Another Kind of Currency

by Rebecca Ephraim

photo by Jaime Kowal

Not long ago I was in an airport and needed to take a short shuttle flight to get to my final destination. It was a connecting flight, and I had already spent many hours in the air and in airports. It was late, I was bushed, and my dear old frail aunt, who I hadn’t seen in years, insisted on picking me up on the other end, eager for our reunion. I told this story to a woman sitting next to me who was also waiting for the flight. She had had a long, tiring day herself, and we were both relieved to make this our last leg.

Suddenly they announced that the flight was overbooked and, since I was on standby (my earlier flight had been cancelled), I’d have to take another flight two hours later. The woman I had been chatting with was presented with a ticket and invited to board. She promptly told the reservationist that she wanted me to take her place and that she’d take the later flight. I protested, but she wouldn’t have any of it.

There was no money involved in this “social” transaction, but the kindness and concern this woman extended was a gift that will stay with me, possibly forever.

We all have stories of generosities extended to us; likely we can tell stories of being the giver. And so it is with the theme of our November issue, as we explore the foundations of True Wealth. Meet five wealthy Vancouver businesswomen who “give back” by giving their time to nurture the businesses of other women entrepreneurs. For one, Sandra Wilson, who sold her biz for $30 million-plus, insists on making time to nurture early-stage businesswomen (see Legacy of the Fairer Sex).

In another of our feature pieces, ultra-timely in this period of financial upheaval, writer Nina Winham brings together a diverse group of professional women to talk about the ways of wealth. It was an evening of wine (not too much), hors d’oeuvres, and wisdom on how much money it takes to be happy, where to put it when you’ve got it, and how to spend it. see Rich Beyond Your Dreams.

And for a banker with heart, check out our interview with the dynamic woman who’s CEO of Vancity Credit Union. In sitting down with Tamara Vrooman, who runs a company with 2,600 employees, I was both surprised and delighted at her wise ideas and ideals about giving back, (Knowing True Wealth).

And how about giving back to, ahem, yourself? Our always incisive and entertaining health writer Donna Barker clears a path for avoiding, yikes, a mid-life crisis. Read why a hot new car, a capricious buying spree, or a torrid affair may not be the best life-enhancing moves, (Aging Gracefully).

How ’Bout That Shawn Buckley
We got an enthusiastic response to our October cover story, “Give That Man a Cape,” about B.C. lawyer Shawn Buckley and his campaign to guarantee our access to health supplements. Numerous health products businesses phoned and e-mailed to ask for extra copies for distribution to their customers. That’s because these companies have watched as some 20,000 products have been forced off store shelves.

Shawn has introduced a “Charter of Health Freedom” that would allow the government to safely regulate natural medicines while guaranteeing our access to them. You can add your name to the Charter (the goal is three million signatures across Canada) by going to charterofhealthfreedom.org.

It’s all good. It’s all a SharedVISION.

In gratitude,