The People Make The Place
Do you know where to find JCC royalty?
Monday morning Step class, of course!
Victoria & Sam Souvall
If you've ever wandered past the fitness studio and heard someone enthusiastically calling out instructions that sound vaguely like a foreign language, you've probably encountered Victoria Souvall. Her energy is legendary. Before I tell you about Victoria's accolades with the J, however, allow me to recount the origin story of Victoria and Sam. Their story begins at Shalom on the Range.
Circa 2002, Victoria was helping with the gala, modeling a necklace for the live auction and circulating through the crowd so bidders could get a closer look. During her rounds, she paused beside a handsome gentleman and suggested he bid on the necklace for his wife.
Caught off guard, he mustered a canny reply: "I don't have one. Why don't you be my wife?"
That gentleman was Sam Souvall. He bid on and won the necklace that evening. As it turned out, Victoria would never have to take it off.
More than two decades, seven children, and countless shared adventures later, Victoria and Sam have become the sort of couple that makes everyone else believe the long game is worth playing. They stand as a gentle rebuke to the notion that familiarity dulls affection.
Their story began with a chance encounter, but serendipity was merely prologue. The substance of any good story lies in what follows: the daily choice to commit, to shoulder, to look for the bright side. Spend a few minutes with Victoria and Sam and you'll note they move through the world as true partners, sharing an ease with one another that can only be earned. When I commented on their palpable chemistry, Sam didn't hesitate: "I fell in love with her the second I saw her," he said. "We were serious from the very first date. I knew it had to be her, figured I might as well take my shot."
Long before that fateful Shalom on the Range, Sam was coming to this building when it was still the Fort Douglas Country Club. When the building evolved into the JCC, Victoria helped shape what would become one of its most enduring departments. Drawing on years of experience as a trainer and fitness consultant, she built the Health and Fitness programs from the ground up, establishing a culture that continues to energize members decades later. As Sam observed, our JCC is uniquely Utah. It reflects the people who fill it and responds to the needs of this community. The J became the place where the Souvalls chose to raise their family, a fitting testament to their shared belief that communities, much like marriages, are built not by grand gestures but by people who show up, pitch in, work hard, and find joy in the process.
So! Pull on your cowgirl or boy boots and come to Shalom on the Range this year. You never know how your life might take an unexpected pivot for the better. And speaking of pivot turns! Do check out Monday morning step class. Victoria promises that after four classes you'll be confidently speaking the language of "repeater knee," "walk-away-mamba-to-shuffle," and "starburst."
More importantly, you'll discover the same thing the Souvalls found here years ago: your people.
Carla Cantor Knows Your Name
Carla Cantor
Carla Cantor is a streetlamp in the dark. She is warm and illuminating, signaling: come over, there’s a space for you here.
“There is nothing not social about me,” she says, laughing. It is not an exaggeration. Over decades, Carla has transformed friendliness into community. For her, belonging is not accidental. It is built deliberately, through conversation and invitation.
When her sons were young, Carla remembers feeling deeply uncertain about whether she belonged among the women at synagogue. She was deeply concerned about fitting in. Finally, she gave herself a challenge: volunteer for everything, show up for everything, and if after a year she still felt unwelcome, she could walk away. “As soon as I made an effort,” she says, “I learned everyone was super nice.” The experience became a kind of philosophy. “I don’t assume people won’t like me. I learned to be friendly, first.”
After retiring from thirty years of teaching, she famously hosted her own retirement party. Staff members at the JCC were baffled, but Carla saw it differently: “I see a party as a gift to all the people I invite.” Soon after, her husband, Mark, spotted a JCC job posting in Community Programming. The fit was immediate. “I walked in and knew I had found my people.”
A member of the JCC for more than twenty-five years, Carla has woven herself into nearly every corner of community life, including serving on the Board of Jewish Family Service, volunteering as Kitchen Maven for Kol Ami, the National Council of Jewish Women, Family Promise, and beyond. She chairs the Shalom on the Range committee for our JCC, keeps Mahjongg alive, and can be found in Pilates, swimming, or group fitness classes most days of the week. “I always treated exercise as a job,” she says. “Now it’s a social engagement, too. It’s fun!”
Beneath all that motion lies Carla’s quintessential social quality: an instinct to notice when someone is having a hard time and refuse to let them carry it alone. Carla recalls meeting a woman at the JCC who was navigating profound grief after losing her husband of fifty years. Like her decision to show up for everything at synagogue, she went all-in on being a supportive shoulder. In time, the woman joined Carla for Mahjongg, finding companionship, laughter, and a renewed sense of place.
Jewish tradition teaches the importance of welcoming the stranger. Carla has mastered the mechanism of making people feel that they belong. She will pull up an extra chair, remember an anniversary, make the follow-up call, and host the gathering. In a world increasingly disconnected, Carla casts a warm light, making it easier for people to find their way to one another.
A Very Happy 97th Birthday to Bernie Grosser!
Bernie Grosser
On April 19, our community celebrated a remarkable milestone: the 97th birthday of Dr. Bernard “Bernie” Grosser. And while birthdays often invite reflection, this one calls for something more like admiration… maybe even a standing ovation. Because at ninety-seven, Bernie still shows up!
Twice a week, like clockwork, he’s here at the J working out with his trainer, Stephen Hill. It’s a routine he’s kept for over a decade, first with Doug Hill and now with Stephen. That kind of commitment is built over a lifetime of discipline, and, in Bernie’s case, a healthy dose of humor.
Stephen describes working with Bernie as an absolute pleasure. “He’s always light-hearted, always ready with a joke,” he says. When asked how he’s doing, Bernie often quips, “Am I doing well enough to get to go home yet?” delivered with comedic timing and a twinkle of mischief, Bernie reminds us that joy imparts its own strength.
Bernie has long been part of the rhythm of this community, so long, in fact, that his arrival in Salt Lake City in 1959 coincided with the opening of the James L. White JCC on 1700 South. Born in Boston on Patriot’s Day, Bernie’s path would lead him west after completing medical school at Case Western Reserve University. He came to the University of Utah for his internship and residency, beginning a distinguished career as a researcher, educator, mentor, and administrator. He served as Chair of the Department of Psychiatry from 1978-2007 and his tenure saw not only the expansion of the Department, but the development of the University Neuropsychiatric Institute, now the Huntsman Mental Health Institute.
Alongside his professional legacy runs a rich narrative of human connection. The JCC has always been part of life in Salt Lake City for the Grossers; Bernie’s children, Steve, Mark, and Minda grew up in this community and participated in numerous JCC programs while growing up. His wife, Karen McArthur, too, has left an indelible mark through her professional work as a nurse, administrator, and business owner. Her contributions include volunteering for years at the Jewish Arts Festival and Shalom on the Range, and sharing her time, energy, and expertise to local organizations including the Boards of the United Jewish Federation of Utah and the Salt Lake City Chamber and serving as President of Hadassah, Congregation Kol Ami, and the National Association of Women in Business.
Bernie and Karen spent much of their retirement traveling, including over 30 countries and all seven continents. There is always so much more to learn and experience.
These days, Bernie still finds his way back to the J out of more than simple habit, for as he puts it, “it’s friendly here.” In a world that can feel disengaged, the J remains a place of warmth and connection. This April, we celebrate more than a birthday. We celebrate a life of dedication - to community, to family, to medicine, and to strength.
Helping children become "great humans" for over 33 years!
Pam Rasband
There are milestones in the life of an ECC parent: Orientation, Coffee Chat and Shabbat, the Purim Parade, classroom Seders (accompanied by soooo much car-talk about the plagues), and the beloved Art Show. Thoughtfully orchestrated by ECC staff, these moments transform our preschool from a program into a village. And within that village, generations of families will tell you that Ms. Pam (Pam Rasband) is a cornerstone.
Her connection to the JCC began long before she entered an ECC classroom. At age ten she was a camper at the J on 1700 South, later working her way up the summer camp staff ladder. Though she once thought she had outgrown the place, the JCC has a way of calling people home. In 1993, at the invitation of Jeff Rappaport, Pam returned to interview with longtime ECC leaders Mary Ogan and Karla Pardini. What followed was a 33-year career nurturing the JCC’s youngest members.
For three decades, Ms. Pam guided preschoolers through the social and emotional terrain of early childhood. In her classroom, kindness, creativity, and confidence mattered most — life skills that shape a meaningful future. As one parent put it simply, “She helped us raise a good human.”
Her classroom ran on a steady rhythm. Parents joked about their spirited “threenagers,” yet Ms. Pam rarely needed to raise her voice. She led with warmth, consistency, and trust, giving children both structure and the freedom to explore through play. When conflicts arose, she resisted the quick “I’m sorry,” instead asking, “What could you do?” A handshake, a hug, a high-five — a repaired relationship rather than a rehearsed apology. It was a simple shift that introduced accountability in a way a three-year-old could internalize.
Her impact on families has been profound. JCC board member and ECC parent Melina Shiraldi reflects:
“Her outgoing, friendly nature is a true staple of the ECC. She has a way of making everyone feel welcome. She taught our daughter Clara to write her name, enthusiastically sing ‘The Utah Fight Song,’ and perhaps most impressively, to stop crying at drop-off. She is truly special and has an extraordinary gift for connecting with children.”
Beyond the classroom, Pam has been instrumental in shaping many cherished ECC traditions, most notably the annual Art Show, which transforms the JCC into a gallery space celebrating children as creators with perspectives all their own.
After the 2024–2025 school year, Ms. Pam stepped into an administrative role. Asked what she misses most, she smiles: “I miss my group. But now the whole ECC is my group.” The circle has widened, but her purpose remains the same — helping every child feel safe, known, and capable. In that way, Ms. Pam’s classroom never really ended; it simply expanded to embrace the entire village.
Whether caring for fragile newborns or his neighbors at the J, Tim shows up when people need him most.
Tim LaPine
When you meet Tim, it is immediately clear that he lives his values with complete sincerity. He comes to the J as a person of chesed loving-kindness, yosher integrity, and tzedakah generosity. “The JCC has a moral heart,” he told me. “Gold’s Gym is where bodies go to show off. The JCC is a place to connect with like minds and share my voice.”
Tim’s relationships here are real and enduring. Years ago, he befriended Connor, who had survived an accident that left his spine 80% compromised. Having recovered from a paralyzing injury himself, Tim knew the terrain and walked beside Connor with unwavering support. This is the kind of integrity that defines Tim.
Professionally, Tim says he has “the greatest job in the world,” as a neonatologist caring for newborns at their most fragile moments. Families never forget him. Indeed, many stay in touch for decades. His work now extends globally, partnering with physicians and regional leaders in places like Nigeria and Uganda to expand access to emerging vaccine technologies and shore-up tuberculosis prevention.
After USAID’s withdrawal created significant gaps in support, Tim stepped up to sustain essential care. Where systems pull back, he steps in.
Tim embodies the human spirit that keeps the J’s moral heart beating. We are shaped not by amenities, but by people of character who make this a community. The JCC remains a place anchored in values. Not doctrinal values, but lived ones, the kind that render our motto, “whoever you are, you’re welcome here,” true.
Meet Lourdes Cooke
Marathon runner, cancer survivor, proud grandmother, and JCC member for over 35 years!
Lourdes Cooke
To encounter Lourdes is to encounter orgullo, pride, in its truest form. Not arrogance, but authentic vitality shaped by tenacity, scholarship, and a life full of meaningful endeavors. When devastating cancer confronted her, Lourdes met it with the same determination that once guided Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, the seventeenth century Mexican poet who famously disguised herself as a boy to pursue an education. Lourdes did not retreat. She ran forward, emerging from a battle with chemotherapy and a bone marrow transfer to complete eight marathons between ages 55 and 68. When asked what fueled such resolve, she responded with quiet conviction: “I have to take care of my well-being and the way I did it was running, my medicine.”
Lourdes’ roots run deep, to the auspicious Avenida Universidad in Mexico City. Her path meandered through Texas and Massachusetts before carrying her to Utah. Without the blessing of family nearby on whom to rely, Lourdes assembled her own village. She raised her children and granddaughter in the JCC community, and the relationship has been mutually sustaining. Like Sor Juana, who pursued knowledge despite every obstacle, Lourdes demonstrates that education is not a phase of life, but a way of living.
Her devotion to learning is expansive: cultural, formal, physical, and communal. She has served with Artes de México en Utah/FILMéxico, the Hispanic Society of Utah, State of Utah Governor's Health Commission, Wasatch Community Gardens, El Centro Cívico, Guadalupe Schools, Rowland Hall, and of course the JCC. She enrolls in classes at the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College as readily as some people sign up for newsletters.
On any given day at the J, you might find Lourdes in the pool, in barre class, playing in the new pickleball league, attending a lecture, or offering a thoughtful introduction between two people who had not yet realized they needed to meet. Lourdes illustrates that people give a place its soul, and people like Lourdes make the place.
A Bernie Camp Kid in her Employee of the Year Era
Hannah Vasquez
Everywhere you look, places are trying to be “the third place” — a spa, a gym, a brewery, all promising connection and belonging. But if everyone’s in their Community Era, what makes our J truly the real deal? It’s the people. People like Hannah Vasquez, Aquatics Manager, 2025 JCC Employee of the Year, lifelong J-kid, and proud “Swiftie” currently in her Life of a Showgirl Era.
At 26, Hannah has already spent eight years working at the J — that’s one-third of her life! She first learned to swim here, joined Bernie Camp, and now leads the next generation of lifeguards and instructors with a glamourous mix of sparkle and grit. “The best part,” Hannah says, “is watching my staff turn into people. Seeing a 15-year-old go from their first shift to being a leader — that’s everything. I’m so proud of them… and I’m kinda proud of me, too.”
Let’s take a quick tour of Hannah’s JCC Eras:
Debut (2006): Swim lessons, swim team, Bernie Camp — the start of something good.
Reputation (2017): College freshman, new lifeguard, already earning a name for responsibility and heart.
Evermore (2020): Reopening the pool post-pandemic with patience and courage.
Midnights (2022): Leaning on her JCC village through tough transitions — and shining brighter on the other side.
Life of a Showgirl (2025): Rebuilding swim team, launching babysitting classes, mentoring staff, and making waves.
Hannah’s story is the invisible string that ties generations together — a reminder that the J isn’t just where you learn to swim; it’s where you grow up, where you belong, where you find your people.
