OUR COMMUNITY
30 | APRIL 14 • 2022
I
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 award-
winning 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 Schlesinger-
Wagner, fashion industry
veteran and founder of
skinnytees
• Evan Weiner, president
and CEO of the Edw. C.
Levy Companies, a 100-year-
old 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 Beld-
Elliott. 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
From a rabbi to a cardiology expert, honorees help
others and give back to the community.
Bates Street Society
Dinner to Honor 5
Jewish ‘Pillars’
ROBIN SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER
continued on page 32
Lila Lazarus
Linda Schlesinger-Wagner
Barry Franklin
Evan Weiner
Rabbi Daniel Syme
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