Friends of the Child: Oak Ridgers Tom Beehan and Kay Brookshire

Tom Beehan and Kay Brookshire are latest recipients of the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge's Selma Shapiro Friend of the Child Award. The award was recently presented to the longtime Oak Ridge residents at the museum’s gala by Rhonda "Ronnie" Bogard, Shapiro’s daughter.

During the presentation, Bogard shared the many ways Beehan and Brookshire exemplify her mother’s hopes and dreams for the museum.

“I can’t think of two people who more closely share my mother’s vision," she said. "Both of them have provided love and support to the Children’s Museum for decades, using their talents and building relationships.”

Beehan and Brookshire have been active supporters of the Children’s Museum for almost 40 years. Their involvement began with bringing their sons Patrick and Michael to the museum in the 1980s. Brookshire, a journalist, served as the museum’s media specialist for many years and continues to help with gala publicity as a volunteer.

Beehan, a former Oak Ridge city council member and mayor, was someone Shapiro could communicate with when advice or assistance was needed. He joined the museum’s board in 2015 and assumed the board’s presidency shortly after. Beehan led the search team that hired the museum’s current Executive Director Beth Shea. He was also instrumental in transferring the American Museum of Science and Energy’s Flattop House to the Children’s Museum.

At the gala, Brookshire shared excerpts from a letter they wrote to Shapiro in 2004, upon her retirement. She said it explains the love and support they have for the Children’s Museum, which has welcomed three generations of their family.

“When we first arrived in Oak Ridge in 1987, our children were 2 and 4 and loved the days they spent playing at the Children’s Museum. The water-play locks and dams, the coal mine tunnel, and the rocket room were their favorite places. They have wonderful memories of the summer camps and classes, where they learned to paint, built settings for model trains, cooked, sang, played musical instruments, and learned so much about so many different subjects.

“Those memories led Patrick to return to the museum as a VolunTeen in middle and high school and later as a member of the summer staff. We can’t thank you enough for the opportunities you provided our children to play and to learn in a warm and welcoming environment. And the opportunity you provided Patrick to take on responsibility, to work with children, and to teach during summer classes was invaluable, helping to shape the young adult he is today.”

After receiving the Friend of the Child Award at the Gala, Brookshire added: “Our children continue to be inspired by the Children’s Museum. Our son, Michael, said he plans to go home and 3D print statues after hearing Amy Elliott tonight and seeing her statue!”

Beehan and Brookshire are still active at the Children’s Museum, whether it’s visiting with their grandchildren, playing Celtic music with the Missing Goats at museum events, or Beehan’s time as a National Park Service volunteer.

The annual award honors museum supporters who reflect the legacy of Selma Shapiro, Bogard’s mother, a longtime director of the Children’s Museum. Under her leadership, the museum grew from one room to more than 20 exhibits that engage children and families in a variety of experiences and activities.

Shapiro served as the visionary executive director of the Children’s Museum for its first 31 years, retiring in 2004. She died in 2011. In honor of the award and in memory of Shapiro, her family presents a $1,000 gift to the Children’s Museum.

For more information about the Children’s Museum and its programs, visit https://childrensmuseumofoakridge.org or phone (865) 482-1074.

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Friends of the Child: Oak Ridgers Tom Beehan and Kay Brookshire