Communitir
May gala celebrates life
Men honored for their commitment to the Louis Brier.
BOB MARKIN
Herschel Porte, left, and Premier Gordon Campbell at the Louis Brier Jewish Aged Foundation gala dinner May 15.
"Your donations make a huge difference."
-Gary Segal
The evening began with an important message from British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell. "Everyone here should rcahze that they're making someone's life betr ter," Campbell told a capacity crowd at the Louis Brier Jewish Aged Foimdation's gala dinner May 15. "Your contributions are an outstanding example of caring and sharing."
The event, in the Park Ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel, was sold out ^■■^■BH weeks in advance. It was a celebration of the new Chai Endowment \ Fxmd, which aims to improve the quality of ; life for residents at the home s
and hospital. ._•
Twocommimi- ' ty leaders - Bernard Reed and Herschel Porte - were also honored at the dinner. Both have been very involved in the development and welfare of the Brier facilities over the years.
Reed recently donated $3 million to the Louis Brier - funds which will go towards building more rooms at the facility in a tower along Oak Street, where the oldest part of the home presently stands. A photo of Reed and his wife, Mollie, will be himg in the new facility. Reed's son, David, movingly stressed his father's long-running concern for the well-being of the Jewish elderly and expressed sincere thanks to the crowd "for helping make my father's vision of a ■home' for all Jewish seniors more of a reality,"
Porte, meanwhile, was presented with a special plaque in honor of being named first recipient of the Chai Award, "in recog-
nition of his leadership and commitment to the Dr. Irving and Phyliss Snider Campus for Jewish Seniors."
Noticeably moved, Porte, in response, recalled his lengthy formal and personal association with the Louis Brier, its programs and residents, emphasizing that "the opportimity to serve has provided me with an immense level of personal satisfaction." After the formal part of the I evening drew to a close, the crowd was entertained by internationally-acclaimed singer, musician and actor Theodore Bikel, who gave a vibrant performance. Bikel conjured up a ___ wide-ranging program that included songs from the shtetl and Jewish folklore, from Broadway and Hollywood - with an especially memorable rendering from Fiddler on tlie Roof.
Each attendee was given a special gift package as a memento of what was, in every respect, a most memorable and outstanding evening.
Inside the gift package? Sunflower seeds, which, being fast-growing, symbolically represent "life." "Plant these and think of Louis Brier as you watch them grow," said diimer co-chair Nan-d Segal. Additionally, therc was a tzedakah box, which brought fellow chair Gary Segal's words about the importance of supporting the Brier to mind: "Your donations make a huge difler-ence," he said. "Please continue to do what you can." □
Bob Markin is a writer/editor living in Vancouver.
Accolades for a noted couple
Joseph and Rosalie Segal are honored with Variety humanitarian award.
MONIKAULLMANN
The 2005 Variety International Humanitarian Award dinner was a ni^t that mixed international glitz, political heavywdghts and heartfelt emotions with just a dash of theatre. The children's charity bestowed its highest honor on Vancouver's own Joseph and Rosalie Segal. And it felt like the entire dty had come to celebrate. . Nearly 900 members of Variety International attended, the majority here for the 78th annual Variety International Convention. Roughly 250 of them were members of Variety's local "Tent 47," induding many supporters from the Jewish community - all jpithered at the Wcstin Bay-shorc to shmoozc. Peter Legge was master of ceremonies and the Dal Ridiards band got feet tapping. There were eloquent speeches paying tribute to the achievements of the Segals by Premier Gordon Campbdl, the Hon. lona Campagnolo, lieutenant governor of British Columbia, and Qry Slonim, the international president of Variety, among otiiers. One of the S^gal sons, Lome, offered a heartfelt and humorous portrait of life at the Segsl home.
Though they've been a philanthropic force for over 50 years, the term "power couple" doesn't do justice to Rosalie and Joseph Segal. The pair come across as having genuine warmth. Asked what ^ves them the drive to continue their commitment to public service year after year, Rosalie Segal, who is known for raising millions of dollars by hosting charity dinners in her home, said they "just really enjoy it" During her acceptance speech, she said, "It's easy to give when you have the means and the heart; we have not always had the means, but we always had the heart"
Her words summed up the spirit of giving unstintingly that has tmitod the Steals for their 58 years of marriage. Their imique partnership was the reason why this award, which is normally given to one outstanding individual, was awarded to boSi, said George Pitman, vice-president of Variety's Vancouver branch.
"How can you honor one and not the other?" he asked.
Like his wife, Joseph S^al is also down to earth.
"It's just common sense and logic—you can't take it with you," he said. "When you look at yourself in the mirror, you should ask, T>id I do as much as I could; am I worthy?'"
Rosalie Segal recalled that the couple "had nothing in the be-
Rosalie and Joseph Segal
ginning." Joseph Segal told the audience that he spent the $1,500 he had saved from his overseas military pay to buy a car so he could take his future wife on a "proper" date.
Growing up, the Segal children were taught the value of thrift, wore hand-me-downs and knew that old-fashioned virtues like honor and character were "never discounted" - imlike the goods in their father's retail stores.
Joseph Segal started with a small store and it wasn't long be-fijre he owned a chain of 70 Fidds
outlets. That was the starting point for a life of fiscal success and devotion to giving back. He says that young entrepreneurs starting out today have it tourer than it was years ago. "Today, you have to get an education, you need creativity to find sometlung different and on top of that, you need common sense," he said. But even today, it's not just about competition. "Nothing happens in life wdthout someone helping you," he noted. The Segals' legacy of charity projects large and small are too numerous to recount, but without their vision and determination Vancouver would not have B.C. Children's Hospital, Simon Fras-er University's downtown campus or Christchuxch Cathe-dtal, to name just a few. Slonim said that candidates for this highest award are chosen by a small committee that he heads.
"We looked at the breadth of their activities in this part of the world and they were dearly the people who deserved it the most," he commented. The conmiittee receives nominations from around the world and this is only the second time that it has been awarded to a couple. □
Monika Ullmann is a Vancouver freelance writer.
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