Austin YMCA and staff members from the Mower County Chapter of the American Red Cross presented a Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action to Courtney Stasi, daughter of the YMCA’s fitness director, Kristi Stasi on Tuesday. Courtney received the award because she used the skills learned in a Red Cross CPR course to administer the Heimlich maneuver to her mother, clearing her airway of some food she had choked on.

The Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action is awarded to individuals who save or sustain a life by action that exemplifies the aims of the American Red Cross. The awardees do not have to be Red Cross trained.

Red Cross executive director Elaine Hansen and Penny Bartesch, health and safety coordinator of the Mower County Chapter of the American Red Cross, presented the award Tuesday morning.

YMCA executive director Mark Bjorlie, an advocate of CPR training for all YMCA employees, was present at the award giving, as well as Cindy Bowe, director of aquatics and instructor of the CPR course taken by Courtney.