Friends of the Ritz assembles board

A new group designed to support the future success of the Ritz Theatre has appointed its first board.

The Friends of the Ritz Theatre recently met to assemble its first-ever slate of board members.

Former Ritz General Manager Keith Kozicki is the founder of the new nonprofit group.

Kozicki says Friends of the Ritz is an added way to support the continued growth and development of the theatre by getting the community involved.

“It’s a great opportunity to get the citizens involved and have a say in the ongoing operation of the theatre,” he said. “The whole idea is to try and get a lot of different view-points and interest in the community so that there is a buy-in and an investment that this is your theatre. This is another opportunity to reach out to the community to get them active and involved and feel like you’re a part of the historic theatre.”

The Friends of the Ritz Steering Committee reviewed emailed nominations and also heard nominations at the public meeting.

The steering committee includes Kozicki, Toccoa-Stephens County Welcome Center Director Sharon Crenshaw and Main Street Toccoa’s Special Events Coordinator Sharon Crosby; and, through their guidance, nine board members were ultimately selected to serve a one-year term, beginning January 1, 2019.

The board members are as follows: Alton Adams, Rucia Adams, Marie Cochran, Crenshaw, Crosby, Toccoa City Commissioner Evan Hellenga, Kozicki, Elaine Alewine Martin, and Bill Standard.

Kozicki said “this is a great start for the organization and it reflects the broad support and interest the community has in the Historic Ritz Theatre.”

For more information about Friends of the Ritz, Inc. contact Keith Kozicki at [email protected] or by phone at 404-434-7750.