Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum Celebrates 2018 Inductees for Walk of Recognition
By: Robert S Weinroth
The Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum held the annual Walk of Recognition ceremony at The Addison. For 22 years our community has recognized the people (and institutions) that make Boca Raton the City where we have chosen to live.
The community event recognizes individuals and institutions who have been leaders in shaping the future of Boca Raton.
This year’s ceremony honored the Boca Raton Museum of Art, Dr Dick Reed and Rita Thrasher.
Boca Raton Museum of Art (Institutional Inductee) was founded by artists. It was established as the Art Guild of Boca Raton in 1950, growing to encompass an art school, guild store and museum, with distinguished permanent collections of contemporary art, photography, non western art, glass and sculpture as well as a diverse selection of special exhibitions. Jodi Grass, BRMA Board chair and Irvin Lippman, the museum’s executive director, accepted the honor.
Dr Dick Reed is a long time educator known for his service as a principal for both Boca Raton High School and Boca Raton Middle School. After his retirement, Dick became an active member for the three Boca Raton high school Key Clubs, which have grown in leadership and gained national recognition.
Dick founded and single handedly arranged the Kiwanis/Key Club Scholarship Walk for Homeless and Foster Children in 2013 and continued it for the past six years. He has also donated many hours annually to reviewing the applications for the George Snow Scholarship Fund. A humble man, Dick is most proud that his children all live close by.
After retirement as a school teacher, Rita Thrasher committed herself to serving the Boca Raton community. Personal tragedy inspired her to turn adversity into a mission to help others by bringing groups together to identify mental health needs and resources within our community.
Rita serves as Executive Director of Boca Raton’s Promise: the Alliance for Youth, an organization dedicated to supporting education and awareness of mental health needs and services. She is also founder and chair of the Palm Beach County Action Alliance for Mental Health, working to improve identification and coordination of mental health needs and resources in schools, the legal system, the workplace, and religious institutions.
Rita’s work has earned he recognition from a wide variety of sources. She has worked tirelessly to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions to improve the lives of people of all ages.
