Eric Cherney Inspiration Fund Established by Peterborough's Community Couselling and Resource Centre (CCRC).

A new fund was established by the Community Counselling and Resource Centre to meet unique services needs or projects that might arise at the CCRC. The fund is named the Erica Cherney Inspiration Fund. Erica is the chairwoman of the Downtown Business Improvement Association and once served as a founding board member of Volunteers and Information Peterborough, one of the two organizations that came together to form CCRC. It offers abuse counselling, credit counselling, housing resources and community service programs. The fund received an anonymous start-up donation of $75 000. Congratulations Erica!!

Erica and her family by the way have been long standing (35+ years) members of Beth Israel Synagogue, always very active and devoted to the Jewish Community, as well as the Peterborough community-at-large.

Erica indeed has many diverse interests. Read below a chapter she wrote in a book called "Remember When: Stories from Peterborough." (Published by Continuing Education, Trent University, 2005).

"My Little One-inch Harmonica" by Eric Cherney.

Sylva Gelber was an inspirational woman. In her many roles, she affected the lives of all Canadian women, even those who never knew her. She also deeply touched the lives of the many people who did not know her.

An advocate of women's rights, Sylva became Director of Women's Bureau in the Federal Department of Labour when she was sixty years old. In that position she introduced equal-pay legislation, maternity leave, and women's pension benefits into Canadian society. I could write much about her varied and accomplished life before she was sixty, but that would fill a book.

This story begins when I met Sylva in 1979 at Trent University. She was sixty-nine then. I was honoured to be invited to join the Trent University Board of Governors and anxious to meet my new colleagues there. Much to my comfort, I was made to feel very welcome among the formidable group. My experience as a member and then Chairman of the Board could fill yet another book, so I won't elaborate on that here either. But on that first day, as I was introduced to the individual members around the table, Sylva pulled this tiny harmonica out of her purse and welcomed me with a rendition of "Jolly Good Fellow." Needless to say, I immediately adored her! What style, humour, smarts and genuine warmth that woman displayed! And so began a friendship of twenty-four years.

The Board met monthly and Sylva would drive to Peterborough from Ottawa in her little green Mazda Miata convertible! What class! What style! Whenever someone was being recognized for any reason she'd spontaneously pull out her tiny harmonica and lead the cheering with it. After a few years she developed a health problem and said she would not be able to attend any more. At her last Board meeting she tossed the harmonica to me saying, "Erica, it's now yours." Since that day, I have carried it with me in my purse, heavily bearing the responsibility that accompanies it.

This little instrument, made by Hohner, the world's foremost harmonica maker, is one inch long. It has only four holes. By blowing air in and then drawing air out at each hole, one is able to play eight notes, a major scale, C to C, like the white keys on a piano. Having been a fairly serious piano student during my early years in Ottawa, it was not too difficult to learn "Jolly Good Fellow."

I have played it on many occasions when someone is being recognized or honoured for any reason. Many people in Peterborough have heard me do this, but there have been a few occasions that have been particularly special.

One year when I was a 'waiter' at the Festival of Trees Celebrity Lunch, we were encouraged to give extra service to the diners in order to earn 'tips' which would be added to the fundraising efforts of the event. I practised as many Christmas Carols as I could find that could be played in one major scale. We had lots of fun and tips were great!

In 1994, I spent a summer in Israel as a volunteer teacher of ESL, English as a Second Language, to Russian immigrants. One day, strolling on Ben Yehuda St. in Jerusalem, a coulourful, joyful area of outdoor cafes and buskers, I got right into the atmosphere. When I saw a street musician playing Israeli folk songs on a Hohner-built accordion, I took out my harmonica, and joined him. A friend took a photo. I loved the mood it portrayed and sent a copy to Sylva. She said, "You're still playing that old thing?" and sent me a new one in protective bright red plastic Hohner case, easy to find in my purse.

The next special occasion was a few years later when Sylva received an honorary degree at Trent. It gave me the wonderful opportunity to reciprocate her original kindness to me. At the Convocation lunch in her honour, I pulled out the harmonica to play "Jolly Good Fellow." I was gratified when many of the guests, knowing it had been her harmonica, agreed it was a perfect repayment!

But the most thrilling experience with this litle harmonica was with Isaac Stern, the great violinist. It was in 1998, I think.

I had read in the newspaper that there was going to be a fund-raising luncheon at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Sylva was to be the honoured guest and Isaac Stern was to be the guest speaker--not the guest musician, but the main speaker! So of course, I went to Ottawa; I had to attend that event.

As I said in the first line of this story, Sylva Gelber was an inspirational woman. And hearing Isaac Stern, who had known her for a long time, speak so passionately of her remarkable personal and professional achievements. I was aglow being in their presence. When the luncheon was over, I hung back to be able to greet her after the crowd left. There she was talking to Mr. Stern, and warmly, vivaciously introduced me to the great violinist. I asked him if he had ever heard her play her one-inch harmonica. He said he'd never heard of anyone play a one-inch harmonica, and asked if she'd play it for him someitme. Without missing a beat, she said she didn't carry it anymore, "But Erica does. Surely she would show it to you." As I took it out of my purse, Mr. Stern asked me to play it. And there I was playing "Jolly Good Fellow" for Isaac Stern in the National Arts Centre. I don't know how I found my car and drove home as I was in such a state of disbelief!

As I write this now in 2005, the memories of Sylva Gelber continue to warm my heart and inspire me. Although Sylva died at age ninety-three in December of 2003, she will continue to affect the lives of younger generations. In addition to advocating for women's rights, her legacy is further enhanced by her generous endowment of The Sylva Gelber Music Foundation for outstanding young Canadian musicians who have now become professionals; they have been able to pursue their careers thanks to the support of Sylva Gelber.

Sylva's life has touched so many, and I just have to touch my harmonica to bring those memories to life.