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May 10, 2007 - Image 20

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 2007-05-10

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

Metro

HEALTH &

FITNESS

vat

Above: The new name of the sports and fitness center is unveiled.

Left: Florine Mark addresses the windswept gathering.

Making

ark

West Bloomfield JCC dedicates new
Florine Mark sports, fitness complex.

Elizabeth Applebaum
Special to the Jewish News

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20

May 10 2007

JI N

F

lorine Mark stood by herself
at the podium as the Jewish
Community Center in West
Bloomfield dedicated a sports and fit-
ness complex bearing her name, but
she was not alone.
"It wasn't just me she said of her
donation, to be used for fitness and
education. "It started with my bubbie
and zaydie" and extends to her chil-
dren and grandchildren and the rest of
the family. "My name," she said, "repre-
sents all of us."
The dedication of the new Florine
Mark Sports and Fitness Complex
was held April 24 just outside the
JCC. Mark, CEO and president of
the Farmington Hills-based Weight
Watchers Group Inc., pledged $2
million to the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit, with funds
directed to the JCC's sports and fitness
center, as well as the Jean and Samuel
Frankel Jewish Academy, which will
dedicate the Mark Family Chapel Foyer
in its new facility at the JCC.
"Thanks to Florine Mark's corn-
mitment, the JCC will be solidified as
one of the finest family fitness centers
in the country',' said JCC Executive
Director Mark Lit. "We are so pleased to
have her honor our community and the
Center in this way. Florine truly stands
for what the JCC is all about: a caring
and vibrant center for Jewish life."
Center President Irwin Alterman
called Florine Mark "one of the great-

est people in the world." He described
her as a woman whom Crain's Detrot
Business recently labeled the fourth-
most powerful person in the region,
yet who remains gracious and kind,
"always smiling" and dedicated to her
own family and her extended family,
the Jewish community.
Jewish Federation Chief Executive
Officer Robert Aronson called the
afternoon "a beautiful coming together
of the things you [Florine] have spent
your life caring about." He said he
admires her decisiveness (Mark, he
said, always approaches him: "This is
what I want to do and why I'm going to
do it and how I'm going to do it.") and
added, "It's an honor and truly a bless-
ing for us in the community to work
with you."
As Florine Mark stood at the podi-
um, she tenderly remembered growing
up "very, very poor" on Elmhurst and
Linwood streets in Detroit. And now,
she said, she was honored to give this
gift, in her family's name, to the Jewish
community.
The audience comprised numerous
Jewish community leaders and many
members of Mark's family, including
her sister-in-law, Ruth Wright, who
said of Florine, "She's a wonderful per-
son. Family is very important to her."
Following the brief speeches, a large
blue tarp was lifted to reveal the name
on the new Florine Mark Sports and
Fitness Complex. Everyone received a
glass of champagne, stood and called
out "L'chayim!"

Federation CEO Robert Aronson called

Florine Mark "a blessing for us in the

community."

JCC Executive Director Mark Lit said

Florine Mark "truly stands for what the
JCC is all about."

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