Larry & Dale Polsky
Dale and I are grateful for our family and for each other. We’ve had the opportunity to grow together, share meaningful life experiences, raise two wonderful children, and to become involved in causes that we hope will make our community a better place.
We both come from humble beginnings. My father, Alex, was a Russian immigrant who came to the United States at age 11. Unable to speak English when he arrived, he graduated at the top of his high school class in 1930 and received multiple college scholarship offers. Regrettably, he was unable to pursue his dream of becoming an architect because he needed to begin work immediately in order to help support his family. My parents were married one year after my mother, Shirley, graduated from high school. My mother was extremely nurturing and, despite being plagued with a variety of health issues throughout her life, she lived until she was eighty years old. Dale and I, as well as our children, learned many lessons of life from her.
Dale’s father, Fred, supported his younger brother through college and became a skilled craftsman at a local machinery company in Cleveland. I knew Fred longer than my own father, who died when I was 23, and admired his hard work. He placed a heavy priority on the importance of family. After Fred’s death, Dale’s mother, Helen, moved from Tucson to Charlotte in 1996 at the age of 82. She made an immediate impact in our community, had countless friends, and participated in events at the JCC and Temple Beth El. She was appreciated for her spunk, intelligence and positive outlook.
Our parents helped shape us in many ways. If financially possible they would have contributed more to charity but through their actions and teachings, Dale and I both recognized the importance of helping others. We have tried to honor them by making philanthropy and community outreach a significant part of our lives. Our children, Anne and Jon, and their spouses Jonathan and Joanna have already begun to make their mark. They feel the need and have the commitment to give back. Their evolving values and actions assure us that they too will help make the world a better place.
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