Awards to Be Presented at Fall Gala

The Jewish Home for the Elderly of Fairfield County has announced Kurt B. Hersher, of Easton, as the recipient of the Arthur and Gladys Lunin Humanitarian Award. This award was created to recognize outstanding public and community service as exemplified by the good works of Arthur and Gladys Lunin. The Home will also be thanking Senator Jonathan A. Harris for his support and presenting him with the Louis Lotstein Award for Distinguished Service. Both of these esteemed awards will be presented at the Women’s Auxiliary 2008 Fall Gala.

This event will be held at the unique new venue, The Loading Dock in Stamford, CT and is co-chaired by Sheila Merriam, of Easton, Lisa Moskowitz, of Westport and Marlene Polansky, of Weston. The evening’s program will include performances by Jay Stollman and the All Stars and the Earth’s Elders Foundation Photography Exhibit. These inspiring and informative life-size photographs are of ‘super-centenarians’, those who have lived to be 110 years and older. This visually stunning exhibit, by award-winning photographer and author Jerry Friedman, captures a rare look into the lives of the oldest people on earth. This exhibit has traveled around the world from Tokyo to the United Nations to the Capital and is now coming to our community.

Kurt Hersher is presently the President and Chief Operating Officer of Stelco Industries Inc., a property holding and financial management company. He was President of Stevenson Lumber Company, a wholesaler and retailer of lumber and building products, and President of Truss-Tech Inc, an engineering and manufacturer of Roof and Floor Truss Company for 40 years. He was a Consultant to KLM Industries, a building material wholesaler and retailer in the Tri-state area. He is owner of a private Consulting Company that specializes in Industrial Engineering and Design, and Land Planning. Kurt is also Managing Partner of several Real Estate Partnerships, President of Hersher Investments, LP, President of the Hersher Family Foundation Inc., and President of KBH Holdings, LLC.

Kurt has exemplified community leadership, service in Jewish and secular capacities and has been a vital part of the Fairfield county community. He has served on the boards of the University of Bridgeport and its Law School, is a former Advisory Committee member of Sacred Heart University, is a past President of UJA/Federation of Eastern Fairfield County and is a former Vice Chairperson of The Jewish Home. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony.

Jonathan A. Harris is the State Senator for the 5th District (serving Bloomfield, Burlington, Farmington and West Hartford). Senator Harris is chairman of the Human Services Committee, vice chairman of the Planning and Development Committee, Ranking Member of the Regulations Review Committee and a member of the Appropriations Committee. Senator Harris has a long record of community service in West Hartford, including serving as a board member with the Senior Jobs Bank, the Amercian School for the Deaf, the Noah Webster House, the Bridge and the Jewish Federation.

Funds from past events supported The Jewish Home’s Osteoarthritis Program of Excellence, pet therapy program and music enrichment program. The Women’s Auxiliary has supported The Jewish Home for 40 years and has raised over four million dollars.

“As many people in our community know, this is the most important fundraising event for the Women’s Auxiliary,” said Lydia Gerard, of Fairfield, President of the Women’s Auxiliary. “We need and appreciate our community's financial support of this wonderful event so we may continue to enrich the lives of our residents.”

Date: October 30, 2008.

To make a reservation for the Fall Gala or arrange an ad in the journal, please call 203-365-6409 or email Dayna Hayden at dhayden@jhe.org.

Pictured in photo left to right:
The three co-chairs of the Fall Gala Sheila Merriam, of Easton, Marlene Polansky, of Weston and Lisa Moskowitz, of Westport.