A former self-described soccer mom turned Virginia prison inmate turned social activist is one of CNN's Top 10 Heroes.

Carolyn LeCroy, a television news producer from Norfolk who went to prison a dozen years ago for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, was cited for helping produce 3,000 video messages from inmates to their children.

She could not be immediately reached for comment. But in an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch two years ago, LeCroy said that while she was held at the Goochland Correctional center for Women, "I would have visits all the time from my two sons.

"Then I'd go back to the floor at Goochland and I'd see all these women who never got visits and how depressed and unhappy they were," LeCroy said. "My heart just went out to them."

She said that after her release she wanted to do something. "So I decided to take my career as a film producer [and] use it to do this." The program has been taping greetings from inmates to their children since 1999.

Since then, they have done several thousand for Mother's Day, Father's Day and Christmas. The Department of Corrections supports the program because it reinforces the bond between parents and children.

According to the network, each of this year's "Top 10 CNN Heroes" will receive $25,000 and be honored at "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute," airing from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Calif., on Nov. 27.

Hosted by Anderson Cooper, the Thanksgiving night broadcast will culminate with the announcement of the CNN Hero of the Year, selected by the public in an online poll that began yesterday morning.

Continuing through Nov. 19, viewers can log on to CNN.com/Heroes to participate in the poll. The person receiving the most votes will receive an additional $100,000.
Contact Frank Green at (804) 649-6340 or fgreen@timesdispatch.com.