Calgary Herald

Saluting remarkable folks at Top 7 Over 70 Gala

- BILL BROOKS

That our North American culture marginaliz­es seniors is shameful indeed. Asian cultures — and many European ones as well — revere their seniors. Ours seems to have an inverse relationsh­ip between age and value. The older one gets, the less ‘value’ one seems to have. And yet there are scores of those of a ‘certain age’ who are doing remarkable things. Look no further for examples than those amazing individual­s recently honoured at the inaugural Top 7 Over 70 awards Oct. 2 at the Hyatt Regency. The awards were conceived by Jim Gray, the legendary oilpatch pioneer and philanthro­pist. One of the key goals of the initiative is to tap into the economic potential that seniors possess. To that end, the Top 7 Over 70 is creating a slate of inter-generation­al workshops and roundtable­s in collaborat­ion with Calgary Economic Developmen­t, Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievemen­t, the Haskayne School of Business and the Hunter Centre for Entreprene­urship and Innovation.

The inaugural awards gala was sold out weeks prior, evidence of the traction this fantastic initiative. It’s rare that a firsttime event can be this successful. Kudos to the small army of volunteers who made it a hit: Top 7 Over 70 founder and patron chair Jim Gray; patron chair Linda McNally; executive committee co-chairs Bonnie DuPont, Brian Felesky and Steve Allan; gala committee co-chairs Elizabeth Carson and Kim McConnell; marketing and media chair, Calgary Herald deputy editor Monica Zurowski; steering committee members Bob Brawn, Mary Rozsa de Coquet, David Chalack and George Brookman, to name a few.

But the big take a bow sentiments are reserved for the honorees: Dr. Richard Guy, recipient of the Citation of Unique Merit who, at 101, is a sought-after mathematic­ian who teaches, mentors, publishes and lectures; 80-year-young marathoner Gerry Miller, who is one of the fastest in his age category; Calgary’s DataHive owner Marjorie Zingle, 81; Dr. Amin Ghali, 89, educationa­l leader and author; legendary philanthro­pist, Don Seaman, 92; educator and author Vera Goodman who is 83; JUNO Award nominee, performer, clinician, adjudicato­r, composer, arranger and studio recording artist Al Muirhead who, at the age of 78 ( he is now 81) became the oldest JUNO Award nominee; and Alan Fergusson, 83, a physicist and developer of the immune support supplement Immuno-Care. Others in attendance are pictured.

Let’s all vow to try to do even half of what these inspiratio­nal folks have accomplish­ed. The world will be a much better place as a result.

?? PHOTOS: BILL BROOKS ?? Pictured, from left, at the inaugural Top 7 Over 70 Gala held Oct. 2 at the Hyatt Regency, are honourees Dr. Amin Ghali, Al Muirhead, Gerry Miller, Don Seaman, Vera Goodman, Alan Fergusson, Dr. Richard Guy and Marjorie Zingle. The event saluted...
PHOTOS: BILL BROOKS Pictured, from left, at the inaugural Top 7 Over 70 Gala held Oct. 2 at the Hyatt Regency, are honourees Dr. Amin Ghali, Al Muirhead, Gerry Miller, Don Seaman, Vera Goodman, Alan Fergusson, Dr. Richard Guy and Marjorie Zingle. The event saluted...
?? ?? Pictured, from left, at the inaugural Top 7 Over 70 Gala, are executive committee members Steve Allan (co-chair), Jim Gray (founder), Bonnie DuPont (co-chair) and Brian Felesky (co-chair).
Pictured, from left, at the inaugural Top 7 Over 70 Gala, are executive committee members Steve Allan (co-chair), Jim Gray (founder), Bonnie DuPont (co-chair) and Brian Felesky (co-chair).
?? ?? Pictured with Top 7 Over 70 honouree Don Seaman are his proud daughters, Donna Kanovsky, left, of Kanovsky Foundation, and Marilou Seaman.
Pictured with Top 7 Over 70 honouree Don Seaman are his proud daughters, Donna Kanovsky, left, of Kanovsky Foundation, and Marilou Seaman.
?? ?? From left: marketing and media committee chair Monica Zurowski with gala committee co-chairs Kim McConnell and Elizabeth Carson.
From left: marketing and media committee chair Monica Zurowski with gala committee co-chairs Kim McConnell and Elizabeth Carson.
?? ?? Top 7 Over 70 honouree Marjorie Zingle, centre, with her husband Del Zingle and goddaughte­r Brenda Yackle.
Top 7 Over 70 honouree Marjorie Zingle, centre, with her husband Del Zingle and goddaughte­r Brenda Yackle.
?? ?? Top 7 Over 70 honouree Vera Goodman, second from left, with her grandson Bryce Blomfield, her granddaugh­ter Rachel Blomfield and her daughter Susan Blomfield.
Top 7 Over 70 honouree Vera Goodman, second from left, with her grandson Bryce Blomfield, her granddaugh­ter Rachel Blomfield and her daughter Susan Blomfield.
?? ?? Pictured with Top 7 Over 70 honouree Alan Fergusson, left, are his wife Eleanor Fergusson and good friends June and Jack Davidson.
Pictured with Top 7 Over 70 honouree Alan Fergusson, left, are his wife Eleanor Fergusson and good friends June and Jack Davidson.
?? ?? Pictured, from left, are Bob and Julie Hamilton with SC Infrastruc­ture CEO Paul Giannelia.
Pictured, from left, are Bob and Julie Hamilton with SC Infrastruc­ture CEO Paul Giannelia.
?? ?? Top 7 Over 70 honouree Gerry Miller and his wife Gwen Berthelett­e. Miller is one of the top five marathoner­s in the world in his age category.
Top 7 Over 70 honouree Gerry Miller and his wife Gwen Berthelett­e. Miller is one of the top five marathoner­s in the world in his age category.
?? ?? U of C’s Sherry Dahl with Calgary Senior’s Resource Society’s Phil Levson.
U of C’s Sherry Dahl with Calgary Senior’s Resource Society’s Phil Levson.
?? ?? Devon Energy’s Allan Hargreaves and his wife Patti Grier, who is with Calgary Academy.
Devon Energy’s Allan Hargreaves and his wife Patti Grier, who is with Calgary Academy.
?? ?? Top 7 Over 70 honouree Dr. Amin Ghali and his son Bill Ghali.
Top 7 Over 70 honouree Dr. Amin Ghali and his son Bill Ghali.
?? ?? Dean and Ellen Brawn.
Dean and Ellen Brawn.
?? ??

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