On November 19, more than 300 community members gathered at the 2009 Society of Fellows Donor Appreciation Luncheon to honor Marvin Levy with ADL’s Distinguished Community Service Award.

The award recognizes Levy’s commitment to human rights and dignity, and his dedicated service to his community, state and nation.  Levy, a longtime ADL Board member, former Regional Board Chair, National Commission and National Executive Committee member, underscored his dedication to ADL’s mission and the importance of ADL’s ongoing fight against anti-Semitism.

Keynote speaker and syndicated columnist Clarence Page spoke about current issues, focusing in particular on hate speech in the media. Page is a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, syndicated columnist and senior member of The Chicago Tribune editorial board. In 2009 he received ADL’s Hubert H. Humphrey First Amendment Freedoms Prize. Page, who dubs himself a “connoisseur of punditry,” spoke about bias in the media and ADL’s important role in providing a consistent voice against hate.

ADL’s Society of Fellows Donor Appreciation Luncheon is a centerpiece of ADL’s Annual Campaign, which raises money to support ADL’s many programs and services in the Mountain States Region of Colorado and Wyoming.