Local travel agent gets mugged in Detroit - now he wants to help the homeless there

As a veteran travel agent and syndicated radio show  host, Beaconsfield’s Stephen Pickford has circled the globe safely  for decades. However, that all changed over US Thanksgiving  Day Weekend when he travelled to Detroit, Michigan to review a hotel, attend a Red Wings game, and have dinner with broadcaster Tom Sumner of WKUF-FM in Flint. 

Stephen Pickford

“I stopped for gas at the BP station, I-75 and Seven Mile,” Stephen recounts. “The pumps would not accept a Canadian card, forcing me to go in to the store. On my way in, a fellow jumps out from behind the ice machine, opens his jacket to show he has a gun, says ‘you have a gift for me?’ and grabs and twists my right shoulder. It  still throbs. I have been for xrays, an MRI, and go to weekly physio and take Oxycodone for the pain. I gave him $120 as my ID and credit cards were separate and in the car, as was my phone.”

Pickford  never went in to the store. Instead, he got into his  car shaken and  called the police. There was hardly any sympathy on their part.  They merely took the report by phone, saying the suspect wasn't present, they were short staffed and they would  call  if they needed him. That “call” has still not come.

Pickford retained an attorney on a contingency basis to pursue the owners of the gas station where the robbery occurred and the brand franchisor, BP, for their negligence. “Gas stations are the number one  location for robberies in Detroit,” Pickford maintains, believing that they deliberately set him up by not taking his card.

 You would think that the last place Pickford would ever want to visit again is Detroit. Yet his trauma counsellor has suggested a unique way to recover, while at the same time assist others, by means of a gift project to abet hunger and assist the homeless in the Detroit area. “By helping others, following the path of Jesus Christ, not only will I assist in my trauma recovery, others will also possibly be able to gain a new path towards salvation,” Pickford says.

Pickford is calling upon anyone who has served in the field of corporate travel management at Aladdin or Zagury Travel, people he has been connected to politically, those whom he has worshipped with at church and  individuals who have been  guests or had their product/service profiled on Travel World Radio to join in, and help in this project.

“Each gift card we buy is $50,.thus if each person were to donate $50 or $100, then one or two indigent persons could eat for a week or more,” he explains. “This will allow them to keep the money they would have spent on food and apply it to one of the nearby low-cost shared accommodations locations....a win/win for the community, a win/win for the destitute who are helped, and a win/win for me to regain my health and excise the demons which took over after the November event in that area.

The GoFund me link is — http://www.gofundme.com/DTWrecovery

Pickford  hopes  to hit the road in mid-June and to assist as many as 4,000 people during the few weeks that he will stay there. “And by doing this, in partnership with my counsellor, I walk the path towards my own personal recovery,” he says.   

CIBC Mindstrong Fitness Event to benefit youth mental health at JGH

The Jewish General Hospital Foundation has always been a powerhouse when it comes to fundraising, primarily because its members constantly think outside of the box. A case in point is the upcoming CIBC Mindstrong Fitness Event, set to take place on Sunday, June 7 at Midtown Le Sporting Club Sanctuaire in Outremont. This event will benefit the youth mental health program lead by Dr. Karl Looper, Chief of the Psychiatry Department at the JGH.

Jodi Mintz

This all day fitness event will include training, spinning and  yoga led by Midtown's top professional trainers, capped with lunch, snacks and entertainment. “We are very excited and grateful that Midtown Le Sporting Club du Sanctuaire is covering all costs of this event which means that almost 100 percent of the money raised will be allocated to the cause,” states  Mary Etzitian, coordinator or third party events for the Foundation.

Tony Marinaro, the charismatic mid-day host of TSN 690, has agreed to serve as the event’s honourary chair. Jodi Mintz and Stacey Herman Serero are the actual co-chairs. Together Their goal is to attract 300 participants who will raise $500 or more each and attend the fitness event.  

Marinaro and Stacey Herman Serero

"This event will be epic!" promises Stacey.

As a result of this event, Foundation officials  note that the Department of Psychiatry  will be extending its program to include youth between the ages of 22 to 25. It currently caters to those aged 15 to 21. 

Committee member Elana Fogel has written a superb blog about her personal experience with depression. You can read it all here.

For Elana, it was post-partem depression and she opens up as follows: "Bouncing baby boy, husband, career, fabulous friends, devoted volunteer, and postpartum depression. You read that correctly, postpartum depression. I was scared, ashamed, and alone. I didn’t want my friends to judge or label me as weak. was in denial for months as I tried to make sense of my illness. I had ruminating thoughts. Should I have educated myself more on motherhood while I was journalizing each moment of my 'perfect pregnancy?' Should I have spent more time understanding how my life would change after I gave birth? The truth is that it didn’t matter. I was determined to be well again. To be the fun, wacky, benevolent, passionate, ambitious person who I once was." 

 

Elana Fogel

Elana says there were times when she felt others did consider what she was going through to be a real illness and that she could easily "snap out of it."

Over time, Elana says, "I learned that cycling, consistent therapy, and seizing opportunities to give back to the community is what makes me tick. Research on anxiety, depression and exercise show that the psychological and physical benefits of exercise can help ease anxiety and improve mood. Experts have known that exercise enhances the action of endorphins.  Exercise may also help keep anxiety and depression from reoccurring once you’re feeling better. This is why I have made the decision to be an active participant, ambassador and fundraiser for the  CIBC Mindstrong event."

Proceeds from the event will empower the JGH Department of Psychiatry to expand its services for youth with mental health issues, notably in the following areas: Specific help for youth with autistic spectrum disorder who are transitioning from childhood to adolescence and adulthood; the innovative use of social media in order to reach out to and aid youth who are reluctant to engage in treatment, attend school or work and participate in a social life outside of their homes; interventions for youth who are dealing with substance abuse, aggression, and unlawful behaviours; services to ease the transition from youth to adult psychiatric care; and couple and family therapy to strengthen the family environment for youth in need.

The Department of Psychiatry of the Jewish General Hospital currently serves a territory that includes 220,000 people, treating patients from childhood to old age. Approximately two-thirds of mental illnesses begin between the ages  of 15 and 25. The department’s Youth Service is expanding to serve this age range, which covers several critical developmental transitions as well as the onset of illnesses, such as psychoses, depressive, personality and anxiety disorders, substance abuse, eating disorders and sexual orientation conflicts. The transition from childhood to independent adulthood involves establishing healthy life roles at school and work, developing family and interpersonal relationships, as well as taking part in the community. This life transition can be stressful for many youth, which is why interventions during this critical period can make an enormous difference. 

Currently, the Youth Service engages three part-time psychiatrists, a half-time psychologist, two part-time therapists, as well as psychology interns. The service offers individual and family assessments for patients who are referred from first line services. Treatments include individual, family psychotherapy, as well as psychopharmacology. There is always a waiting list for assessment and treatment. Additional resources are urgently needed to fill the gaps in the range of services for this highly vulnerable population, which the department is presently unable to offer due to lack of funding. 

For more information go to  www.jghmindstrong.org, log on to their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/JGHMINDSTRONG. Info: 514-340-8222 ext. 3986.   Organizers are still looking for participants and sponsors.

Thoughts on the Montreal Canadiens season and where they should go from here

The Montreal Canadiens had a successful 2014-2015 season. But now that it is all over here are some of my thoughts and hopes.

Will General Manager Marc Bergevin continue to to pad his payroll like he is playing with monopoly money?  Two years ago he acquired no name defenceman  Davis Drewiske from the LA Kings. It was a useful move, yet for some reason he felt compelled to give him a two year contract. Drewiske has spent his Habs career in the minor leagues and will likely be released. Did he need to sign Manny Malhotra, a good faceoff man who cannot score and barely played down the stretch? Was defenceman Tom Gilbert worth $2.6 million a year? Bergevin's first blunder upon being named GM was to sign Travis Moen to a four year $7.2 million contract. He traded him to Dallas last fall and took on defenceman Sergei Gonchar's remaining one year $5 million cap hit. Gonchar basically saw little, if no action, the last few months. And why was Mike Weaver given a contract last summer? Depth? He spent way too much time in the press box as well.

If The Habs resign forward Torrey Mitchell, it would be nice to see the South Shore native have a presence in the community.

Tom Gilbert

Why did head coach Michel Therrien feel that 19 year old forward Jacob De La Rose had to dress for every playoff game?  Defenceman Jeff Petry was a good rental. Bergevin should try to sign him.

Marc Bergevin

Now that the Habs season is over, it will be nice to see the major Montreal sports media focus its attention on something else.

What happens if the Habs do not make the playoffs next year or start the season off poorly? Will Therrien walk the plank?

Tough guy Brandon Prust enters the final year of his contract next season. His girlfriend Mariepier Morin made it clear on the W Network reality show Hockey Wives that if he was traded, it would be devastating for their relationship. She is a French language TV star. Prust loves it here. Give him an extension.

It is strange that the Habs went the entire season without a captain. Max Pacioretty, to me, is the only choice and that should be decided before training camp.

Time for sports fans to really get behind the Impact

While the Montreal Canadiens were on their way to a third straight loss in their best of seven division final series with the Tampa Bay Lightning, I was at Saputo Stadium to watch the hometown Impact soccer team defeat Toronto FC 1-0 in the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship, which involves the five top professional clubs in Canada, in the race to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League. This is an international competition between professional clubs from North America, Central America and the Caribbean.  Montrealers are quite familiar with it all now since the Impact went all the way to the finals against Club America of Mexico, with more than 61,000 people pouring into Olympic Stadium last  week.

Saputo Stadium, which is a work of art, was hardly filled to capacity on this night as many fans no doubt stayed home to watch the Habs self destruct. Sorry folks, but it is curtains for the Canadiens. They will not win four straight. Hats off to them for a terrific 2014-15 season. It is now time to get behind the Impact and the Alouettes.

On  a warm and sunny evening as it was Wednesday, there is  no better place to be than an open air stadium the likes of Saputo. It kind of brings to mind all of the talk about how the Expos would have survived if that downtown outdoor stadium had been built near the Bell Centre.

There was great end to end action and  Jack McInerney's goal at the 68th minute was a thing of beauty, bringing the crowd to its feet.

O Canada is sung at Saputo Stadium

I was delighted to see an Impact first on this night - a first at least in some time. A young lady was brought on to the field to sing the national anthem. What a breath of fresh air! For years the Impact have either completely ignored  the anthem or just played the instrumental version. "This was just a test," a senior staffer told me. Let's hope owner Joey Saputo gave this test a thumbs up!

Adam Braz

Adam Braz

Before the game I chatted with Adam Braz, a former star defender with the team. When he retired a few years ago, he was appointed club manager. The role mostly dealt with logistical matters and support for players getting settled in the city. He left two seasons ago to join the family real estate business, but when the team's technical director Matt Jordan was hired by Houston last fall to become their general manager, Joey Saputo wisely repatriated Braz. A well spoken and educated young man, I have always considered Braz to one of the franchise's best ambassadors. While he has a heavy load to carry in his new job, somehow the team must find a way to get him out on the speaking circuit. He can sell tickets! See my video interview with him below.

Jennifer Garner arrives in Montreal to shoot movie called Nine Lives

Flying back from a business trip in Los Angeles Wednesday afternoon, local pharmaceutical executive Katia Betito was surprised to meet noted American actress Jennifer Garner on her flight.

Jennifer Garner

Kevin Spacey

"I spoke to her," said Katia. "She was gracious, nice, down to earth and beautiful! She's here for a month, or so someone with her  told me."

Garner, who has three young children with her actor husband Ben Affleck, is here solo to star in a movie called Nine Lives,  which also features Kevin Spacey as a workaholic businessman who is transformed into his family's cat.  Wow, as a cat lover I can't wait to see this one! The great Christopher Walken and Flash star Robbie Amell are also part of the cast. 

Katia Betito took this shot of Garner at LAX en route to Montreal.

Impact run shows we are lucky to still have the Big Owe

For decades Olympic Stadium has been somewhat of a laughing stock in this city. The famous cost overruns from the 1976 Summer Olympic Games which never seemed to end; a roof that was supposed to open and close on demand that never quite cut it; and a general feeling that this was a cold, dark and out of the way facility not suited  to host professional sports franchises.

While the Quebec government presently looks into the possibility of removing the roof completely, the Montreal Impact's Cinderella run in the CONCACAF Champions League would not have been possible at home without the "Big Owe."   They made it all the way to the final against the very elite Team America from Mexico, losing 4-2 on April 29 before a more than sell out crowd of 61,004 people. I was fortunate enough to be at the game and having attended virtually every major event ever held at the Big Owe, this ranks right up there on the excitement meter.  The Impact run began in the winter and had Olympic Stadium not existed or the roof had been removed, where would they have played their home games? Toronto? Vancouver?

A look at part of the huge crowd, holding up blue and white squares left at their seats.

Olympic Stadium has served as the home for Alouettes playoff games when they needed a place that had a larger capacity than Molson Stadium and more warmth in November. Major League Baseball may have left town 11 years ago and while every expert says we cannot bring back the Expos unless there is a brand new stadium, the Toronto Blue Jays have come here twice in the last two years and played before four sellout crowds for mere exhibition games.

Next week, Wednesday, May 6 (8 p.m.), the Impact return next door to Saputo Stadium for the start of the 2015-16 Amway Canadian  CONCACAF competition against Toronto FC. Team owner Joey Saputo and his family put their money where their mouths are a few years ago and built this beautiful facility and then renovated it to increase capacity. On a nice night, there is no better place in the city to watch a life sporting event in the company of 20,000 fans.

Action on the pitch.

The finale against Team America sure brought back memories of the former Montreal Manic and to a lesser extent the Montreal Machine, a local franchise in the former World League of American Football. The latter squad sold out most of its games even though fans had no clue who any of the players are. Such is very much the situation with the Impact. Sure, the die hards know the roster clean. But I know of many people who attended the April 29 match simply because it was an "event." When PA announcer Robert Tanguay introduces the starting lineup he calls out the  player's first name which is posted on the scoreboard at the same time. He leaves it to the crowd to finish the intro. And they do.

In my opinion the Impact need to take this fantastic run they just had and try to find a way to get out there in the community better, particularly to the areas of town where there are fans to gain. If they do not you will again start to see Saputo Stadium half or two-thirds full, something Joey Saputo does not consider satisfactory.

The press box at the Big Owe was jam packed for the finale. With the Canadiens resting before their next game in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Impact became "the"  sports story in town. When they got off to a quick 1-0 lead, CBC weather forecaster and soccer expert Frank Cavallaro told me in all seriousness, "if they win I hear there will be a parade in downtown Montreal on Friday."

We are fortunate to have a team like the Impact in our midst. Ditto for the Alouettes. They both deserve our support. We already lost the Expos and I would not like to see soccer and football follow suit.

And folks, let's stop knocking the Big Owe. This city will much the worst without it.

Noelle Hannibal's CHESS in Concert plays before a standing room only crowd

Montreal does not get a lot of really good musical productions. So when I heard that In The Wings Promotions would be presenting Highlights From CHESS In Concert at La Vitrola on St. Laurent Boulevard I was anxious to see (and hear) it in person.

CHESS originated as a 1984 concept album and has spawned many stage renditions over the past three decades – mainly via  concert presentations. The score is by ABBA composers Benny Anderrson and Bjorn Ulvaeus ("Mamma Mia") and lyricist Tim Rice ("Evita") and it tells the  tale of Cold War intrigue, complex romantic entanglements, and cutthroat chess competition. I am most familiar with it from the concert version with Josh Groban, Idina Menzel  and Adam Pascal in 2008, which I have watched more than once on YouTube.

In The Wings promotions is the baby of the talented Noelle Hannibal. She moved here from Los Angeles 14 years ago and resides in West Island Vaudreuil with her husband.

This was a one night only presentation and performed before a standing room only crowd. “It was definitely a lot of work and I am feeling it today,”  Noelle commented the morning after. “It was the first large show I have produced on my own, so it was a risk. My last cabaret at the Segal studio drew in less than half the capacity, so I didn't want to take a chance. I was thrilled that we had standing room only! I wish we could have done more shows.”

With a powerful score blending pop, rock, and operetta, the cult musical CHESS tells the story of two rival chess masters whose antagonism mirrors that of their respective countries. Against the backdrop of the Cold War, American chess champion Freddie Trumper faces Soviet challenger Anatoly Sergievsky for the world title — and the affections of Freddie’s presumed lover and second, Florence Vassy, a Hungarian-born former refugee torn between the two sides. The songs by   Andersson  and Ulvaeus, with lyrics by Rice, include the top-10 dance hit “One Night in Bangkok,” the classic duet “I Know Him So Well,” and the stirring “Anthem.” 

Left to right: Tamara Clark, Kenny Wong, Marc Ducasin, Mike Melino and Noelle Hannibal.

Besides Hannibal (Florence), the cast included established performers along with up-and-coming young talent including   Mike Melino (Freddie), Jonathan Eidelman (Anatoly), Kenny Wong (Molokov), Tammy Clark (Svetlana), Marc Ducusin (Arbiter), Will Fech (Walter), Corey Tomicic (Emsemble) and Ilana Zackon (Ensemble) with musical direction by Ian Baird and directed by Nadia Verrucci.   Hannibal, Melino and Eidelman really exercised their vocal chords on this night, not an easy job.

In The Wings Promotions provides public relations for theatre companies and events in and around Montreal. They also actively contribute to the Montreal theatre community by producing special theatrical events along with a masterclass series.

Founded in 2011, In The Wings has brought such Broadway personalities as Seth Rudetsky and Natalie Weiss to town for a masterclass  series. Past productions include Corner of the Sky: The Music of Stephen Schwartz, Like Breathing: Musical Theatre Songs for a New Generation, Barefoot Broadway's Highlights from "RENT": In Concert, Music Theatre Montreal's "The Birthday Party," Waterworks Company's "Gidion's Knot,"  Music Theatre Montreal's, "Cabaret,"  CETM's  "South Park: Smaller, Shorter and Definitely Cut,", "Broadway Gals" and "The Ghosts of Broadway,"  In Your Face Entertainment's "Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris,"  The Becket Players' "Gasoline and Matches,"  CETM's "The Sound of Musicals" and "Barefoot Broadway."