Six prominent women will be recognized and honored for their progressive contributions to Broward County at the Opening of Photo Exhibition at Galleria Fort Lauderdale during Women’s History Month.
Tickets are available for the opening reception of History Fort Lauderdale’s “Women Trailblazers: Champions of Change – Broward County” from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 10 at Galleria Fort Lauderdale (2414 East Sunrise Blvd). The women who are proponents of change, along with their historical female predecessors who helped to pave the way for the community, will be honored during the preview and recognition ceremony taking place during Women’s History Month and benefiting History Fort Lauderdale. The photography exhibition runs from March 10 to March 31 at Galleria Fort Lauderdale.
The engaging 40-image exhibit will celebrate the contributions of six new outstanding women of today, including Sebrina María Alfonso, music director for South Florida Symphony Orchestra; Alexandra Anagnostis-Irons, founder and owner of Total Marine Solutions; Kathleen Cannon, president and CEO of United Way Broward County; Melanie Dickinson, president and publisher of South Florida Business Journal; Bertha Henry, county administrator for Broward County and Carolyn Michaels, executive vice president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce.
“South Florida is fortunate to be home to these passionate, driven and community-oriented Women Trailblazers who break boundaries, inspire and serve as role models to all of us,” Patricia Zeiler says, executive director of History Fort Lauderdale. “Once, again, together with Galleria Fort Lauderdale and this year’s generous sponsors, it is an honor to celebrate our female leaders’ creativity and their commitment to building a stronger arts hub, economic engine, philanthropic home and forward-thinking city of the future during Women’s History Month and beyond.”
Past pioneering women counterparts to be highlighted include Gertrude Denison (1915-1997), forerunner of Fort Lauderdale’s yachting industry, interior yacht designer for Broward Marine 1960 eventually establishing Yacht Interiors and honored in 1995 with a Showboat magazine lifetime achievement award for her contributions to the marine industry; Ruth Dichtenmueller (1904-1983), teacher, principal, vice president of Community Service Council and general supervisor of Broward County Schools; Anne Kolb (1932-1981), journalist, environmentalist, Florida Wildlife Federation Conservationist of the Year 1978 and the first woman to be elected Broward County Commission chair; Juliette Lange (1882-1977), mezzo soprano, musical comedy star vocalist and choir director at St Anthony’s Church also serving as president of the church’s Women’s Club; Eva Oliver (1883-1964), philanthropist, historian, active suffragette and first woman on the local election board, first president of the Fort Lauderdale Woman’s Club and chair of the committee that named Port Everglades and Lorna Simpson (1913-1995), Fort Lauderdale Daily News columnist, society editor/writer for Daytona Beach Sun-Record and WKAT writer and producer.
“Galleria Fort Lauderdale is proud to support History Fort Lauderdale and spotlight these influential women, past and present, who tirelessly champion change and progress,” Melissa Milroy says, senior marketing manager of Galleria Fort Lauderdale. “We hope our shoppers and the community-at-large will join us in celebrating their significant achievements and will take the initiative to learn more about their personal and professional journeys through this engaging photography exhibit.”
As part of the special event, Dillard’s will host a pop-up shop with 10% of its sales benefiting History Fort Lauderdale.
Tickets for the special March 10 recognition ceremony preview honoring the six local women of today are $35 and are available at https://bit.ly/HFLWomenTrailblazers2022. For more information about “Women Trailblazers: Champions of Change – Broward County,” visit historyfortlauderdale.org.
