NEW YORK DINNER GREAT SUCCESS:
FULL HOUSE HEARS BLIND EVEREST CLIMBER

From L to R: Dick Bass, Erik Weihenmayer, Phil Erard

With Manhattan slowly recovering from the devastating tragedy of September 11, the 22 nd New York Section Annual Black Tie Dinner nonetheless went on as scheduled on September 29 at Manhattan's elegant Union Club. A capacity crowd heard Special Guest Speaker Erik Weihenmayer, 32, the blind climber who recently summited Everest and received nationwide media attention for this feat. Not so well known is that Erik's skills extend to rock and ice including leads on El Cap's Nose Route, which he climbed with Hans Florine, and Polar Circus, a 3000 ft. ice wall in Canada In many respects he may be one of today's most remarkable climbers, and he is well on his way to being one of the youngest climbers to complete all Seven Summits. A professional motivational speaker who is in high demand on the corporate circuit, Erik charmed the audience with his self-deprecating wit, humor and smooth delivery making everyone feel at ease with his handicap. For him, one of the most difficult parts of the Everest climb was negotiating the icefall, where he had to jump across wide crevasses he couldn't see and which he couldn't probe with his poles. Whether lecturing or climbing, Erik asks for few concessions, the only one being occasional confirmation by the audience of the specific slide on the screen. Erik totally lost his sight at the age of 13 due to a rare eye disease.

Accompanying Erik was his wife Ellen and the Colorado-based members of his Everest team, Charley Mace, an AAC Director, and Brad Bull and their respective wives. Brad and his father Sherman Bull warmed up the audience with a short retrospective: "Father and Son on Everest." detailing their recent Everest climb where Sherman, at age 64, broke the previous age record. Sherman succeeded on his fifth try after surviving a lengthy fall and serious injuries en route to the South Summit two years ago. Sherman broke up the audience by quoting a headline from one of the newspapers: "Oldest Man in the World Climbs Everest!"

From L to R: Brad Bull, Priscilla Briggs, Sherm Bull

The Dinner generates increasing national attention and now draws members from around the country. Among the guests were Bob and Pamela Street from Colorado Springs, Jim Henriot, former AAC President, from Washington State, Dave Ireland and Ben Kweton, new Midwest Section Chair, from Chicago, and Dick and Alice Bass from Dallas and Snowbird. Dick wound up the evening speeches by exhorting everyone to make the trip to Snowbird in February for the Club's 99 th Annual Meeting. U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, wife of member Clif Maloney, was heard persuading the New Yorkers present to get back to their normal life again and not be ashamed to party. A total of 14 new members were welcomed, gently " roasted" and presented with their membership pins.

Mindful of the needy victims and families of the World Trade Center tragedy, the event featured a silent suction of gear and equipment donated by various manufacturers. Though hastily assembled because of time constraints, the auction raised $3500 for WTC Disaster Relief. Another $4000 of the proceeds went to the Library to help expand the circulating part of the collection.

Phil Erard