Being True to the School

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When banker Cecil Adams visited Westview School to arrange a loan, he never imagined it would become his favorite charity. Or that his golf game would help the cause some day.

Seven years ago, the private school in West Los Angeles needed a bridge loan to buy a building. Adams, senior vice president at

Gilmore Bank in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles, made the loan. After the school issued bonds and paid off the balance, Adams remained involved by volunteering to help with fundraising dinners.

The building’s remodel went into cost overruns last year, but Adams’ favorite sport came to the rescue.

“I suggested a golf tournament, and they suggested I chair it,” he said.

Adams, who has a handicap of 20, also played in the tourney. He didn’t win, but the school did, netting more than $30,000.

For the second annual tournament, scheduled for Oct. 1 at Mountain Gate Country Club in West Los Angeles, Adams isn’t chairman but he serves on the organizing committee and will play again. Gilmore has been a sponsor both years.

Why the personal commitment to Westview? Adams said it was family, even though his three children never attended the school.

“My dad was a school administrator and my mom was a teacher,” he said. “I have a soft spot in my heart for schools. Education is so important. We are competing against everyone in the world so it is important kids get the best education they possibly can.”

Call of Duty

Steve Farzam, chief operating officer at the year-old Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, was on his way to a business meeting across town last month when he saw a two-car accident on Wilshire Boulevard.

A former paramedic, 34-year-old Farzam said he didn’t feel right driving by.

“I pulled up and I noticed one of the cars was still kind of moving, and there were tons of people standing around nearby just kind of looking,” he said.

Farzam quickly parked his car to block oncoming traffic and made his way over to the moving car, where a 52-year-old man sat slumped over the steering wheel. Farzam forced the car door open and set the emergency brake. Then he turned to evaluate the injured man, who was disoriented because of the accident. The man was speaking Farsi.

“I realized there was a language barrier, but fortunately not for me,” Farzam said. “Both my parents are from Iran and I speak Farsi fluently.”

When paramedics arrived at the scene, Farzam continued to translate. Before the ambulance left for the hospital, he promised the man he would call his family to let them know what had happened. Then, he got back in his car; he had a meeting to get to.

“Ten minutes later, I was sitting with a bunch of guys in suits,” he said. “They had no idea what had just happened and we didn’t discuss it.”

Farzam said he doesn’t consider himself a hero.

“I stopped because I enjoy helping people out,” he said.

Staff reporters Joel Russell and Bethany Firnhaber contributed to this column. Page 3 is compiled by Editor Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].

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