Michael J. Fox comes home again

Michael J. Fox comes home again
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published June 11, 2003


The Michael J. Fox Theatre celebrated its 10th anniversary in style on Friday night when a record number of people raised a record amount of cash to help spruce up the finest performing stage in the city.

"It was a wonderful time," said Gary Morrey, chair of the theatre society, who presided over the fourth annual fundraising event that saw almost 300 people play golf and have dinner with the city's most famous son.

Michael J. Fox was on hand to play all 18 holes of golf at the Riverway West course, and then he joined in the bidding during the wrap-up dinner and auction, held at the Hilton Metrotown Vancouver.

A total of $57,000 was raised to refurbish the Michael J. Fox Theatre. The money will help refurbish the entry way and buy a giant teleconferencing screen that will help the facility solidify its standing as one of the most high-tech theatres in the province.

The most popular item up for grabs was a poster signed by the stars of the multi-Oscar winning movie Chicago, which fetched a princely $5,000. Fox himself bid and won a trip for two to New York City, which he promptly handed over to his own mother, along with a promise that she could come and visit him any time. By the time the auction was complete, the event had raised almost twice as much money as it did the year previously.

Besides Fox, other dignitaries on hand included Mayor Derek Corrigan, MLA John Nuraney and an assortment of school trustees and past and current directors of the theatre society.

"It was very upbeat and everyone was very excited," said Morrey. "And the banquet itself was unbelievable. The event was sold out six weeks in advance, and many of the people who golfed have already got their bookings in for next year."

And, for the fourth consecutive year, Fox did some more giving of his own prior to the fundraiser.

Last week, the Michael J. Fox Theatre Society presented five scholarships totalling $10,000 to help local students pursue post- secondary studies in the fields of music, fashion design, animation and filmmaking.

The 2003 winners were Danielle Berry of Cariboo Hill, Andrew Littleford of Burnaby South, Fereshta Momenzada of Burnaby Central, Dan Uzelac of Moscrop and Mei Yu of Burnaby North.

Berry will use her $1,000 to study towards a bachelor of music degree from Trinity Western University and a music therapy certificate at Capilano College.

Littleford received $2,500 and hopes to obtain a bachelor of music, specializing in the trumpet, at Brandon University.

Momenzada, who emigrated from Afghanistan in 2000, received $1,000 to go toward fashion design studies at Kwantlen University College.

Uzelac, who has already produced four films, including one that was screened at last year's Vancouver International Film Festival, received $3,000 and hopes to study film and drama at Queen's University.

Yu received $2,500 and intends to study animation at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design.

Funding for the scholarships came directly out of the actor's own pocket. Fox, who has Parkinson's disease, has provided a total of $100,000 for local scholarships over a 10-year period.