©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Fifth grader raises $700 for Run for the Hill of It
by JENNIFER KATZ

In June, Adan and his family visited his father’s homeland of Spain. Adan is pictured in Las Ramblas, Barcelona with a street performer.

Chestnut Hiller Adan Rodriguez is spending his summer at Camp Waziyatah in Maine canoeing and generally being the fun-loving 10-year-old his parents know him to be. But when he returns next week, he is set to begin training to run this year’s Run for the Hill of It to help raise money for his friends, 13-year-old twins Hayden and Ethan Dahmm of Springfield, Delaware County. The Dahmm’s are this year’s beneficiaries of the race, established in 1989to benefit a family struggling to meet the needs of a severely ill or disabled child.

Adan’s efforts began earlier this year when he decided to raise money for the race by asking for donations in lieu of birthday presents from his friends. A leap-year baby, Adan celebrated his February 29 birthday a little by inviting his classmates from Ancillae-Assumpta Academy in Wyncote to the movies. Adan, who will enter fifth grade this fall, and about 25 friends saw Disney’s Antarctic adventure film Eight Below.

Through his friends’ and families’ generous gifts, Adan raised $700, according to his mother, Cathy Rodriguez. Cathy, a former labor and delivery nurse, and her husband Ray, a cardiologist, have lived in Chestnut Hill for 18 years. They have two other children, Nora, 15, and Alex, 19.

It was Cathy who nominated the Dahmm family as recipients of this year’s benefit. Cathy and the twin’s mother, Cynthia Murray, have been friends for years through the Overbrook School for the Blind. Adan’s older brother, Alex, and Murray’s son, Ethan, both attend the school. Alex is blind and suffers from Down syndrome, autism and blindness. Ethan is also blind and suffers from severe cerebral palsy.

Cathy said she was truly touched by people’s generosity as well as her son’s. “He was so excited to open the envelopes,” she said. “Not one regret. He was never jealous.”

The family is looking forward to the race, said Cathy. Ray will most likely push Alex along the course, but Adan, Cathy said, is going to train intensely to run the five miles. “He’s done other races,” she said. “His dad is a marathon runner.” Cathy said she will probably run as well. “After all,” she said smiling, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right.”

The USATAF sanctioned and certified 19th Annual Run for the Hill of It five-mile run and one-mile fun walk will be held on Saturday, July 29. The run begins at 8:30 a.m. at Northwestern Avenue and Forbidden Drive in Chestnut Hill. Register for the race or volunteer online at www.runforthehillofit.org.

Contact staff writer Jennifer Katz at 215-248-8804 or jenn@chestnuthilllocal.com.