Four more names are headed for the granite stars at Royal Palm Place. The Boca Raton Historical Society inducted Doris Marie Hester, John W. Temple, and Marilyn and Jay Weinberg into the Walk of Recognition on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at a ceremony at The Addison that marked the program's 30th anniversary.

The class of 2026

The society lists three inductee entries for this year, one of them a couple, which brings four residents onto the monument:

  • Doris Marie Hester
  • John W. Temple
  • Marilyn and Jay Weinberg

The Walk of Recognition is meant for people whose service has had a lasting, positive effect on life in Boca Raton. The historical society describes the honor as going to those whose commitment to the community reaches beyond the demands of their day jobs. Over three decades, the list has taken in civic leaders, philanthropists, educators, artists and whole organizations.

The induction ceremony took place at 6 p.m. at The Addison, the historic landmark where the society holds the induction each year. The Addison itself is on the Walk: it received a historic preservation award from the society in 2022.

Thirty years of names in stone

The program began in 1997, conceived by Marta Batmasian, and the Jim and Marta Batmasian Family Foundation has underwritten it from the start, including this 30th anniversary year. Each honoree's name is carved into a granite star, and together the stars form the monument.

The first class, in 1997, included Jan McArt, Florence Fuller, Eugene Lynn, Countess Henrietta de Hoernle and Maestro Mark Azzolina, among others. Later years added institutions that residents use every week: Florida Atlantic University in 2019, Lynn University in 2017, the Boca Raton Museum of Art in 2018, Boca Raton Regional Hospital in 2016, Boca Ballet Theatre in 2020 and the Junior League of Boca Raton in 2023.

Last year was a special case. For the city's centennial, the society honored a larger group of 2000s leaders as Centennial Luminaries, a list that included Mary Csar, Troy McLellan, Marie Speed, Dr. Jon Robertson and Dean Michael Horswell of Florida Atlantic University. This year the Walk returns to its usual size of a few inductees.

Where to see the stars

The Walk of Recognition monument sits at Royal Palm Place in downtown Boca Raton, beneath the statue of Addison Mizner. Anyone shopping or dining at Royal Palm Place can stop and read the names, from the 1997 class to the stars being added this year.

It pairs easily with a stop at the historical society's museum on North Federal Highway, also downtown, where the society keeps the full record of every class on the Walk.

How the honorees are chosen

Nominations come from the community. The society opens a nomination period each year, then closes it and announces the inductees ahead of the ceremony. For the 2026 class, nominations had closed by early fall and tickets for the November event went on sale October 5. Residents who want to put a name forward for a future year can watch the society's website for the next call, or ask the museum office when it opens.

Sponsorships and tribute ads for the event are handled through the society's executive director, Olivia Hollaus, at [email protected] or 561-395-6766, extension 106.

Plan a visit

  • The monument: Royal Palm Place, downtown Boca Raton, beneath the Addison Mizner statue.
  • The museum: Boca Raton Historical Society and Museum, 71 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, FL 33432. Daytime hours are posted on its website; call 561-395-6766 or email [email protected] before you go.
  • Full honoree list: every class from 1997 through 2026 is posted on the society's 30th Walk of Recognition page.

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