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Thrive Counseling Center Honors Brenda Grusecki and Janice Pyrce with Rita Johnson Humanitarian Award On May 1st Brenda Grusecki and Janice Pyrce were honored by Thrive Counseling Center (formally Family Service & Mental Health Center of Oak Park & River Forest) at the Rita Johnson Humanitarian Awards Dinner held at the Oak Park Country Club. The event raised more than $100,000 for programs and services to individuals in the Oak Park, River Forest, Forest Park, Cicero and Berwyn communities. Brenda and Jan were presented with the prestigious Rita Johnson Humanitarian Award, established in 1988 to keep alive the memory of past board member Rita Johnson. Rita Johnson was an extremely principled woman who displayed strength and dignity throughout her life and worked quietly, yet tenaciously, to move Family Service forward to meet the changing needs of the community. Brenda and Jan have supported Family Service’s goal of building healthy minds, families and communities in many ways over the years. Most recently they co-led, with the Rev. F. Dean Lueking, the agency’s successful Endowment Campaign which helped the organization raise $1.3 million. Brenda Grusecki is a retired English teacher who taught for many years at Oak Park and River Forest High School, where she also chaired the English Division. As co-chair of the Family Service's Spring Gala and as chair of Resource Development, Brenda concentrated her efforts on innovative fundraising to ensure the strength and longevity of the organization. Jan Pyrce has a background in both social work and business, and is the principal of a national healthcare consulting firm, Pyrce Healthcare Group. Jan became involved with Family Service in 1996 as a member of the Returning to Our Roots Capital Campaign Committee. Her expertise in social work and business was invaluable with launching the agency’s strategic planning initiative as well as her work in assisting in the agency’s partnership initiatives with other West-Cook agencies. Entitled “Branching Out, Growing Together,” the spring gala was co-chaired by Oak Park resident Maura O'Hara and River Forest resident Sheila Carson. The evening's program included a reception, dinner, desert buffet, entertainment, and presentation of the award. Those interested in receiving more information about Thrive Counseling Center should call Denise Stennis at 708-383-7500, ext. 319. ABOUT THRIVE COUNSELING CENTER: Thrive Counseling Center is a not-for-profit, non-sectarian, social service and community-based mental health agency. The agency is licensed by the Illinois Department of Children and Thrive Counseling Center as a Child Welfare agency, is Medicaid Certified by the Illinois Department of Human Service - Office of Mental Health, Nationally Accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and is affiliated with the Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township, the River Forest Township Mental Health Committee and the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago.
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