Martha Cohen
 |
Martha Ruth Cohen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Martha Ruth Block 1920 |
| Died | February 26, 2015 (94-95 years old) |
| Known for | Philanthropy and activism |
Martha Ruth Cohen, CM, LLD (née Block; 1920 – February 26, 2015) was a Canadian community activist and philanthropist.[1] She spearheaded a variety of major civic projects, including construction of the $45 million Calgary Centre for the Performing Arts. As chairwoman of the board of directors at Mount Royal College, she oversaw the construction of a new campus and was the first woman to head a higher educational institution in Alberta. She was a member of the Order of Canada and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Calgary in 1982.[2][3]
Life and education[edit]
Cohen was born in 1920 in Calgary, Alberta to parents Rebecca and Peter Block.[4]
She received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta in 1940, and a Master Diploma of Social Work from the University of Toronto in 1945.[5] Cohen has four children.[6] In 1982, she received an honorary doctorate from the University of Calgary[2] and in 1995 received a Honorary Bachelor of Applied Communications from Mount Royal College.
Cohen died on February 26, 2015.[7][8] Her 30-piece art collection made headlines when it was auctioned off.[9]
Achievements[edit]
- Chairwoman of the Board for the Calgary Centre for the Performing Arts during creation of the Centre.
- Chairwoman of the Mount Royal College Board of Governors during the construction of a new campus, becoming the first woman to head a higher educational institution in Alberta.
- Founder/Past Executive Director of the Jewish Family Service in Calgary.[10][11]
- President of the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada[7][12]
- Councillor, Alberta Order of Excellence (1980-1985) [13]
Philanthropy[edit]
The Harry & Martha Cohen Foundation is a private family foundation which provides grants primarily to Calgary-based charities.[14] She founded it with her husband Harry B. Cohen (1912–1990), who was also a philanthropist.
Cohen and five other women primarily were the ones to fundraise $45 million to build the Calgary Centre for the Performing Arts.[6]
In 1983, Cohen's husband Harry donated $1 million to have a theatre named at the Calgary Centre for the Performing Arts in honor of Martha Cohen's birthday.[15]
After her death on February 26, 2015, the Dr. Martha Cohen School was named in her honour.[10][16] On May 4, 2015, the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) announced that it would name a new Middle School (located in New Brighton/Copperfield) after Martha Cohen and described her as one of the city's foremost humanitarians and philanthropists.[16] In April, 2017, the CBE formally opened the Dr. Martha Cohen School at 1750 New Brighton Drive S.E. It will provide educational programming for approximately 900 students (Grades 5-9).[17]
Honorary degrees[edit]
- Honorary doctorate, University of Calgary (1982)[2][3][18]
- Honorary Bachelor of Applied Communications, Mount Royal College (1995)
Awards[edit]
- Prime Minister Medal, State of Israel Bonds (1970)[10]
- Order of Canada (1975)[19]
- Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)
- Calgary Citizen of the Year (1979)[6]
- Boy Scouts of Canada Medal (1984)
- Variety Club International Lifeliner Medal (1984)
- City of Calgary, Centennial Award of Merit (1985)
- Scopus Award, Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1994)[20]
- Distinguished Citizen Award, Mount Royal College (1995)
- Angel Award, International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA), New York (1995)[21]
- Great Minds Banner, 175th Anniversary, University of Toronto (2002)[22]
- Alberta Centennial Medal (2005)[23]
- Distinguished Alumni Award, Calgary Board of Education (2006) [24]
- Best of Alberta Award, Calgary Herald (2008)
- Global News Woman of Vision (2009)
- Western Legacy Award, 100 Outstanding Albertans, Calgary Stampede (2012)[25]
References[edit]
- ^ "Archives Society of Alberta".
- ^ a b c "Drumheller Mail Newspaper Archives, Sep 15, 1982, p. 26". NewspaperArchive.com. 1982-09-15. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
- ^ a b "Mother Receives Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree". Lethbridge Herald Newspaper Archives, Sep 18, 1982, p. 16. 1982-09-18. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
- ^ Sanderson, Kay (1999). 200 Remarkable Alberta Women. Calgary: Famous Five Foundation. p. 92. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
- ^ "University of Toronto, Faculty of Social Work".
- ^ a b c "When Martha Cohen Decided to Raise Money..." Lethbridge Herald Newspaper Archives, Jul 19, 1980, p. 91. 1980-07-19. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
- ^ a b "Calgary Philanthropist Dies, CBC News, 2015".
- ^ "Calgary Philanthropic Legend Martha Cohen Dies, Calgary Herald, 2015".
- ^ "Martha Cohen art collection to be auctioned off". Calgary Herald. 2015-11-07. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
- ^ a b c "Alberta 150: The wrestlers, the team builder and the professor". Calgary Herald. 2017-06-20. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
- ^ "Calgary Jewish Family Service Bureau".
- ^ "National Council of Jewish Women (Calgary Section)".
- ^ "Council for the Alberta Order of Excellence".
- ^ "Harry & Martha Cohen Foundation". Retrieved February 27, 2015.
- ^ "Martha Cohen Theatre".
- ^ a b "New CBE School will be Named after Community Builder Martha Cohen".
- ^ "Dr. Martha Cohen School".
- ^ "University of Calgary Honorary Doctorate".
- ^ "Governor General of Canada - Archives".
- ^ "Scopus Award".
- ^ "Angel Award, ISPA". The Globe and Mail. 7 December 2002.
- ^ "Great Minds for a Great Future, University of Toronto".
- ^ "Alberta Centennial Medal, Province of Alberta" (PDF).
- ^ "Distinguished Alumni Award, Calgary Board of Education".
- ^ "Calgary Stampede Western Legacy Award" (PDF).
Sources[edit]
- Lumley, Elizabeth (2003). Canadian Who's Who, 2003. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9780802088659.
- "The Best of Alberta, Calgary Herald, 2008".
- "Global Woman of Vision, Global News, 2009".
- "Alberta 150: The Wrestlers, The Team Builder, and The Professor, Calgary Herald, 2017".
- 1920 births
- 2015 deaths
- Jewish Canadian activists
- Jewish Canadian philanthropists
- Members of the Order of Canada
- Activists from Calgary
- University of Toronto alumni
- University of Alberta alumni
- National Council of Jewish Women
- Canadian women activists
- Canadian women philanthropists
- 20th-century Canadian philanthropists
- 20th-century women philanthropists