Carly Yoost of Child Rescue Coalition was named the 2022 Woman Volunteer of the Year at the 35th annual lunche on and fashion show hosted by the Junior League of Boca Raton (JLBR). The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Barbara Richardson.
Nonprofits from across South Florida nominated one of their top volunteers to be considered for Woman Volunteer of the Year. The nominees were honored and the recipients were named at the sold-out luncheon on November 4 at Boca West Country Club.
Carly Yoost’s work is nationally recognized for her global fight against child exploitation. After her father’s passing, Carly felt driven with purpose to carry on his legacy of protecting children. Carly is the founder and CEO of Child Rescue Coalition, where she volunteers 100% of her time to rescuing children. CRC technology is now being used by officers in 97 counties and has led to the arrest of over 14,000 child predators. Carly is the proud mother of two young children. Being a mother has strengthened her belief that children’s innocence is something we should all be fighting for.
Barbara Richardson, a founding member of Holy Ground in 2008, has served as Board Treasurer from 2008 until the present. Barbara acted as the organization’s accountant until 2013. She has made a significant impact at Holy Ground. As Treasurer, she has kept Holy Ground on track and enabled the organization to grow and prosper. Ms. Barbara, a mother of six, grandmother of eleven, great grandmother to nine, worked as an LPN for over twenty years and volunteered for numerous organizations. She states it’s “a privilege to serve the courageous and dedicated young moms and children.”
The nominees for Woman Volunteer of the Year were:
Tracy Lautomne, SOS Children’s Villages Florida; Carly Yoost, Child Rescue Coalition; Dr. Sarah Lochner, Boca Helping Hands; Nancy Hooker, Caridad Center; Jesse Barrass, Boca Ballet Theatre; Deanna Wheeler, Lynn University Friends of the Conservatory; Dr. N’Quaveh R. Velasquez, National Society of Arts and Letters of Florida; Dyana Kenney, Spirit of Giving; Zoe Dulaney, Marine Education Initiative; Chiara Clark, Delray Beach Public Library; Esther Perman, Dress for Success Palm Beaches; and Kristin Foret Viets, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
Nominees also included Laura Wilborn, CROS Ministries; Heather Shaw Fairs, Florence Fuller; Kelly Fleming, George Snow Scholarship Fund; Olga Lucia Gaviria, Hispanic Entrepreneur Initiative; Barbara Richardson, Holy Ground PBC; Ashley Craig, The Diaper Bank—Covering South Florida; Linda Gunn Paton, YMCA of South Palm Beach County; Wendy Elliott, Brain Bowl Events; Kirsten Stephenson, Boca Raton Historical Society; Margi Cross, Junior League of Boca Raton; Maria Timmins Fife, Friends Of…; Anita Detert, Best Foot Forward; Carin Friedman, JARC FL; Marci Shatzman, American Association of Caregiving Youth; Dr. Leighan Roberts Rinker, Place of Hope; Summer Faerman, Achievement Centers for Children & Families; Christen Ritchy, Women’s Executive Club of Boca Raton; Doris Gillman, Sweet Dream Makers; Phyllis Melman, Israel Cancer Association USA; Wendy Dohner, Speak Up for Kids; Maggie Rosenberg, HomeSafe; Holly Schuttler, Impact 100; and Dr. Donna Holland, Eda and Cliff Viner Community Scholars Foundation.
Kathy Assaf served as honorary chair and Reilly Glasser, Amy Procacci and Ashley Huxhold Cole were event co-chairs.
“Carly Yoost and Barbara Richardson have contributed so much to the community. We were so pleased to be able to honor these truly deserving women,” Jamie Sauer, President of the Junior League said.
The JLBR partnered with the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation and Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute as the Award Sponsor. Bloomingdale’s produced a state-of-the-art runway show that entertained and inspired guests during the luncheon. BRIC Innovation Campus hosted this year’s kickoff event. Oceans 234 sponsored the nominee meet and greet. The media sponsor was Boca Raton Magazine. The 1971 Appreciation Party Hostess was Fabiola Hooker.
Other sponsors included the 1971 Society, Christine E. Lynn and E.M. Lynn Foundation, Harcourt M. and Virginia W. Sylvester Foundation, Lang Realty, Diamonds Direct, Rendon Center for Dermatology and Aesthetic Medicine, Iolite Creative, Boca West Country Club, The Berman Law Group, Dr. Leighan Rinker, The Harbor Financial Group at Morgan Stanley, Dalsimer Atlas Floral and Camp Sunshine at Sebago Lake.
The Woman Volunteer of the year Committee members included Darina Bowerman, Mindi Brown, Donna Capparelli, Maria Fadeeva, Gwenn Feliciano, Reilly Glasser, Clarissa Gleichenhaus, Pattie Goldenberg, Ashley Huxhold Cole, Brooke Kaplan, Gina Lowy, Cheryl Marcus, Nicole Miranda, Anne Moody, Fabiola Padernacht, Tara Patton, Amy Procacci, Tracey Sommers, Alana St. John, Tracie Swanson, Lisa Talley, Sarah-Antonia Tkalec, Paige Gantt, Michelle Silverstone, Colleen Walls and Michelle Worthington Hillard.
For more information, email wvoy@jlbr.org or visit jlbr.org or call 561-620-2553.
The Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon celebrates outstanding women in the community nominated by nonprofit organizations throughout Palm Beach County and Northern Broward County for their dedication and expertise as volunteers, as well as the work they do to further the missions of the organizations they serve. Proceeds benefit the Junior League of Boca Raton.
About the Junior League of Boca Raton
The Junior League’s focus areas are Child Welfare and Community Support.
Throughout the year, JLBR members will contribute more than 35,000 volunteer hours and donate more than $250,000 to support our mission of training volunteers, developing the potential of women and improving the South Florida community. To learn more about the JLBR, please contact the JLBR office at 561-620-2553 or visit www.JLBR.org. Connect with us on facebook.com/JuniorLeagueBocaRaton, or twitter.com/JLBocaRaton
