A Glendale veteran is among the finalists for a local business’ annual Military Hero Giveaway, an initiative that repairs or replaces an air conditioning unit for one of Arizona’s military veterans or active-duty service members at no cost to them.

Cheryl Reuss, of Glendale, served in the Marine Corps from 1989 to 1993. After her service, she began her civilian career in human resources and eventually found her way to teaching elementary and junior high school for 10 years.

Reuss spends a lot of her time volunteering as a secretary for the Arizona Roadrunners, a chapter of the Women Marines Association. As a single parent raising her 10-year-old granddaughter, she also spends time volunteering with her granddaughter’s school parent teacher organization and Becoming an Outdoor Woman.

Forrest Anderson Plumbing and Air Conditioning Inc., a Glendale based, family-owned business serving the greater Phoenix metro area since 1961, is sponsoring its 7th incarnation of the giveaway.

With a master’s degree in business and a passion for photography, Reuss is actively working to scale her photography business into a full-time career. She also enjoys spending time with her loved ones, camping, going on hikes and simply being outdoors.

Other finalists include Larry Brown of Surprise, Donald (Don) Kuhl of Phoenix, and Elizabeth (Beth) Nehring of Phoenix.

Now it’s up to the public to determine which veteran will receive a free air conditioning unit, fully installed, through an online voting process.

The public can help pick a winner by clicking here where they can read about each veteran and cast a vote for their favorite. Residents can vote for one nominee every 24 hours through Friday, Oct. 28.

The winner will be announced by Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

“The Forrest Anderson team is proud to honor our local veterans and acknowledge the sacrifices military families make every day to serve our country,” Forrest Anderson President Audrey Monell shared in a news release. “By sharing their stories, we want to start conversations about the importance of supporting military members, many of who return home with conditions that impact their physical and mental health.”