incest victims and helps train people working with victims in the criminal justice system.
Home when commended: North America, US, Vermont Home now: North America, US, Vermont Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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As a reporter on Russian radio, Maria Kryuchkova raises controversial questions about dubious charities. She has herself organized a group of 150 volunteers who help the elderly and people with disabilities.
Home when commended: Asia, Russia Home now: Asia, Russia Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Elisabeth Kubler-Ross MD of Head Waters VA, a psychiatrist and author, sacrificed her financial well being, health and privacy to serve those in need. After ministering to former concentration camp prisoners and working with "hopeless" mental patients, Kubler-Ross devoted herself to pioneering work with the dying.
Home when commended: North America, US, Virginia Home now: North America, US, Arizona Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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