| LEAH honors 'Pillars of Community' in Boca Raton |
09/23/08
By Dale M. King
CITY EDITOR
The League for Educational Awareness of the Holocaust (LEAH) added three more people to its list of "Pillars of the Community" during annual ceremonies held Saturday at Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton.
Lisa and Shawn Friedkin and Bryan Meisel joined the list of those honored for accomplishments and dedication.
"Our warmest congratulations and heartfelt thanks are extended to Lisa Friedkin, Shawn Friedkin and Bryan Meisel," LEAH President Robert Alrod told an audience of several hundred.
The awards were handed out by Ian Berkowitz, who, with his wife, Nadine, organized the event.
Before presenting the awards, Berkowitz noted that this year's winners represent "two generations of honorees" - individuals who have met with life-changing circumstances.
Shawn Friedkin, paralyzed from the chest down in a 1992 auto accident, created Stand Among Friends, an organization that advocates for the disabled. He has also been named chairman of Floridians for Stem Cell Research & Cures, and also chairs the Boca Raton Advisory Board for People with Disabilities.
After receiving the award for him and his wife, Shawn Friedkin cited the similarities in the missions of LEAH and Stand Among Friends. He said when he became disabled, he also faced prejudice - and came up with "a lot of questions about how to deal with it."
Negative Impact
"Lisa and I are keenly aware of the negative impact that prejudice plays on people's lives," he said. "We are proud to support LEAH and its efforts to eliminate bigotry and discrimination."
Stand Among Friends was created in 1997 to "help advocate for people with disabilities," said Friedkin.
The 'Pillars of the Community' event, Alford said, benefits LEAH, which raises funds for educational programs that promote the concept that intolerance is intolerable and strength is in diversity.
Dale M. King can be reached at 561-549-0932 or at dking@bocanews.com.
|
