South County Beat: Little girl’s big 911 call leads to great day

By Nick Wilson & Dawn White

When 9-yearold Lily Hawkins said she felt too sick to go to school on the morning of April 28, she didn’t know that she’d be play a pivotal role in saving her dad’s life later that day.

The Arroyo Grande third-grader didn’t hesitate to call 911 just after noon when she realized her dad was having a seizure at their home, leaving him unable to speak and in need of urgent care.

A dispatch tape of the call shows how she spoke softly and calmly with sheriff’s dispatcher Nikki Lipanovich, giving her essential information to get help to her dad quickly.

Lipanovich talked her through the stressful situation until deputies, the Oceano Fire Department and San Luis Ambulance arrived.

Officials said that Lily’s quick response may have saved her dad’s life.

Her actions prompted the county Board of Supervisors to honor her publicly Tuesday morning and to adopt a resolution honoring her for the quick and proper use of 911.

Lily, a shy blond girl, chose not to speak to the large and adoring crowd in the supervisors’ chambers, but admitted that she knew she did the right thing.

She and dispatcher Lipanovich will travel to Sacramento next week to be honored with kids from around California who have used 911 successfully.

“We get a lot of calls from kids but she knew what to do,” Lipanovich said. “She made our job easy.”

Honor for AGHS student

An Arroyo Grande High School freshman has won the title of an esteemed National FFA Organization competition.

Amika Osumi, of the Arroyo Grande High FFA chapter, was named the 2008 California FFA Creed State Finals Winner at the event held April 17 in Fresno.

The FFA creed is five paragraphs and encompasses the morals and beliefs of the organization.

Freshmen nationwide participate every year in FFA creed-recitation contests to exhibit their knowledge and ability to reiterate the creed as well as answer a series of questions to show their understanding of agriculture.

This year, thousands of freshmen competed in the contest throughout California and only 24 of those individuals qualified to compete in the state finals in Fresno.

The competition went through two rounds. At the close of the evening, the final six winners were announced and Osumi took home the title. She was surrounded by her family, close friends and FFA adviser Steve DeRose.

Osumi has been reciting and competing in FFA Creed contests since January.

She was the Santa Barbara section and South Coast region FFA creed speaking winner and then went on to compete in the state finals.

Her win is the first for the Arroyo Grande FFA chapter in the California State FFA Creed Speaking contest.

And she is the first freshman in more than 30 years to win the state contest from the organization’s South Coast region.

Osumi will go on to represent California in October at the National FFA Creed Speaking contest to be held in Indianapolis.