SOUTH PORTLAND – A group of outstanding volunteers will be the honored guests at the eighth annual 6 Who Care Awards, a celebration of outstanding volunteers in the community. The awards will be presented at a ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 17, at the Marriott Hotel, to be televised as a primetime special on WCSH 6 later in October.

Two local people will receive awards.

Donald Walsh of Lewiston is the emergency disaster services supervisor for the Salvation Army Corps in Lewiston. For 20 years he has been instrumental to the Salvation Army’s humanitarian efforts in Androscoggin County and beyond.

Walsh makes sure that the disaster canteen is available for firefighters and other emergency personnel at fires as they occur all over northern New England. His service provides support to the workers and comfort to victims.

Walsh and a team of five other volunteers run a year-round feeding program for people in need in the Kennedy Park neighborhood of Lewiston.

This summer the Boys and Girls Club of Auburn/Lewiston had an immediate need for a driver for day trips; Walsh stepped in and met the need. He manages the Christmas Kettle campaign in the L/A area.

Major Richard Lyle, commanding corps officer in Lewiston, said Walsh “has a heart for God and a hand that reaches to man.”

Denise Pollard of Gray has volunteered for 25 years at Russell Elementary School in Gray. She started her volunteer work in a second-grade classroom, talking about her physical disability and the experience of living with cerebral palsy.

She works with the students with her philosophy that “people with disabilities are like everyone else, they just do things differently.”

Working with students who need extra help academically, Pollard assists with computer lessons and leads handicap awareness. She teaches social studies and science along with helping students with reading, writing, spelling and developing math games.

Others receiving awards will be:

Sgt. Robin Gauvin of Portland, who has been in a full-time position with the Portland Police Department for 24 years. He is working with law enforcement and National Alliance on Mental Illness of Maine to establish crisis intervention teams statewide in police departments, jails, hospital emergency rooms and social services.

Sylvio Normandeau of Winslow has worked to raise awareness and money on behalf of the Maine Children Cancer Program’s Annual WALK since 1991. Since then he has raised approximately $160,000.

Nancy Sulides of Scarborough, at Maine Medical Center since 1989, has created and participated in a wide variety of projects and Jeffrey Wood of Westbrook founded eHope three years ago.

In addition to the 6 Who Care award winners, Dr. Francis Kleeman of Kennebunk will be presented the Mary Rines Thompson Award, a volunteer recognition award of the United Way of Greater Portland since 1985. Camp Sunshine of Sebago Lake will be honored with the Agency of Distinction Award.