2024 Reach Award Winners

Since 2007, we’ve been honoring the remarkable contributions of individuals, families, organizations, volunteers, businesses and Reach employees who have played vital roles in advancing our mission. This year, we’re thrilled to introduce two new awards to our lineup. We extend our gratitude to everyone who submitted nominations. While we can’t acknowledge every nominee, we’re excited to announce this year’s recipients!

Community Partner of the Year: Three Rivers Park District

Three Rivers Park District joined Reach’s recreation consortium back in 2019. Since then, we have supported a combined 118 unique children at 16 sites for over 2,974 hours! The first year, we supported 17 kids for 397 hours and since then, it has grown significantly. In 2023 alone, we supported 54 kids for over 1,000 hours! Three Rivers Park District continues to prioritize inclusion and is a welcoming space for people of all abilities. Three Rivers Park District’s quality programs, welcoming nature, and inclusive practices their staff implement are an asset to our community. Their team members are continually advocating for further inclusive measures and are working with us to provide the best services possible. Thank you for your partnership! Click here to learn more about the Three Rivers Park District.

Advocate of the Year: Josh Brady

In 2023, Josh testified in front of the Minnesota State Senate and House of Representatives to speak about ending sub-minimum wage. During the hearing, Josh spoke very eloquently about his experience working at Pizza Hut. It was his first time testifying in front of state representatives and he made it look easy. Not only was Josh able to testify on this matter, he was also part of the statewide news coverage on ending sub-minimum wage. Josh did great testifying and being an example of someone working in a job they love and are good at while truly being part of the company they work for. Great job Josh! Click here to watch Josh’s testimony.

Matthew Smith Memorial Award: Roseann Lent

Reach is lucky to have Roseann as our Finance & Office Manager. For over 12 years, Roseann has taken care of employee payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable and the office supplies at Reach. Before we had a dedicated IT staff & HR employee, Roseann took on both of those roles. Roseann has seen many changes throughout her tenure at Reach and has taken them all in stride. When Roseann began, there were only 24 employees (not including part-time Rec staff) and our budget was $1.6M. Currently, she handles payroll for over 103 employees and finances of over $5M (projected). She has been through four office moves, two Executive Directors, four HR/Payroll software implementations and countless payment systems. Thank you, Roseann, for all your hard work and for all you do for Reach. We appreciate you!

Doris Sloan Rider of the Year: Michael

In 2023, Mike utilized TRAIL for a remarkable total of 158 rides! Actively engaged in numerous Adaptive Recreation & Learning Exchange (AR&LE) programs, he relies on TRAIL for transportation. As a longstanding TRAIL rider, Mike has consistently ranked among our top three riders annually. His warm smile and eagerness to volunteer, particularly at the Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll event, embody his commendable spirit. Congratulations to Mike on this much deserved recognition! Click here to learn about TRAIL.

George Healey Trailblazer: Michelle Veith

Michelle Veith is the visionary behind TRAIL, a nonprofit that Reach acquired in 2023, offering transportation services to adults with developmental disabilities in Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina, and Richfield. Michelle’s profound compassion for TRAIL riders has provided them a haven for many years. As President, she devoted 23 years to the organization, consistently engaging with and understanding each individual rider. Her enduring impact makes her irreplaceable to the TRAIL community. We are immensely thankful to have had her as part of our TRAIL family; Michelle’s dedication has shaped TRAIL into what it is today. Thank you Michelle! Click here to learn about TRAIL.