Plans For Iris Acker Celebration & Donations Announced For Oct. 15

UPDATED SATURDAY:

Donation in honor of Iris Acker (please share widely)

Per her family’s wishes, the recipient is Sunrise Community, Inc. which describes itself as “Providing people with disabilities the assistance and support necessary to enable them to live valued lives in the community.”

Two ways of giving:

1.      Write a check payable to Sunrise Community, Inc.  and mail to
Sunrise Community, Inc.
9040 Sunset Drive, Suite F
Miami, FL  33173
Att:  Margaret Feldman

In the Memo portion of the check, the donor can write in “In honor of Ms. Iris Acker”

2.     Log into their website  www.sunrisegroup.org, then click on the top right hand of the page where it reads DONATE (green box).   Once on the Donate Page, the donor can click the tab that reads “Continue as a Guest” and in the very next window that opens up they can put their personal message.  In this case, it might say…In Honor of Iris Acker.   After that the automated process is self-explanatory.   There’s always a “Continue” button at the bottom of the page to take you to the next step.

Any questions or problem, call Margaret Feldman, Vice President of Development (786) 314-6097 or  Franz, Office Administrator at (305) 273-3058.

A “celebration’ of the life of Iris Acker – the iconic actress, teacher, producer and theater booster through her television shows —  has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday October 15 at a location to be announced soon, said her son Mitch and her friend Tony Finstrom.

Acker, 88, died Sunday morning after a long battle with cancer.

In conversations with Acker in the past, she told Finstrom, “I want it to be a party… light, fun.”

So Finstrom is organizing a event emceed by actor-playwright Michael McKeever that will be more  a show” than a memorial service. It will look back at her career, tentatively featuring music, singing likely from the three musicals she often told stories about (Gypsy, Fiddler on the Roof and Minnie’s Boys), replaying her reel of commercials, a slide show, a few testimonials and someone tap dancing in honor of the first part of Acker’s professional career.

Per her wishes, it likely won’t run more than about 30 to 45 minutes, giving people time to share stories before and after.

A recipient for memorial donations is being solidified in the next few days, said Mitch Acker.