Laura Meier Honored with 2014 Wistar Morris Award

Laura Meier Honored with 2014 Wistar Morris Award

Portland, October 2nd, 2014. Laura Meier (on the left) received the 2014 Wistar Morris Award during a dinner at Montgomery Park. Honored for her generosity and significant contributions to Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, Meier is a founding member of the Women of Good Samaritan, which began in 1977 and remains a thriving group committed to supporting vital programs that bring hope and healing to patients. The event also raised more than $130,000 for Emergency Services at Legacy Good Samaritan.

Laura Meier with prior Wistar Morris Awardees left to right Greg Houser, Joan Strand, Laura Meier, Bishop Robert Ladehoff, Anne Barbey and Ron King

Laura Meier with prior Wistar Morris Awardees left to right
Greg Houser, Joan Strand, Laura Meier, Bishop Robert Ladehoff, Anne Barbey and Ron King

Katie Karcher shares how her life was saved at Legacy Good Samaritan

Katie Karcher shares how her life was saved at Legacy Good Samaritan

Pete Mark, Legacy Health CEO Dr. George Brown, and Antoinette Hatfield

Pete Mark, Legacy Health CEO Dr. George Brown, and Antoinette Hatfield

Campaign co-chairs Susie and Gary Eichman

Campaign co-chairs Susie and Gary Eichman

The Wistar Morris Award honors individuals who demonstrate the highest level of leadership through philanthropy and service to Good Samaritan Foundation and Legacy Good Samaritan. Named for Episcopal Bishop Wistar Morris – founder of Good Samaritan Hospital – the Wistar Morris Society recognizes individuals who care about the health of the community and give generously.

Highlights of the evening included a story by grateful patient Katie Karcher detailing her miraculous recovery from a stroke at the age of 27, as well as a keynote address on transformations of emergency care in Oregon by Jennifer Aponte, M.D., medical director of Legacy Good Samaritan’s emergency services.

From Legacy Good Samaritan:

Founded in 1875, Legacy Good Samaritan is a nationally acclaimed, full-service medical center with renowned doctors in heart care, transplants, cancer care, eye disease, neurology, ophthalmology, weight-loss surgery, rehabilitation and more. To learn more about supporting any of Legacy Health’s hospitals or programs, call the Legacy Health Office of Philanthropy at 503-415-4700 or visit www.legacyhealth.org/giving.

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The Portland Japanese Garden’s 50th Anniversary Gala Raises over $370,000

The Portland Japanese Garden’s 50th Anniversary Gala Raises over $370,000

Portland, December 3rd, 2013. The Portland Japanese Garden is looking back on a banner anniversary year. On the October 19th 500 guests celebrated the garden’s 50th anniversary at a black-tie gala at the Portland Art Museum. Six of the original Garden directors attended as well as original Garden members and more than 50 guests from Japan. The evening raised over $370,000 for the independent nonprofit. Supporters included Ron Ragen, Lee Ragen, Dede DeJager, Laura Meier, Gwyneth Gamble Booth, Jean Meihoff, and Walt Meihoff.

His Excellency Kenichiro Sasae, Ambassador of Japan to the United States, honored the Garden by speaking with guests about his view of what the Portland Japanese Garden represents. “Someone once said that gardens are a form of autobiography, and I think there is some truth in that. So what does a Japanese garden tell us about the Japanese people? I think it says that we seek peace, harmony, serenity, and that nature is the ideal we seek. And let me add that Portland’s Japanese Garden says something about you, too. It says this is a city that is not afraid to welcome different cultures and peoples and ideas…This, in turn, builds on and promotes understanding between our two nations.”

Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae and Ryunosuke Endo

Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae and Ryunosuke Endo

Mark and Katherine Frandsen and Barbara and Rob McCormick

Mark and Katherine Frandsen and Barbara and Rob McCormick

The Gala Committee included Co-Chairs Jim and Cathy Rudd and Fred and Gail Jubitz, also Consul General of Japan Hiroshi Furusawa, Dorie Vollum, Melissa Babson, Suzanne Millis, Ann Carter, Katherine Frandsen, Rebecca Teasdale, Wayne Quimby, Dede DeJager, Kristin Dozono, Gwyneth Gamble Booth, Douglas Bouland, and Gary Maffei.

 Cathy Rudd, Fred and Gail Jubitz. Gala Co-Chairs

Cathy Rudd, Fred and Gail Jubitz. Gala Co-Chairs

CEO Steve Bloom and Board President Gwyneth Gamble Booth acknowledged a long list of people from both near and far for their support for the Garden in addition to the Ambassador, including Arlene Schnitzer; David Jansen, PricewaterhouseCoopers; Don and Margie Olson, Torii Mor Winery; Oregon State Representative Jennifer Williamson; Misako Ito, Director of the Japan Foundation in Los Angeles; the Consul General from Japan in Portland, Hiroshi Furusawa; Masaaki Ito, for Delta Air Lines, Inc.; Kengo Kuma; Teruyo Yanai, Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.; the Vollum Family; Alice Sumida; Chair of the International Advisory Board Carolyn Berry Wilson; and two grandchildren of original Garden designer Professor Takuma Tono. Also recognized were Garden Curator Sadafumi Uchiyama; Arlene Schnitzer Curator of Culture, Art & Education Diane Durston; Head Gardener Michael Kondo and Director of Garden Operations Cheryl Ching for their years of service; and each of the past Garden Directors.

Guests were greeted by koto music performed by Mitsuki Dazai. Other performances throughout the evening included taiko drumming by Takohachi; singing by Yuki Saori; shamisen by Masahiro Nitta and Tatsuya Hosono, followed by Masahiro Nitta and the Wacocoro Brothers from Japan. Artwork was on display by Anne Crumpacker and a 10’ tall ikebanaarrangement was provided by Phyllis Danielson, President, Ikebana International Chapter 47.

The gala was the culminating event in a year-long celebration of the Garden’s fiftieth anniversary that included programs and events for the community such as the Family Festival in September, the most ambitious art exhibitions in the Garden’s history; the Toko Shinoda, Noguchi and Fukami/Vollum exhibitions , and even a 50th anniversary celebration in Tokyo. Already working toward the next fifty years, the board and administration invite the community to support and celebrate the Portland Japanese Garden’s work to achieve a deeper understanding between the US and Japan. 

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The Portland Japanese Garden, founded in 1963, is the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan. Situated on 5.5 acres in the scenic West Hills of Portland, and featuring five traditional garden styles, the Portland Japanese Garden is open year-round. Programming includes art exhibitions, cultural festivals, lectures, and workshops. For more information, visit japanesegarden.com.