OUR COMMUNITY
Bates Street Society Dinner to Honor 5 Jewish ‘Pillars’ Barry Franklin
From a rabbi to a cardiology expert, honorees help others and give back to the community. ROBIN SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER
I Lila Lazarus
Linda Schlesinger-Wagner
Evan Weiner
Rabbi Daniel Syme
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APRIL 14 • 2022
t took three tries — scheduling and rescheduling amid COVID-19 concerns — but as they say, the third time’s the charm for the sixth annual Bates Street Society Dinner. The black-tie optional gala, hosted by The Community House in Birmingham and The Community House Foundation Board of Directors, will finally take place in person April 30. Five members of the local Jewish community will be among those honored for their contributions in wellness, education, culture, business and philanthropy. “The Bates Street Society Dinner provides us with the opportunity to recognize ordinary people doing extraordinary things. It truly is a night of inspiration,” said William D. Seklar, president and CEO of The Community House and The Community House Foundation. “This is one day out of the year when we pause to celebrate the talents and contributions of those who exemplify our pillars with the goal of inspiring the broader community.” This year’s honorees,
known as the “Pillars of Vibrancy,” include: • Barry Franklin, Ph.D., director, Preventive Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation, Beaumont Health, and professor, Internal Medicine, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine • Lila Lazarus, an awardwinning news anchor and health reporter who serves as a spokesperson for Trinity Health • Rabbi Daniel Syme, rabbi emeritus at Temple Beth El who has dedicated his life to raising awareness of the issue of youth suicide • Linda SchlesingerWagner, fashion industry veteran and founder of skinnytees • Evan Weiner, president and CEO of the Edw. C. Levy Companies, a 100-yearold construction materials company Also being recognized are former Detroit mayor and retired NBA player Dave Bing; Dominic DiMarco, president of the Cranbrook Educational Community; Duane Mezwa, M.D., dean of the Oakland University
William Beaumont School of Medicine and chair of the Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Molecular Imaging at OUWB; and brand strategist Jessie BeldElliott. Recently retired Fox 2 News anchor Huel Perkins will serve as the evening’s emcee. “I am honored by this recognition relative to the research-based wellness, rehabilitation and health enhancement interventions we’ve developed over the years,” Dr. Franklin said. “I am indebted to Drs. Seymour Gordon and Gerald C. Timmis, who provided me with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to direct the preventive cardiology/ cardiac rehabilitation program at Beaumont Hospital. Also, special thanks to Beaumont Health who invariably supported my career aspirations and paid me to do what I love doing over the past 37 years.” Founded in 1923, The Community House is a nonprofit charitable organization that provides a place for personal, professional, philanthropic and recreational pursuits. Over nearly 100 years, it has continued on page 32
