By Pat Loeb

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (CBS) — A Doylestown woman has been nominated for a prestigious national award, for her work on behalf of fallen US soldiers.

“I was shocked and I called my daughter right away and she said, ‘Mom, that’s a pretty big honor,’ ” recalls gold-star mother Janet Manion, describing her reaction when she heard she’d been nominated for a Citizens Service Before Self award, presented by the Medal of Honor Foundation.

Manion is chairman of the Travis Manion Foundation, which she created in honor of her son, a US Marine lieutenant killed in Iraq (see related stories).

She says she was inspired by something he once said to her: ” ‘If not me, then who?’  And I’m driven to live by that motto, so that’s the inspiration.”

Foundation president Sy Johnson says 180 people were nominated for the honor, and Manion is one of 20 finalists.  They are, he says, “people who have done things like Janet, who has selflessly helped fallen heroes.”

Johnson says the three winners will be announced on March 12th.  In the meantime, Manion says she’s happy just to be a finalist:

“It’s a huge honor, but it’s not just me. We have an amazing group of people at the foundation who are dedicated to our mission.”