Boca Raton Historical Society Celebrates Annual Members Meeting and Honors Local Leaders with Awards

Boca
Raton,
FL
–
May
15,
2025
–
The
Boca
Raton
Historical
Society
(BRHS)
hosted
its
Annual
Members
Meeting
and
Awards
Ceremony,
recognizing
outstanding
individuals
and
community
partners
whose
contributions
have
supported
the
Society’s
mission
of
preserving
and
sharing
Boca
Raton’s
unique
history.

The
event
brought
together
board
members,
volunteers,
supporters,
and
staff
to
reflect
on
accomplishments
over
the
past
year
and
celebrate
those
who
made
a
significant
impact.

Among
the
evening’s
highlights
was
the
presentation
of
the President’s
Awards,
honoring:

• 
  Jesse
  Cordoba –
  for
  his
  three
  years
  of
  service
  as
  Treasurer
  and
  Investment
  Club
  Board
  Representative,
  and
  for
  guiding
  a
  critical
  update
  to
  BRHS’s
  cybersecurity
  protocols.
• 
  Rebecca
  Demonte,
  Olivia
  Hollaus,
  LeAnn
  Berman,
  and
  Lauri
  Saunders –
  for
  their
  leadership
  and
  creativity
  as
  co-chairs
  of Bacchus
  Beckons,
  helping
  deliver
  the
  most
  successful
  event
  in
  its
  history.
  Saunders
  was
  also
  recognized
  for
  her
  role
  as
  advisor
  and
  liaison.
• 
  Dawn
  Zook –
  for
  her
  dedicated
  leadership
  as
  Chair
  of Toasts,
  Tastes
  &
  Trolleys.

The
Society
also
named Joyce
DeVita as
an Honorary
Board
Member,
and
presented
the
prestigious Myrtle
Butts
Fleming
Award to Olivia
Hollaus for
her
outstanding
service
and
commitment.

The Outstanding
Community
Partner
Award was
presented
to:

• 
  The
  Addison and
  Vice
  President Zoe
  Lanham,
  a
  vital
  partner
  in
  hosting Bacchus
  Beckons,
  the
  Boca
  Bacchanal
  Grand
  Tasting,
  and
  the
  Walk
  of
  Recognition.
• 
  Marta
  and
  Jim
  Batmasian, who
  have
  generously
  sponsored
  the
  Walk
  of
  Recognition
  for
  28
  years.

In
addition,
the
Society
expressed
heartfelt
thanks
to
its termed-out
board
members:
Arlene
Herson,
Lisbeth
Heggerick,
Olivia
Hollaus,
Phyllis
Robinson,
Sal
D’Amico,
Terry
Fedele,
and
Athena
Gounis,
and
extended
a
warm
welcome
to
newly
appointed
board
members Maria
Liguori, Adam
Morettin, Tracy
D’Amico, Wanda
Herrold,
and John
Gerson.

Appointed
to
the
Executive
Board
were Zoe
Lanham, Dan
Dickinson, and LeAnn
Berman.

Special
recognition
was
given
to
BRHS
staff
for
their
continued
dedication
and
excellence:

• 
  Shannon
  Patron,
  Director
  of
  Education,
  for
  her
  work
  on
  Bacchanal
  and
  other
  projects
• 
  Susan
  Gillis,
  Curator
  and
  creator
  of
  the Dream
  City exhibition.

“This
annual
gathering
is
more
than
a
meeting,”
said
BRHS
Executive
Director
Mary
Csar.
“It’s
a
celebration
of
our
collective
efforts
to
preserve
Boca
Raton’s
heritage
and
the
extraordinary
people
who
make
that
possible.”

For
more
information
about
upcoming
events
or
ways
to
support
the
Boca
Raton
Historical
Society,
visit www.bocahistory.org.