Dr. Joan E. and Mr. Lee B. Thomas Honored as 2017 Heroes for the Home

Meredith Pack, PR & Marketing Manager

Dr. Joan E. and Mr. Lee B. Thomas were named the 2017 Heroes for the Home during the Home’s annual fundraiser on Thursday, June 8 at Churchill Downs. The event raised a record-setting $178,000 for the organization.

The Thomases were honored for their major financial contributions over the years, sustaining Home of the Innocents through difficult times, allowing the organization to continue serving children and families when there were no other resources available. Joan Thomas served on the Home’s Board of Directors for more than twenty years. Her last position was board emeritus. Her experience and expertise saw the Home through many critical decisions.

Former Board Member and current President of the Lincoln Foundation, Larry McDonald, presented Glenn Thomas, son of Joan and Lee Thomas, with this honor. Thomas gladly accepted, saying, “in a time when our society seems to be suffering from a great division, I hear my father’s voice on this subject, which is to remember that there’s always something we can agree on. One of those things is child welfare and the need to take care of our children, to take care of other people’s children and their children in turn.” The Hero for the Home Award is presented to a member of our community who has given long-lasting support to the Home’s children.

The award was presented to Glenn Thomas in front of a crowd of nearly 800 guests who enjoyed breakfast while hearing about the history of the Home and learning about services provided for the region’s children in crisis.

Photos from the event can be found on our Facebook page.