The "A Man of Many Hats" Story

Foreword:  I would like to wish you a great 4th of July.  Today is a special day in our household, since our daughter was born on this day xxx years ago!  Today, after calling her and singing Happy Birthday to her, we will visit my brother for a family picnic around his pool.  We did get to celebrate our daughter's birthday a week ago when we were on vacation with the family in Ocean City, NJ.  My story isn't the traditional July 4th story, but very similar, since I am posting a story about heroes.  Hope you enjoy it.

It was an ordinary day.  Arrived at Farmdale Elementary School ten minutes early.  At least I thought I was early.  Got an email a few days ago telling me that Dennis Denenberg would speak to the 3rd graders at 2:00 PM.  Signed in at the office and one of the secretaries escorted me to the area where Denny was going to speak.  

Denny in his Tomas Jefferson hat talking with the students
of Farmdale Elementary School in Lancaster, PA.

 Round- ed the corner to the area and there was Denny, dressed in his three- corner- ed hat, just beginning his talk.  One of the 3rd grade teachers came back to greet me and offered me a chair.  I guess I should give you some background into this story before I continue.  About a month ago I was staying with my grandson Caden while his mom was at work.  I played a few games of basketball, which I lost everyone, then went into the house to try my luck at Wii bowling.  I sat on the sofa and Caden began telling me about a class project that all third graders in his school were working on at the time.  

Denny with his Pittsburgh Pirates hat on as he talks about
Roberto Clemente with the students.

 Each student had to pick a hero and write a story about them.  A list was present- ed to them from which they could choose a name or they could come up with their own hero.  The list was based on Dennis Denenberg's book "50 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet".  Caden told me he had chosen Cal Ripken Jr. a baseball star and community supporter.  Then he showed me the book that Carol and I had given to him this year at Christmas which was the exact book that Denny had written.  Denny was the Assistant Superintendent of the Manheim Township School District when I was a teacher in the high school.  

He now portrays Mary McLeod Bethune as
he talks to the students.  He told about the
time he lost his luggage that carried all
the hats he wears.  Wondered what the
person thought that found the bag full of
the many hats he uses for his talks.

 We became good friends during the years we worked together.  My wife worked with Denny on the school newsletter so she also got to know Denny very well.  At Christmas I visited Denny and asked if I could buy three copies of his book and have them autographed for my three grandkids.  Caden told me that as soon as his teacher showed the book to his class, her realized he had his own personal copy.  I asked him if he thought his class might enjoy a visit from the author of the book and he thought that would be neat.  So, Caden's parents and his teacher, Mrs. Marjorie Droege, got the wheels began turning and now I am seated at the rear of about ninety 10 year-olds who are seated in rows on the floor of the hallway.  Denny used to be an elementary teacher and he knows how to speak to children to keep their interest.  He began by telling them his heroes.  Thomas Jefferson, statesman and scholar, wore the three-cornered hat, Dr. Jonas Salk, medical pioneer and humanitarian wore the gray-brimmed hat, Mary McLeod Bethune, American educator and civil rights leader best known for starting a private school for African American girls, wore the woman's hat with veil and Roberto Clemente, baseball player and humanitarian wore the Pirates hat.  

He talked about Dr. Martin Luther King and also taught
the students a song they sang with him.

 Denny talked about each of his heroes and what they did to make our country a better place to live.  The kids laughed, clapped, but most of all, listened intently.  He then asked about some of their heroes and the students shared some of their information with him and the class.  Then he told the students that their mother, father, brother, sister or any relative or friend can also be their hero.  

He is holding Caden's report in the air for the students to see.

 He told the stud- ent that his most favo- rite hero was his sister who died a few years ago of breast cancer.  To him, she was the greatest hero of all.  He started a fund through Millersville University, where he taught after leaving Manheim Township, called "Diana's Dreamers" which allows people to donate money to help with breast cancer research.  

Photo of LDub, grandson Caden and Dennis Denenberg.

 All the money he makes from the sale of his book goes to the cancer fund.  Talk about being a hero!!  Then he allowed the students to ask him questions.  Must say the questions were very interesting questions with, "How long does it take you to write a book?" and "How do you know so much about all these people?" being a few of the questions.  Then he pointed to the back of the room and introduced me to the students.  I was honored to be in the hallway to hear him speak.  After the students were ushered back to their classrooms, my grandson and I had our photo taken with Denny.  The afternoon was a big hit and my grandson can't seem to stop talking about the special guy who came to his school to talk about heroes.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.