ADLER
AGGELOPOULOS
AHLBORN
AITKEN
ALONZO
ANNETT
ARNOLD
AUSTIN
ADLER m@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2005-01-22 published
Marnie SUGARMAN and Stephen
ADLER -- Match
By Judith TENENBAUM,
Saturday,
January 22, 2005 - Page M6
If Stephen
ADLER chronicles his memoirs, the results will leave
the uninitiated bedazzled. In first-year university, with the
bravura of a 19-year-old, he wrote to Dennis Swanson, president
of ABC Sports: "You gave Oprah her first job, now give me mine."
And he scored. For the next three summers, he worked as an intern
in sportscasting for the major U.S. networks. The bold feat even
led to an interview with Oprah Winfrey herself.
So it's not surprising the story of his engagement to Marnie
SUGARMAN features more of the same bold strategizing.
Ms. SUGARMAN, a former camp counsellor, got together with Mr.
ADLER after bumping into his sister, Pamela
ADLER, a one-time
charge of hers, on Bloor Street. "My brother looks pretty good
these days," Ms.
ADLER told Ms.
SUGARMAN.
Ms. SUGARMAN handed over her number, and shortly after that encounter
in November of 2001, she and Mr.
ADLER met.
"She was stunningly beautiful, and I had her on the first date
when I casually said I had been on Oprah, and then changed the
topic," says the University of Ottawa graduate, who is now a
fundraiser at Reena, a Toronto agency that works with the developmentally disabled.
Ms. SUGARMAN, who holds a master's degree in journalism, enthuses
about their common interests. "At the time, I was an associate
producer for W-Five and he didn't ask me to explain. It was brilliant."
Later, she told her mother, "I think I met my match, someone
who talks as much as I do."
Further, both embraced the value of family. Their visit to his
grandparents in Montreal profoundly affected her. "He respected
them and they loved him, yet were Friends. It was pivotal --
I had always wanted someone who respected family the way I did," she says.
By the summer of 2003, Mr.
ADLER was envisioning the extraordinary:
"To give her the biggest and best proposal story anyone can have."
But because of her close relationship with Friends and family,
he knew Ms.
SUGARMAN would want to be with them when she got engaged.
He concocted a bifurcated approach. In a parody of the phantom
character George Kaplan in Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest,
Mr. ADLER created a fictitious client whom he described as a
flamboyant bon vivant. Then, he arranged an appointment at the
Windsor Arms hotel, where the couple headed after a Peter Gabriel
concert in July, 2003. "Even his parents were in on it, saying
he [the supposed client] sounded fabulous," Ms.
SUGARMAN notes.
"And I bought into every ounce of the story."
When they arrived, they received a message that the client was
delayed but that they were invited to his suite, where flowers
and delicacies awaited. Suddenly, when Ms.
SUGARMAN noticed the
stuffed bears that were reminiscent of Mr.
ADLER's first gift
to her, the jig was up. "She almost started to convulse, smiling
and wailing in combination as I got down on one knee and proposed,"
Mr. ADLER says. He then ushered her to the downstairs bar, where
family and Friends toasted the engaged pair.
Two weeks later, the spectacular finale was set. Mr.
ADLER persuaded
her boss to commandeer a reluctant Ms.
SUGARMAN, now a television
producer for Red Apple Entertainment, who was in the midst of
a long-awaited interview. "My boss wouldn't even let me go to
the bathroom," she says. "We ran, ran, ran, out. Stephen put
his foot on the pedal, and we were off."
Timing was crucial because of distance, a border to cross, and
an intractable schedule dependent on the weather. Mr.
ADLER gave
her a series of envelopes to open in sequence, each with driving
directions that collectively led to their final destination,
without revealing it.
Mr. ADLER fuelled the drama by insisting that she relinquish
her ring. "The place we're going you can't be engaged or married,"
he explained.
A six-hour push found them in Akron, Ohio, at sunset, on the
tarmac for the Goodyear blimp. "Oh my God, you're going to ask
me to marry you again," Ms.
SUGARMAN guessed. "I'm going to laugh!"
"I don't care what you do," Mr.
ADLER whispered, "but they think
this is our engagement and you'd better cry." As the blimp ascended,
he handed her a love note, tears gushed on cue, and the flight
crew applauded.
An engagement on the blimp was as likely as a seat on Apollo,
yet undeterred, Mr.
ADLER had e-blitzed for months every potential
source to plead his case, while saving every correspondence for
Ms. SUGARMAN, an avid scrapbooker. Finally, an empathetic ear
at Goodyear agreed to help.
On October 10 at the Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre,
Rabbi Erwin
SCHIELDS wed the couple, then both 27. The bride's
92-year-old grandmother, whose 65th anniversary was that very
day, attended the ceremony. Their odyssey would continue on a
honeymoon planned by Ms.
SUGARMAN to the Seychelles Islands,
Zanzibar and Madagascar.
ADLER - All Categories in OGSPI
AGGELOPOULOS m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2005-01-22 published
AGGELOPOULOS,
Gus and Helen - Happy 40th Anniversary
January 24, 2005
With love and best wishes from your family and Friends.
AGGELOPOULOS - All Categories in OGSPI
AHLBORN m@ca.on.grey_county.artemesia.flesherton.the_flesherton_advance 2005-04-06 published
AHLBORN /
HEATHCOTE
Buck N' Doe for Jeremy (B.T.)
AHLBORN and Hollie
HEATHCOTE on April 16th, 2005 8: 00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Tickets at the door $10.00/person
Page 2
AHLBORN - All Categories in OGSPI
AITKEN m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2005-06-11 published
AITKEN,
Norm and Donna - 50th Anniversary
Open House
Congratulations on 50 years together! We are truly blessed to
have you as parents! With much love from Kari and Julia, Wayne
and Sam.
Open House at West Park Baptist Church, London, 1-4 p.m. Saturday June 11th.
Best wishes only please.
AITKEN - All Categories in OGSPI
ALONZO m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2005-10-01 published
ALONZO,
Darryl and Erin (née
ROBOTHAM) - 1st Anniversary
Darryl and Erin (née
ROBOTHAM)
ALONZO were married at New Saint
James Presbyterian Church, London on October 2, 2004. Parents
of the couple are Dave and Luanne
ROBOTHAM of Grand Bend and
Randy and Brenda
ALONZO of Brantford. Special thanks to the wonderful
parents, wedding party, Dave
WEAVER and Mr.
GIBBONS for their
love and support in making the day so special. Thank you also
to all of the family and Friends who were able to share in the day and make it so memorable.
ALONZO - All Categories in OGSPI
ANNETT m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2005-01-22 published
ANNETT,
Norma and John - 50th Wedding Anniversary
January 22, 1955 - 2005
Congratulations and Best Wishes with all our love your children and grandchildren.
ANNETT - All Categories in OGSPI
ARNOLD m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2005-06-18 published
ARNOLD,
Jim and Bev - Happy 50th Anniversary
June 25, 1955-2005
The family of Jim and Bev would like to invite family and Friends
to an Open House on Sunday, June 26, 2005 at the Moose Lodge, 35 Charterhouse Cres. 1: 30-5 p.m.
Best Wishes Only Please.
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AUSTIN m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2005-02-12 published
AUSTIN,
Jerry and Rose - 50th Wedding Anniversary
Congratulations February 19, 2005
"Love is commitment, courage, compassion, caring, patience, kindness, forgiveness, tenderness and sharing."
Thank you for the example.
Love Richard, Peter, James, John, Natalie.
AUSTIN m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2005-06-11 published
AUSTIN,
Don and Eileen - 50th Anniversary
June 11, 2005
Eileen, thanks for keeping me in line!
AUSTIN - All Categories in OGSPI