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Neighbors Next DoorNeighbors Next Door

For Tom Denham, it’s all about Rachel. The mountain climbing, the fundraising, the long hours at work... it’s all done for his daughter. This Bethlehem resident is a single father, avid mountaineer, highly credenti aled career counselor and a passionate fundraiser.Tom’s been hiking for over 30 years. When he turned 40, he decided that casual hiking was no longer enough. A very enthusiasti c and energeti c person, he looked to the higher peaks for a challenge. Not just any pursuit, but the demanding sport of high-alti tude mountaineering. His fi rst mountain was Mt. Hood in Oregon. That climb was done to raise money for Big City Mountaineers, a group that supports inner-city kids by giving them a chance to experience fresh air and nature.An ice axe hangs on Tom’s offi ce wall. This climbing tool was given to him by the Big City Mountaineers and is signed by the world-famous climber Ed Viesturs. One of the few people to have climbed each of the 14 peaks over 26,000 feet tall without supplemental oxygen, Viesturs is one of Tom’s heroes. The axe was awarded not just for raising money, but for being the fastest to meet his fundraising goal. “I’m good at fundraising.” Tom says with confi dence, “Really, really good at it.”Climbing Mt. Hood felt good for the money raised and for achieving a physical goal. Once at the top, Tom looked across a great valley and in the distance saw Washington State’s Mt. Rainier. “I said to myself,I want to do that one too” he recalls. “So, I went back and did Rainier.”That climb proved to be one of his most memorable. On his ascent, ti ed between two climbers, Tom plummeted into a crevasse. He dangled there for a terrifying 90 minutes. He remembers waiti ng to be rescued. It was a long ti me to be alone in a cold, dark hole. He checked his watch oft en and focused on Rachel. “Wow, I thought, she’s in math class right now.” Thoughts of Rachel going about her day kept Tom calm. He waited some more. Aft er his guide att empted many diff erent rescues, Tom used his climbing tools and skills to climb out by himself. For months aft er falling into the crevasse,Tom struggled with post-traumati c stress disorder. He suff ered from nightmares and fl ashbacks. Finally, the symptoms receded and he decided the ti me was right for a comeback climb. The choice? New Hampshire’s notorious Mt. Washington, where the record for the highest wind gust ever recorded on Earth (231mph)

resides. This alpine adventure involved drama too, as a blizzard engulfed the top of the mountain just as Tom’s group arrived. They reached the summit and sensing danger, the guide turned them back immediately. “I’ve never, ever felt anything like that cold in my life,” Tom says, describing the conditi ons on the mountain. His next expediti on was to the Grand Tetons of Wyoming. Beauti ful and challenging, the Tetons have become Tom’s favorite range. Returning from that trip he decided something very important. Looking out the window of the airplane, he realized that while his climbing experiences were incredible, there was more he could and should do. He decided that from that point on, his climbs would be done for charity. All of them. One big climb each year. The following year he headed out to California and scaled Mt. Shasta. That climb was done for Girls, Inc., and he raised $3200 for their scholarship fund. Tom’s favorite

part, the very best thing about the climb, was receiving pictures and stories from the girls who received the scholarships. Aft er Mt. Shasta and Girls, Inc., Tom did not want to stop. He shift ed his focus slightly, though, and made another change. The inspirati on came from the most precious of all people: his daughter Rachel. Rachel has Alport Syndrome, a very rare kidney disease that aff ects

only 1 in 35,000 people. Healthy and very acti ve, Rachel is in seventh grade at Bethlehem Middle School. Alport Syndrome aff ects hearing and eyesight, and can cause kidney failure. Now, every climb Tom does supports and raises awareness for the Alport Syndrome Foundati on. “This is my cause,” he says, with the same determinati on that propels him up 14,000 foot mountains. “I love raising money for local chariti es, but charity starts at home. So now, I work exclusively for the ASF.” Tom is careful to let donors know that every penny given to support his cause goes straight to the foundati on. The expenses incurred for his climbs come from his own pocket. Alport Syndrome has touched him deeply and he is happily committ ed to the work of the charity. “If you come within three feet of me, I’ll ask you for a

Tom Denham | Mountain Man By Caroline Barrett

Devils Tower - Wyoming

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donati on. Everywhere I go, I ask people to donate. I always carry ASF envelopes,” he says. “They are in my coat pockets, in my car, in my offi ce.”Tom and Rachel have been brought closer by his climbing experiences. It’s not just the thoughtf ul fundraising that ti es them together on these climbs. There is a lot of training that goes into climbing mountains, and oft en, Rachel is by his side as he trains. Last year he climbed Jiminy Peak in the nearby Berkshires 19 ti mes. The climbing isn’t just about training, it’s a lifestyle and a great love of Tom’s. It’s something that Rachel understands. Last year, father and daughter climbed eight mountains together bringing their total to 73. “She just gets it,” he says.To understand the depth of Tom’s passion for hiking and climbing, you would have to see his offi ce. The walls are covered, top to bott om, with framed pictures and stories of his achievements interspersed only with images of Rachel --- on top of a mountain or with her soccer team. In his life as a career counselor, Tom oft en uti lizes mountain climbing as a valuable and powerful metaphor. “Getti ng to the top of a mountain is a lot like trying to fi nd a job,” he tells his clients, “You set a goal, prepare and move your way up, unti l you reach the top.”The next mountain Tom plans take on is Devils Tower in Wyoming, known to many as the setti ng for the iconic fi lm Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Naturally, he is doing this climb as a fundraiser. His fundraising goal for this climb? A loft y $3,000. He wants to raise the money before he leaves on July 19. The trip will include a practi ce climb, then a day of rest. He’ll climb on Monday, very early in the morning or late in the aft ernoon, depending on the weather. On Tuesday, Tom will be on a plane heading home so that on Wednesday he can be back to work criti quing resumes at the Times Union Job Fair. The Alport Syndrome Foundati on will have their check, Tom

will have another mountain on his resume, and all of it will be accomplished without much ti me spent away from work --- and most importantly, Rachel. What does the future hold for Tom Denham? Mountains --- lots of them. He has dreams of scaling many peaks, raising lots of money and putti ng the Alport Syndrome Foundati on out of business. That is, seeing the day when there is a cure for the disease and no need for a foundati on. Unti l that day, Tom will keep climbing, keep raising funds and doing it all for the love of Rachel.

Know a Bethlehem neighbor who has a unique story? Let us know! Please email: john@ourtownebethlehem.com

To learn about the Alport Syndrome Foundation or to support Tom’s Devils Tower Climb,

visit: alportsyndrome.org

For more about Dr. Thomas J. Deham, MCDP visit: CareersintransitionLLC.com

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The Bethlehem Historical Association is pleased to invite young lads 8 to 12 years old, and a parent, to attend the fi rst ever “Lads and Dads Day.” This casually paced and free event will be held on the afternoon of April 29th, 2012, between 2 and 4 pm.

Visitors will see the museum fi lled with tables offering lads and dads opportunities to do things together, such as viewing the beavers that live in

Bethlehem’s nature preserves. Or viewing a stamp and coin collection owned by a BHA member, an expert collector. Also chatting with a member who has made a lifetime’s worth of plastic kit models of all types and scales.

The event will be held at the Cedar Hill Red School House, which is the museum of the Historical Association. This is located at 1003 River Road and the corner of Clapper Road, in Selkirk. For further information, call Robert Mulligan at 439-3802, or visit the museum’s website at WWW.BHA1965.org.

On Thursday, April 19th the program "Indian Ladder and Thatcher Park in Historic Photographs" will be presented by Timothy Albright. Everyone is invited. There will be a short meeting at 7:30p. After the program there will be refreshments.

Bethlehem

Historical

Association

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The Lab School at Bethlehem Highis a research/portfolio based program. Learning takes place through regular curriculum, projects, trips, and research. The Lab School is entirely self funded. Students raise money by winter and spring plant sales and our annual BBQ. Lab School is asking for your help. We are once again looking for board of examiner participants for June 18th and 19th. We also have a need for speakers to give a seminar at the end of year retreat at Silver Bay.Speakers have given workshops from tattooing to stem cell research. If you would like to discuss either program please contact Paula O'Donnell at mom3girls29@nycap.rr.com.

Happiness

is

OurTowneBethlehem.com

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59

Greetings fellow readers,

Wow…as I write this, the door to Tattered Pages is wide open and the sounds and colors of spring are just outside the door! I think that I am one of the few people who had diffi culty applauding this 80 degree weather in March. Early blooming daffodils, prematurely budding trees caused me excessive sneezing, wheezing and itchy, itchy eyes! Seamus was scolded several times for stretching outside on the rug attempting to soak up some rays and greet customers before they entered the shop! The premature summer like weather had teens digging for their fl ip fl ops and cut offs. My granddaughter, Trinity, asked why I was wearing jeans instead of shorts one afternoon. I told her that shorts don‛t come out until Nana has had a chance to hit the gym harder or at least until May! Being 5 I had to remind her that we hadn‛t even had Easter yet, of course a year‛s timeline is still uncharted territory to her. While discussing Easter…she asked if she might be getting books in her Easter basket this year. (My grandchildren have come to realize, as my children did, that celebration calls for books!) I have a few set aside for her, as well as Connor, Skye and Gunner who live at Fort Bragg. They include Star Wars, Princesses, Bunnies, Transformers, “I Can Read” early chapter books, illustrated Bible stories, bird & insect books and one classic Southern tale that has been deemed politically incorrect by some, authored by Joel Chandler Harris 1880-1910. He claimed to have listened to, and memorized, the African American animal stories told by Uncle George Terrell, Old Harbert, and Aunt Crissy at the plantation where he grew up. He wrote them down some years later, acknowledging his debt to these storytellers through the creation of Uncle Remus. Many of the stories were based on similar African oral tradition, and preserved in print these tales of such animals as Rabbit, Bear, Fox, Crow etc. These tales have been criticized in modern times due to the docile representation of slave life, manner of speech, harmful stereotypes and demeaning attitude. I am going out on a personal limb here…for I have had a discussion on the subject of “much loved tales” that are diffi cult to fi nd, perhaps because of political correctness. Classic Fairy Tales are based in cultural oral tradition. Many today would be criticized for “political correctness”. But put them in the context of the time in which they were written & remember that any story read to a child offers the opportunity to discuss whether it is fantasy or reality. If this story is part of their cultural background, I believe it can be experienced in an appropriate way. Every culture has their own series of beloved tales fi lled with the plight of true love, good vs. evil, and mythical

creatures. The other day a customer asked for my help in fi nding her a copy of “Struwwelpeter” (Slovenly Peter) by Heinrich Hoffmann which she loved as a child. These are rather frightening short stories told in rhyme which help children with bad manners and habits. She loved this book and wants to share it with her grandchildren. This would not be on most people‛s top 10 for kids…but she loves the satire and illustrations. Many customers have shared their love of this folk tale, set in southern India, written in 1899 by Helen Bannerman. The story is of a little boy who is outsmarted by a group of tigers into giving up his new shoes, new clothes and new umbrella. He later outwits the tigers and ends up with warm melted butter for his stack of pancakes made by his grateful mother! This book is hard to fi nd due to the unfortunate racial slur that the main character‛s name evokes! I owned this little golden book and wore out the binding. I can still see the tigers chasing each others‛ tails around the tree as they whirl into butter. As a child I saw nothing in these tales but great stories with animals as the main characters and lessons learned. Disney saw this as well and created endless books, movies and merchandise based on these tales. Mark Twain saw the Brer Rabbit tales, as the American equivalent of Aesop‛s Fables. I encountered a customer, who was looking for these books months ago. She wanted to share these tales with her grandchildren of African/Caribbean descent. I found incredible copies with illustrations by Dan Daily (very similar to Jan Brett‛s style). She was thrilled with them. I wanted to share these tales with my grandchildren as well because of the story content & illustration and my love for them as a child. The Dan Daily illustrated book of Brer Rabbit and other tales will be in their baskets. Finding time to read is often a matter of scheduling and priority. In this high tech world of texting, instant messages, cell phones, and e-mails, or within one‛s work day, reading may be an integral part of the day‛s work, leaving little time to read for pleasure. The desire may be there, but less time is available. Do you fi nd time during your day to squeeze in a chapter or two… perhaps on lunch break? Or, are you one who stays awake long past midnight reading just one more chapter? I would like to send kudos to my dear bookshop friends Joan who has read over a thousand books since she retired! I search for books weekly for our friend Ann who reads a historical romance a day. All of her books must be set in the 1800s though. Cecelia and her daughter Dorothea have graduated from Harlequin books to Catherine Coulter, Susan Mallery, Fern Michaels…romance novels fi lled with action & suspense. Cecelia is reading approximately 5 books a week! Barb has been reading trilogies lately. I see her usually every 10 days. Elisa was thrilled to have the missing book from her list of Laurell K Hamilton novels. Now she can start this series of 14 titles! Yeah to our steady, constant readers!Some new titles in the shop: “Chasing Lincoln‛s Killer”, “Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”, “The Pyramid”, cooking network cookbooks, about 50 new titles in children‛s books, and dozens of History books, including

Trish’s Pix from

Tattered Pages Used Books

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Great Mom’s 5K Run/Walkorganized by Delmar MOPS

(Part of the proceeds will go to the Bethlehem Y’s Reach Out For Youth Program (ROFY)

Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 9amStart/End at Maple Ridge Park, Selkirk

(PARKING IS LIMITED, SO PLEASE TRY TO CARPOOL)

REGISTRATION FORMFEE: $15 individual; $25 for the whole family (fi ll out a form for each member)

(After April 7th - fee is $20 individual; $30 for the whole family )

_________________________________________________________________________________Name (Last, First)

_________________________________________________________________________________Address

_________________________________________________________________________________City, State, Zip

_________________________________________________________________________________Phone, Email

_________________________________________________________________________________Emergency Contact Name, Phone Number

________________________________________________________Signature

Waiver: I know that walking/running a road race is a potentially hazardous activity. I should not enter unless I am medically able and in good health. I assume all risks associated with running this event. Having read this waiver and knowing these facts and in consideration of your accepting my entry fee, I, for myself, and anyone entitled to act on my behalf, waive and release the MOPS organization, The Parks and Recreation Board, and all sponsors, their representatives and successors, for all claims or liabilities of any kind arising out of my participation in this event.

__________________________________________________________________________________ Age Gender T-shirt size (only for pre-registrants)

T-Shirt and Packet pickup will begin Saturday, April 21ST at 8 a.m.in the Maple Ridge Park Pavillion.

STROLLERS WELCOME! RAFFLES!MEDALS FOR THE TOP 3 RUNNERS (MALE & FEMALE)

Please make checks payable to DRC MOPS, memo line Great Mom’s Walk/Run Send completed form and check to:DRC MOPS

ATTN: Jessica West6 Concord RoadGlenmont, NY 12077

2nd Annual