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By: Carly Levy
The Tamarac Historical Society held its 4th Annual Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony where five residents, who took an active role in the community, were recognized and inducted.
The Historical Society was founded back in 2009 by former Public Information Officer Chad Quinn after receiving inquiries about the history of the city. It was soon discovered that an employee at the city clerk’s office had a job to cut all articles that had ever been written about Tamarac who placed them into a scrapbook, so through this, the history was compiled.
“The Tamarac Historical Society’s mission is to research, collect, and preserve,” said Historical Society President Barbara Tarnove. “Our mission is always sustainable by the many hours that our historical society members have spent on this quest to uncover our history.”
The Hall of Fame Awards, held at the Tamarac Community Center had over 100 in attendance including: Mayor Harry Dressler; Vice Mayor Debra Placko; Commissioner Julie Fishman; Broward Sheriff’s Office Captain Neal Glassman; and Tamarac Fire Rescue Chief Mike Burton.
Guest Speaker Public Art Consultant George Gadson gave examples of artwork made possible by the city’s public art committee such as “Under the Shadow of a Big Tree” located in Tephford Park that pays tribute to the fallen officer. Even the benches outside the Tamarac Community Center is public art, where tiles are glued on to the benches which are adorned with the city’s colors.
Tarnove said that the purpose of the Hall of Fame is to present to Tamarac little known residents who do good deeds for their city.
Honorees for this year’s Hall of Fame are:
Pamela Bushnell- President of Mainlands 1&2. Former commissioner, Vice Mayor and Mayor. Council member of the All Saints Lutheran Church, Relay for Life, Community Emergency Response Team, Broward County Board of Health, Mission United Housing Committee, Ethics Task Force, Interfaith Community Leadership Council.
Dr Cheryl Cendan– Founding principal of Millennium Middle School. Member of the Broward Principals Association, The National Association of Secondary Principals.
Sharon Duca– Tamarac Center’s Artist of the Month. Worked with children from Tamarac’s task force aftercare program.
Robert Fortier– Member of COPS program, Broward County Sheriff’s Department, and Vice President of HOA in Avalon Estates. Volunteered at St. Philip’s House, St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church.
Harriet Goldblatt– Volunteered for the Cunningham Women’s League, senior program of Tamarac Community Center, teaching computers, aquatic center.