Wisconsin Inventor Recognized as Hero

After Hurricane Katrina, Wisconsin inventor Stacey Babiarz recognized the ineffiency of people slowly filling sandbags with shovelfuls of sand. What a slow, wasteful process when time is running out as disaster approaches. So he created the Bucket Bagger, a mechanized device that delivers sand rapidly into a bag, allowing bags to be filled several times faster than the old way - and with a lot less human fatigue.

Stacey thought his work would help people the next time a hurricane struck somewhere far from Wisconsin, not realizing that his invention would soon help save his own neighborhood. The CNN story, "Inventor's device helps save his own flooded neighborhood," recognizes Stacey's work and notes that he's been dubbed a hero in Wisconsin for his efforts - and for his generosity:

Babiarz typically sells the device for $5,400, but right now he's giving them away to his neighbors and friends around Lake Koshkonong. His hometown newspaper, the Janesville Gazette, has dubbed him a local hero.

Kudos to Stacey Babiarz for his excellent example of creativity, innovation, service and generosity.