Metro tlib AROUND TOWN HERE'S TO.. Wonder Women Former presidential press secretary Dee Dee Myers speaks at luncheon honoring Leypsa Groner. William Lansat of Farmington Hills, attor- ney and of counsel to the firm of Schnelz, Wells of Birmingham, has been reappointed by Gov. Granholm to the Governor's Task Force on Children's Justice for a two-year term. Lansat chairs the training committee responsible for the development curriculum for training in the area of abuse and neglect. Larry Leib of Farmington Hills was elected to the board of directors of the North American Interfaternity Conference. He has served as part of Sigma Alpha Mu's delega- tion since 2006 and is the immediate past supreme prior. , Richard J. Pappas, for- merly of Midland, has accepted the position of Grand Rapids' Davenport University president. His duties will begin in August. WA Denise Kalt of Franklin, Dee Dee Myers, Leypsa Groner of Southfield, Karen Couf-Cohen of Franklin, Julie Nelson Klein of West Bloomfield and Janice Stoneman of Bloomfield Hills I t was June 1, 1959, when record keepers at Congregation Shaarey Zedek first noted the arrival of Rabbi Irwin Groner and his wife, Leypsa. Half a century later, through simchot, holidays, good times and bad, they are deeply ingrained in the history of the Oakland County congregation. More than 550 people gathered at the synagogue in Southfield, May 6, to honor Shaarey Zedek's "Rebbitzen in Chief" for 50 years of dedication. She was presented with Sisterhood's first ever Woman of Valor Award during the 2009 Lois Linden Nelson Woman's World luncheon. "It is with the greatest pride that I have always embraced my role as the wife of Rabbi Irwin Groner," Lyspsa told the crowd. "At this time in my life, I count the many joys I have known; good friends, loving children, and my devoted life-partner whose wit and wisdom continue to enrich my life In addition to the award, Cantor Meir Finkelstein surprised Mrs. Groner at the piano with an original song he wrote for her. Then, guest speaker Dee Dee Myers took the stage. Myers was only 31 when she made his- tory as the first female White House press secretary under President Bill Clinton (and one of the youngest people ever to hold that job). She went on to • Karen Couf-Cohen tries on a hat at the boutique show A16 May 21 . 2009 serve as a political commentator, an adviser to the NBC drama series The West Wing, and a contributing editor to Vanity Fair magazine. Her book, Why Women Should Rule the World, is a New York Times best seller. "The book is in no way anti-male," Myers explained. "I love men; my dad's a man; I married a man; I gave birth to a little man. I don't want my son to succeed at the expense of my daughter, but I don't want my daughter to have opportunity at the expense of my son either." Myers said the premise of the book is that women should rule alongside men. She also talked about politics, the news media and serving as a White House spokesperson during the president's extra-marital affair with intern Monica Lewinsky, which resulted in a political sex scandal. "Life with Bill Clinton was never dull," Myers said, eliciting chuckles. Following the presentation, she took questions from the audience and signed copies of her book. The afternoon also included boutique shopping and an "over the top" raffle to raise funds for Sisterhood supported projects. Spotted in the crowd were: event co-chairs Denise Kalt and Karen Couf-Cohen, both of Franklin; Karyn Sokol of Birmingham; Cheryl Chodun and Jennifer Friedman, both of Huntington Woods; Sharon Eisenshtadt of Bloomfield Hills; and Carol Rosenberg of West Bloomfield. E a.) Dr. Sherry Najman of Southfield and Doreen Hermelin of Bingham Farms Karyn Sokol of Birmingham Lila Zorn of West Bloomfield was honored along with 38 others at the Race Relations & Diversity Task Force Champion Honor Roll Breakfast April 30 at the Community House in Birmingham. For several years she has led volunteers at West Bloomfield-based Friendship Circle that provides support for special needs families. She has also orga- nized the Enlighten American Art & Essay Contest for school kids in Metro Detroit, and coordinated Unto Every Person There is A Name to teach about the Holocaust, She has been instrumental in bringing in a a top Muslim scholar to advance Jewish-Muslim understanding and a former neo-Nazi recruiter to Schoolcraft College in Livonia to teach the futility and danger of hate. An art work titled World Book by Lynne Avadenka of Huntington Woods was award- ed the Dorothy Saxe Award for Creativity in Contemporary Arts. It is on exhibition at the Contemporary Jewish Museum of San Francisco, as part of a national invitational. See several views of World Book at her Web site, www.lynneavadenka.com . Detroit-based Wayne State University Law School third-year student Solomon Radner of Oak Park was re-appointed the only student liaison to the American Bar Association's (ABA) White Radner Collar Crimes Committee. He is among only 64 law students nation- wide chosen as 2009-2010 ABA student liaisons. His report, "White Collar Crimes Committee Provides Guidance in Turbulent Times',' was published in the April edition of the ABAs Student Lawyer magazine.