It spells success — full stop Malcolm Parry
Going strong: Chinese benevolent society toasts its co- founder and raises $ 500,000 for social programs
NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE: Soon after its 1973 founding, the United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society adopted an initial capital S and began referring to itself as S. U. C. C. E. S. S. As for success with no periods between the letters, there’s been plenty of that in social programs, spun- off service entities and a gala banquet and concert the society debuted in 1979. Joining the B. C. lieutenant- governor at the head table recently, S. U. C. C. E. S. S. Foundation chair Sing Lim Yeo and CEO Clarence Cheng saw Doug Chiu, Jonathan
Lai and Linda Wong chair a gala that honoured society co- founder Maggie Ip and raised a reported $ 532,448. That’s success plain and simple.
• WHAT YOU SEE: It was 2009 when Kasondra Cohen-Herrendorf modelled her Face of Today foundation on the Face The World charitable operation mother Jacqui Cohen founded in 1991. Since then, the younger oriented organization has raised $ 500,000. At least, that sum was announced when FOT’s Burberry- sponsored gala ran in the Hotel Georgia recently. Much of that income supports Opportunity International Canada’s microfinance schemes in poverty- stricken parts of Colombia, Ghana, Mozambique, Peru and Rwanda.
Contrasting the la- di- da at certain charity galas, the younger Cohen — she’s all but dropped the Herrendorf — showed none at hers. Rather, she kicked off her shoes, backed up a volunteer at the front table, cheerfully issued $ 350 tickets and likely thought about the next half- million FOT is bound to take in.
• PASSING THE TORCH: Glenn McPherson, who laboured 20 years on the Face The World Foundation board until his own world became too hard to face, would have rejoiced to see son Travis, who is a Face of Today director, supporting the next generation of a cause that had been so important to him.
• GOING STRONGER: Rain pelted down in October, 2002 as manufacturer- developer Connie Wilson literally launched Modern Dog magazine in a dripping Kitsilano tent. But Florida skies were blue Thursday when Global Pet Expo officials handed her their award for Excellence in Journalism and Outstanding Contributions to the Pet Industry. It’s been years since rip- off publishers begged for Wilson’s media kit, then produced a copycat magazine. Like old dogs, though, they couldn’t learn the new tricks she’d acquired.
• FROM THE HILL: Rather than “wear black like everybody else,” Face of Today attendee Laura Pacitto chose a white frock by London- based Danish designer Peter Jensen. Still, as two- year- old daughter Chloe noticed earlier: “Mommy, there are ants all over your dress.”
Dozens of them, in fact. Big, too. And every one jet black. As for ants in the pants, we await Chloe’s further observations.
• BIG C FOR COUTURE: Seeing and raising the ant theme, University of B. C. assistant costume- design professor Jacqueline Firkins has produced 10 ball gowns patterned with blown- up cancer- cell images recorded by varsity scientist Christian Naus ( news. ubc. ca).
• ON PARADE: Pure white gowns were de rigueur for debutantes presented to B. C.’ s lieutenantgovernor at the annual Garrison Military Ball. That six- decade formality ended in 2006, but the ball marched on and now has a new name. To be presented by 39 Canadian Brigade Group May 10, the B. C. Army Gala ( bcarmygala.ca) will be “open to anyone who has served, is a friend of the military or who wants to have an enjoyable evening.” Gowned or otherwise.
• TWAIN IN SPAIN: Books To Cooks owner BarbaraJo McIntosh likely felt like doing handsprings down a Vancouver Club staircase clogged with folk waiting for Spanish superchef Ferran Adria to sign his seven- volume elBulli: 2005- 2011. The $ 700 that each had paid included an interpreter relaying Adria’s account of the transformative cooking style he’d developed at his restaurant on the Mediterranean Costa Brava. In a Spanishspeaking tete- a- tete later, Joytv interviewer Carmen Ruiz y Laza learned that, si, Adria’s culinary revolution did include pulpo negro, the dish of octopus in its own ink revered in her native Cantabria on the Atlantic shoreline.
• RELISHED REPS: Addressing the matter of her recent relative svelteness, Army & Navy Stores president/ CEO Jacqui Cohen credited it to “having a younger man.” She meant second- year companion Rob Menard, who appears to have devised an exercise regimen the gym- shy heiress finds to her taste.
• CELTS AND BELTS: Pub parties and Friday’s gala in the Vogue theatre readied many for the 10th- annual Celtic Fest’s Howe Street parade Sunday. Ancient Romans were less celebratory when the original Celts marched down the Via Flaminia eager for whatever was going. “The valour of these peoples and their savage ways have been famed abroad,” Diodorus Siculus wrote with seeming apprehension, “( and) they manifest an outlandish impiety.” That said, Celtic ways may have changed since fellow historian Strabo observed: “They take great care not to become fat or big- bellied, and if any young man exceeds the measure of a certain girdle, he is punished.”
• DOWN PARRYSCOPE: Might the Vancouver school district have rejected that hands- off offer of up to $ 475,000 yearly had it come from bicycle rather than gasoline sales?