30 — Sunday, April 5, 1992 ~ North Shcre News HIGH PROFILES r. League gearing up for annual dinner Barbara Cupit chairwoman for this year’s World Affairs banquet WEST VANCOUVER'S Barbara Cupii is chairing this year’s World photos Terzy Peters Affairs Dinner at the Hyatt Regency, May 4. Barbara Cupit - in her Is this the first time you’ve hosted a World Affairs Din- ner? ‘‘No. Last year I co- chaired it with Barbara Brink of Science World. This is the first year the league is doing it as an independent produc- tion.”’ Tell me a bit about the Junior League of Greater Vancouver: “It’s a training organization that gets involved in communi- ty projects. We train volunteers so they can go out into the community and sit on boards with the appropriate background. A lot of our vol- unteers sit on the boards of Children’s Hospital, Vancouver Art Gallery —~ all the big Van- couver organizations. We also have a thrift shop that provides a much-needed service.”’ Besides raising funds for com- munity groups, what are some other purposes of the dinner? ‘Really, they are just an op- portunity for people to hear current topics. And I should add, the Junior League is total- ly non-political.’’ AS CASH-strapped charities lock increasingly to govern- ment, private and corporate donors for help, fundraising in Canada is becoming a big business. These days groups are resorting to all kinds of wacky schemes to keep themselves and the organiza- tions they sustain afloat, from cubber duckie races to whipped- cream wrestling competitions. It may not be quite as off the wall, but the Junior League of Greater Vancouver’s World Af- fairs Dinner has proven to be one of the more successful fundraisers in town. And the woman at the heart of this year’s event explains why. “The nice thing about our din- ner is they’re a little bit different from other fundraising efforts. Our speakers always deal with very current topics,’’ says World Affairs Dinner chairwoman and mother of two, West Vancouver’s Barbara Cupit. The Junior League of Van- couver is part of an international organization dedicated to pro- moting voluntarism. Since 1931, it has donated two million hours and raised over $1.5 million for community projects. Cupit won't be getting paid to chair this year’s World Affairs Dinner — the league’s major fundraiser —- but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I firmly believe that people have to give to their communities. In the beginning when 1 wanted to, I didn’t have a lot of money, so I gave my time instead.’” Previcus World Affairs Dinners have featured the likes of Henry Kissinger, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Lee iaccoca and, last year, Benizir Bhutto. This year (May 4) event-goers will pay $175 each to hear Abba Eban, former Israeli ambassador own words How many volunteer hours go into putting on the dinners? **People put in so much work. And we’re lucky — we've got bodies we can count on. I don’t know what some of these other organizations do. I'll tell you, I’ve got a lot of respect for fundraisers. Pd hate to think of where our community would be without them.’’ What attracted you to the Junior League? ‘It was the training they offered in ex- change for my time. It’s work- ed very well for me.’” By Evelyn Jacob News Reporter to the U.N. and the U.S., enlighten them on the Middle East peace process, Israel’s current relationship with the Bush ad- ministration and, time permitting, the collapse of communism. Eban, says Cupit, agreed to take part in the dinner after Israeli Labor party leader Yitzhak Rabin, who was originally slated to speak, was forced to cancel fol- lowing his recent appointment to office. “Eban is a statesman, so of course he'll have a different focus (from Rabin),’’ says Cupit. **However, he’s up on the current political situation. 1’m thrilled to have someone of his reputation come.”” A much-sought-after orator, Eban has been involved in Arab- Israeli peace negotiations and is the author of Heritage, Civiliza- tion and the Jews, which has sold over 200,600 copies. Cupit is hoping Eban’s name will help raise much-needed community funds. This year the league is planning to divide the net proceeds of the dinner between the new Women’s Health Centre at University Hos- - pital and the Jewish Family. Ser- vices Agency of Vancouver. With luck, all 1,000 tickets will be sold (Cupit adds that there are still fots of good seats available)... It’s curious why a women’s organization (the Junior League of Greater Vancouver is essentially run by women) hasn’t invited more women as guest lecturers. Cupit, who has been involved in everything from interior design to real estate, says it’s something the league hopes to change. “Quite frankly, we’d love to get more women speakers. But it can be very difficult to find women. Obviously, there are not as many high-profile women as men.”’ Organizing the dinners takes NAME: Barbara Cupit BORN: New Westminster RESIDENCE: West Vancouver EDUCATION: Prince George Senior Secondary grad OCCUPATION: Chairwoman, World Affairs Dinner FAMILY: Married to James; two sons HOBBIES: Interior design, gardening, reading, boating enormous effort, but Cupit, who joined the board of the Junior League of Greater Vancouver in VOLUNTEERING FOR the | Junior League of. Vancouver hes given. Barbara Cupit. a whele new. appreciation for fundraisers. 1985 and who becomes president of the organization in 1994, says the experience is reward enough. “It’s a great experience for me.. One minute you’re dealing with lawyers and the next you're in- structing people cn where the gravel will be dumped.” ‘ _ Anyone interested in hearing Eban speak can obtain tickets from the Junior League of Greater Vancouver office at 872- 3244. Wheels In our continuing effort to improve our CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, we would like you to Join us in a FREE workshop on General Auto Maintenance. We will have on hand our resident expert, Koren Cars, who will demonstrate such procedures as tire changing, general trouble-shooting “and recognizing the tell-tale signs of potential vehicle problems. . DATE: Wednesday, April 8, 1992 TIME: 7:00-8:20 P.M. ; PLACE: JIM PATTISON TOYOTA 4 1765 MARINE DRIVE 4 NORTH VANCOUVER Limited seating. Stop in at Shortstop Brake & Muffler. With our Call fizst to register. 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