Just a few short weeks ago, dozens of Boston By Foot volunteers made their way to Education First’s gorgeous headquarters for our annual Awards Reception. During this evening of joy and festivities, we celebrated many well-deserving Boston By Foot volunteers, including those who gave twenty or more tours this season, retiring committee co-chairs, Flansburgh Travel Fellowship winners, distinguished friends, and a handful of guides who have served BBF for five, ten, fifteen, twenty-five, thirty, and even forty years!

Foot Pins:

The following people were awarded Foot Pins to honor their years as a BBF docent: Five-year pin recipients: Ellen Aamodt, Carol Armistead, Adeane Bregman, Arlene Freed, Susan Halpert, Mitch Halpert, Peter Hoge, June Koo, Carl Nelson, Laurel Perkins, Rosemary Powers, Barry Smith, Susan Tweed, and Lauri Wardell; Ten-year pin recipients: Peter Ambler, Karen Burke, Harvey Cohen, Megan Hayes, Mary Lynn, Jeanette Maria, Lynda McNally, and Rose-Jane Sulman; Fifteen-year pin recipients: Terri Evans and Tim McLaughlin; Twenty-year pin recipients: Gretchen Grozier; Twenty-five-year pin recipients: Justina Chu; Thirty-year pin recipients: Nancy Heywood and Katherine May; Forty-year pin recipient: Susan Herman.

Footly Fortitude:

The following Docents were acknowledged for giving 20 or more tours:

20 Tours: Michael Cox, Jeffrey Doucette, Shawn McGuinness and Michelle Saracusa; 21 Tours: Andrea Bonanno, Rebecca Brooks and Susan Herman; 23 Tours: Dayl Cohen, Harvey Cohen, Martha Felch, Kurt Morris and Sally Ebeling; 24Tours: Terri Evans, Beth Greenwood, and Lauren Sterling; 25 Tours: Willa Brown, David Coviello, Liam Sullivan, and Joni Youngwirth; 26 Tours: Edythe Harkins; 28 Tours: Linda Poznauskis; 29 Tours: Tom Coppeto and David O'Connell; 32 Tours: Beth Charney, Gene Moulton, and Michele Steinberg; 33 Tours: Rich Abrahams; 36 Tours: Dennis McCarthy; 37 Tours: Ron Tate; 59 Tours: Sharon Fogarty; 61 Tours: Margaret Bratschi and Tom Revay; 68 Tours: Gretchen Grozier; 69 Tours: Laurel Perkins; 70 Tours: Tom McNamara; 72 Tours: Steve Kluskens; 91 Tours: Elisabeth DiCicco; 148 Tours: Bob Perkins!

Committee Co-chairs:

Six retiring co-chairs were recognized: Marylee Gilchrist and Susan Tweed, Tours of the Month Committee; Liz Morgan, Volunteer Events Committee; David Phillips, Academic Affairs Committee; Patricia Sabbey, Continuing Education Committee; Dina Vargo, Special Tours Committee

Flansburgh Traveling Fellowship Winners:

Two winners of the Flansburgh Traveling Fellowship were announced: Willa Brown who will travel to Southern Italy; and Jean Hunt who will travel to Newfoundland, Canada.

Distinguished Friend Award:

The Boston Women's Heritage Trail was presented with the 2018 Distinguished Friend Award as a long-time friend of Boston By Foot, and a long time contributor to the greater understanding of Boston history. BBF was honored and delighted earlier this year when the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail invited us to lead their tours on their behalf, starting with the Notable Women of Beacon Hill walking tour.

Distinguished Service Award:

The distinguished service award was presented to Gretchen Grozier, a dedicated guide who has played many roles in our organization in her 20 years as a Boston By Foot docent – Committee Co-Chair, Group Leader, Demo Guide, and Editorial Board Member. This year she played a huge role in developing two of BBF’s newest partnerships. BBF presented programming this year with the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail and with the City of Boston for the Imagine Boston 2030 initiative. Gretchen helped develop relationships with both organizations, adapted the Notable Women of Beacon Hill tour so we could present it with the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail, and wrote a whole new tour of Upham’s Corner to present in partnership with the City and their Upham’s Corner partners.

Docent Emeritus:

In 2017, Boston By Foot established the Docent Emeritus position to honor the contributions of longtime volunteers and enable them to continue a lifetime connection to the organization after they have decided to end their active involvement.

After 10 or more years of service, Docents may choose to become Docent Emeriti. They will receive lifetime Volunteer Membership benefits and the lasting title of Boston By Foot Docent Emeritus or Docent Emerita.

This year we added the following volunteers to the ranks of our Docent Emeriti.

Hannah Diozzi, Class of 1995
William Lauch, Class of 2006
Larry Sands, Class of 2001
Pat Sullivan, Class of 1999

We sincerely thank all of our newly inducted Docent Emeriti for their many years of service to Boston By Foot, and treasure our ongoing relationship. We also thank not just the award recipients listed above, but also every one of our wonderful volunteers. Their passion and love for Boston By Foot is beyond compare, and we’re so thankful to have such a strong and devoted community.