Island County residents, organizations and businesses were honored Monday 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 recipients who are selected from 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, Impared 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.

Martens is described as “an ordinary person with an extraordinary love for others.” A longtime community activist, Martens served as the executive secretary of the Health Department and as president of Soroptimist International and was involved in numerous community service activities at the local and national level.

She died in 2001 from cancer.