Date: Fri 08-Jan-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

Mountain-Beryl-Harrison

Full Text:

TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN

I always love to hear inspiring animal stories, even when they involve that

other overrated species -- dogs. This dog story is also about an unusually

resourceful family that approached a crisis with a lot of creativity and

know-how.

Beryl Harrison says that when her family's 12-year-old border collie, Sean,

fell through the thin ice on their pond on Christmas Day, her son, Trent,

dashed up the hill to the house to tell his parents to call 911. Then he

grabbed the two-person kayak that he had bought as a Christmas gift for his

brother and sister-in-law, raced down the hill, and launched the kayak like a

missile over a stone wall and through the heavy underbrush around the pond.

The kayak landed on the ice and started to slide across the pond but Trent

caught up with it.

When the dog first fell in, it was thrashing around in the frigid water. But

by the time Trent got back, he found Sean resting with his front paws on the

edge of the ice, waiting for help. Trent hauled the dog into the kayak, took

his own jacket off and put it on the dog. "When I arrived with the kayak

paddle, Sean was sitting in the kayak, red hood over his head, arms of the

jacket tied around him, looking like a forlorn Santa," Beryl said.

The Harrison's older son, Derek, drove up in time to use an old basketball

post to break the ice between the kayak and the shoreline and pull Trent and

the dog in. "Sean quickly recovered from his adventure -- more than I can say

for the family!" Beryl said. Derek said he didn't think there was any other

family that would have all the items necessary for rescuing a dog from a pond,

including a veterinary guide with information on treating hypothermia, a

Christmas gift for him and his wife, Clare, that was quickly unwrapped and put

to good use.

Beryl said her family was very grateful to the volunteer firefighters who came

to make sure everything was all right, "even after I had called to tell them

Sean was out of the water."

There were other hazards of winter at hand this week. The ladies in the town

clerk's office were playing the role of figure skating judge Monday morning as

they watched people slip and slide on the icy walkway leading to Edmond Town

Hall. They awarded points for style and agility, taking points away for all

falls.

The building's maintenance department was apparently running low on salt and

sand and Clark Kathan, head of maintenance, had to wait for new supplies from

the highway crew before completing the job. In the meantime, he helped escort

people across the ice.

Winter isn't all ice and awkwardness for everyone. Take John Quinn, for

example. This is an extremely busy winter for the self-proclaimed basketball

junkie. First off, he is in his first year as head coach of the Newtown High

School boys' varsity basketball team. That is a time-consuming job in itself,

but Mr Quinn also coaches the boys' varsity hoop team at St Rose School. As if

that weren't enough, he also coaches a boys' sixth grade travel team.

Tired? No way, says his wife, Leslie. He loves basketball. Mrs Quinn said the

Quinn household, which includes five boys, is full of basketballs and

uniforms. "We have a huge calendar in our kitchen so we can figure out all the

schedules," she said.

Father John Castaldo from St Rose was spotted officiating a first round game

during last week's Newtown High School boys' basketball holiday tournament.

Happy birthday to Jean Salvatore of the town clerk's office who celebrated

number 50 earlier this week.

Appleberry Farm in Sandy Hook, was busy this new year. Pushy, a grey Sardinian

donkey delivered a "Jack" on New Year's day between midnight and 7 am. The

father, a red Sardinian, is named The Marlboro Man, who also fathered another

"Jack" born on January 2 by Bryece, a Sicilian donkey. The temperature was

about 4 degrees when the second donkey was born. Only Mother Nature knows if

the full moon had anything to do with it. When the babies are ready, they will

be available to be companions for anyone who would give them a good loving

home.

Janis Solheim called about a party that her daughter hosted at their house

during the holidays. It was a formal holiday party, a second annual, for

friends of Shannon Solheim. The one prerequisite to getting into the party was

bringing a canned good. The Solheims brought down four overflowing bags of

food to the local Faith Food Pantry. As Janis said, these kids understand the

importance of the holiday and its true meaning, bringing several canned goods

each for the pantry.

I think I've been away from the hearth long enough for one week, so I'm off to

continue my long winter's nap. Don't worry, though. I'll be back next week,

so...

Read me again.