The first thing Moishe and Helene Last did when they

in later years,
Rosa Parks sat on
the restored bus that
made her famous.

Photo by Monica Morgan

donate $100,000 to the foundation
to make sure her rent was taken
care of."
Any remaining money will be
used for school scholarships for
needy Detroit children.
When a library was being dedi-
cated in Mrs. Parks' name in
Montgomery five years ago, Judge
Keith felt she was too frail to travel
commercially. "So I called my
friend Al Taubman again and
asked him if she could fly there in
his private plane,' said Judge
Keith. "He said to just get her to
the Pontiac airport and they'll take
care of her. He brought the plane
from New York to Detroit, just to
take her to Alabama. The pilots

and the flight attendant were real-
ly nice; they were very happy to
get her autograph."
Judge Keith, who gave a eulogy
at Fisher's March funeral and
remains a close friend of
Taubman, pointed out: "I think it's
extremely important to let every-
one know about the wonderful
generosity of these two great men,
and how they helped a great
woman."
Taubman, the billionaire shop-
ping mall tycoon, was traveling in
Europe and unavailable for com-
ment. Fisher died on March 3 at
age 96.

ices on Shemini Atzeret on Oct
25. "She was not only an icon
but a courageous, persistent
individual who sparked major
changes in our country that were
long overdue."
Rabbi Nelson serves on the
national committee to build the
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Memorial in Washington, D.C., in
honor of the slain civil rights
champion.
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich,
called Mrs. Parks "a true
American heroine."
"Her actions challenged the
conscience of our nation and the
world," he said. "Although Rosa
Parks will be forever associated
with Montgomery, Ala., she lived
most of her life in my home state
of Michigan. We have always
been proud to call her one of our
own."
Al Fishman of Detroit called
her "a symbol of Americans
striving for the dream that we all
thought symbolized our country.

"She displayed enormous
courage and she was steadfast in
her determination to see it
through," said Fishman, who
worked for the City of Detroit
during the Coleman Young may-
oral administration. "She didn't
back down; she's one of the
heroes in American history."
Betsy Kellman, director of the
Anti-Defamation
League/Michigan Region, said
Parks' act changed history.
"Her simple act of courage
should teach our youth that our
behavior is truly a measure of
who we are," she said "A small
act, a thoughtless remark, a sim-
ple act of human kindness can
change a life. This behavior, no
matter how small or insignificant
it may appear at the time, may
have great future consequences.
"Fifty years ago, Rosa Parks
made a small decision that
changed the course of history
and started a human rights
movement."

I decided to add onto their home of the past 16 years was to
interview builders they thought could do the job. First one,
then another, and then—Scott Gittleman.
"We chose him because of his great organizational skills,"
said Moishe, a retired school teacher and an instructor of
guitar who has written books on the subject. He now kindly
refers to the builder "as a great kid," and Helene confirms that
Gittleman "was absolutely phenomenal."
What the Lasts wanted—and what they got—was a room that
exposed a gorgeous 1 1/2 acre backyard that had never before
been part of their daily vista.
From the beginning, the Gittleman team helped the couple
develop their ideas of how the new room should be and how it
should look. Helene, said Moishe, "was the director of ideas"
and Scott helped refine them.
"Collectively, we thought everything through, as a trio," he said.
Gittleman's experts were often on the job to help resolve issues
and offer suggestions on materials or color selection. Amazingly, said Moishe, the entire team was terrific.
Helene, who was braced for a tumultuous remodel, was pleasantly surprised. "It was, I truly can say, a
delightful experience."
Gittleman completed a reconfiguration of the Last's dining room and the addition of what the couple now
refers to as their "special" room with windows all around and a soaring cathedral ceiling above. It has
become, said Moishe, their haven, a respite of sorts, from all other things that happen in their house
during the course of a day. Even their dog ChaChi knows the room is "special."
"We absolutely love it," raved Moishe and Helene.
So next time you want to add a "special room" to the home you love, turn to the team that can help you
build your best idea and rely on Gittleman.
JUST ASK THE LASTS.

rin GITTLEMAN

CONSTRUCTION inc

28580 ORCHARD LAKE RD., SUITE 102
FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48334

248.538.5400

www.gittleman.net

929430

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October 27.2005

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