Lois Smedick – "Spirit of Philanthropy" Award


Award Introduction

Good Morning - My name is Linda Andrejicka. As the Director of Development for the Art Gallery of Windsor it is indeed my pleasure and honour to introduce this year's "Spirit of Philanthropy" recipient.

I knew of this amazing individual years before I joined the AGW, I like most of you, watched from afar as she negotiated with the Province of Ontario, the City of Windsor, the AGW Board, it's members, volunteers and numerous stakeholders as the gallery made its journey back to the downtown core after seven years at Devonshire Mall.

Lois Smedick has played a pivotal role in the development of the gallery -- She provided unprecedented leadership through one of the most dynamic and complex periods of the gallery's history.

I can't imagine the amount of volunteer hours that Lois has logged on behalf of the AGW, including the countless sleepless nights, the moments of doubt, presentation upon presentation to City Council and the hundreds of hours spent explaining, discussing and re-explaining the Who, What, Where and When... as it pertains to the building, the foundation, the Canderal option, and so on.

During her 30 years, yes you heard me correctly, 30 years as an AGW volunteer, Lois has worked long and hard to ensure that the gallery is a vibrant, exciting arts institution. Her commitment to our community has led her to accept numerous leadership roles from Board Member to Board President and now the President of the AGW Foundation.

A true art advocate, Lois is also Vice President of the Windsor Endowment for the Arts, a Board Member for Artcite (a gallery run by local artists), a proud supporter of the Windsor Symphony and Co-Chair of the "Buy a Seat" campaign for the School of Dramatic Art at the University of Windsor.

Educated in the United States and Canada, Lois arrived in Windsor in 1963, to take up a position at the University as Assistant Professor in the Department of English. Lucky for us - she liked it so much, she decided to stay.

Did you know that Lois as Dean of Graduate Studies and Research was the first Woman Academic Dean at the University of Windsor? -- It is also said, Lois was the first Woman Dean of Graduate Studies in the Province of Ontario. A real testament to her commitment to gender equality.

Lois's passion for the advancement and recognition of women in the workplace, ensured leadership roles on numerous committees, associations and forums. Her dedication has provided women with the opportunity to pursue a satisfying academic career, both professionally and financially. Her good work continues with "Friends of Women's Studies" in which she is a founding member.

Here is something that I did not know about Lois. She is a true animal lover and served on the Erie Wildlife Rescue's Board of Directors for the past seven years and works with Dorit Girash as a Jazzpurr Board Member.

Lois brings determination, courage, strength and drive to all she does. The Spirit of Philanthropy fits Lois's volunteer and Philanthropic energy. She is often the "Heart and Soul" of the committee - a true supporter - she is generous of her time, her knowledge and financial assistance.

Lois as a teacher of English Literature, has the amazing capacity to 'Paint' pictures with words. If you've heard her speak, she often provides amazing imagery. I selected the following from a book entitled "The Right Words at the Right Time" to provide you with a snapshot of what I feel describes her greatest personality trait.

"My father would remind me constantly, that there is only one thing that separates successful from unsuccessful. It isn't money or brains, he would say it's confidence - and what creates confidence?

1) Being Prepared
2) Having Experience, and
3) Never Giving Up "

Lois on behalf of the many groups and organizations that you have supported over the years and those you will help in the future. Thank You for your confidence!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Please Join Me In Congratulating Lois:



Acceptance Speech

"Philanthropy Day" - an opportunity to meditate for a moment on what we mean by the word "philanthropy" – or more important, the act.

What is philanthropy but sharing? – sharing, giving a portion of what we have, to one another; whether that portion is some of our time, some of our effort or energy, some of our resources, material or spiritual.

"Sharing", even more than "giving", implies the entitlement of others to some of what we have. "Theirs" is part of ours. "Ours" is partly theirs.

You may have seen published, or received by email, some time or other, the statement that tries to put the world's population in comprehensible terms, as if it were just one hundred people. We can imagine a hundred much more readily than we can billions – if we can imagine billions at all. So if the world's population were just 100, how many of that 100 would live in the Western Hemisphere? Only 14 – just 6 of whom would possess close to 2/3 of the entire world's wealth, the remaining 1/3 of the world's wealth being doled out among the other 94 people.

Doris Lapico, Lois Smedick, Dorit Girash, Tania Sorge Seventy (70) of the 100 would not be able to read. Only 1 of the 100 would have a university education. One (1) would own a computer.

"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75 percent of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8 percent of the world's wealthy" (from "Comprehending Our World's Population", circulated by email and in print; no attribution).

What is ours to give, to share? We give what we have received from others in our life's journey: Strength while we have it, some of our resources, large or small; most of all, caring.

We must have been nurtured to be nurturing, must have been cared for in order to be caring in our turn.

Philanthropy, then, is acknowledging our great debt to others, to the endless circle of giving, and in that spirit, I thank you most sincerely for this award.