Daily Archives: 01/17/2010

(Community Matters) An intimate group of friends gathered at Mark Salmanson’s to welcome his 6th decade.

Mark w/ the extraordinary glutten-free cake baked by the Freedman’s daughter, Jessica Binder

Mark’s been a very close friend for nearly 20 years.   He’s chaired everything in the Jewish community – from the Jewish Community Center to his current congregation, Temple Beth Shalom.  I love him like  a brother, even if he has recruited me into a lot of work over the years!

Cathy Scholl, Helen Salmanson (mom) & Sandi Aitken (dream gf)

Three main women in Mark’s life.

Irwin Salmanson (dad), Rabbi Freedman, Jay Kirtley & John Pflueger

and certainly three main men

Lori Freedman, Jay, Mark & Lisa Kirtley

I hadn’t met Lori Freedman before, she’s the wife of Rabbi Freedman.  What a dynamite woman.  Loved sitting next to her during the Eddie Bernal catered dinner – yum.  Jay & Lisa long time, closest friends of Mark’s.  They are saving a late 1800s victorian in Flatonia – amazing how much sweat they’ve poured into the project.

foreground:  John Pflueger, Christina Bulman & Shari Pflueger; background: Kara & Irwin Salmanson

First time I’d met John & Shari – also enjoyable dinner companions and great mixed-faith marriage.  Christina a longtime friend/work colleague who I’ve also known and adored.  Mark’s baby sister Kara – out without the 8 and 10-yo boys for a night.  Irwin (b/k/a Wink) an old friend and mentor.

me & Steven (me learning to tweet)    photo: Sandi

(Community Matters) Tons of fun hosting Nico Selby’s 11th birthday party

(Community Matters) HelpHaiti –

We wired $250k to Partners in Health (PIH_org) and Concern Worldwide (@Concern & @ ConcernWorld) – they were already making a huge difference in Haiti search & rescue.  They’ve been in Haiti for years.  LAF and Radio Shack together $250k to PIH too.

@PIH_org: designated by WHO to serve as the coordinators of the public hospital alongside Haitian Ministry of Health.  14 hours ago a plane from Montreal arrived with orthopedic surgeons and medical supplies.  Thousands in need of surgery.  Founder, Paul Farmer on his way into Haiti, was expected to arrive yesterday.

@ConcernWorld:  their worldwide head of emergency services, Dominic Crowley arrived in PaP yesterday with SecState Clinton.  Working with Haitian gov’t to set up camps for those who have lost homes. Distributing supplies, setting up water purification

HelpHaiti matches donations 1:1 at http://GiveToAustin.org/HelpHaiti