Long Island teacher's retirement walk covers 88 miles and raises $12,000
Chris Polhemus, of Smithtown, walked to Montauk Point Lighthouse. Credit: United Cerebral Palsy of Long Island
To make his retirement meaningful, Chris Polhemus recently went the extra mile — or rather, 88 extra miles.
The Smithtown resident, 66, marked the upcoming conclusion of his 40-year career as an adapted physical education teacher by walking from his workplace in Commack to the Montauk Point Lighthouse.
The four-day trek, which concluded June 1, took more than 222,000 steps and raised more than $12,000 for United Cerebral Palsy of Long Island, where Polhemus has worked for the past 13 years. The money will help fund a new independent living program at the organization’s Children’s Center in Commack, where youth with a range of developmental disabilities can practice everyday tasks such as sorting laundry and making a bed.
“I didn’t want to just retire and that’s it,” said Polhemus, who is affectionately known at the center as “Coach Chris.” “I wanted to leave something behind. And I wanted to show what my students show me every day, which is the determination to move.”
Dubbed “Coach Chris’ Final Lesson,” the walk began May 29 at the Children’s Center, where co-workers, students and their families gathered to cheer him on with signs of support. Polhemus stopped overnight in Medford, Hampton Bays and East Hampton. His longest day covered 28 miles before he reached the lighthouse to a welcoming crowd of about two dozen supporters, he said.
To prepare, Polhemus walked as many as 40,000 steps a day during the winter and lost 22 pounds in the process, he said. He chose Long Island’s easternmost tip, known as “The End,” as his destination because it symbolized the conclusion of his career.
Despite the attention the walk has received, Polhemus said its the students who deserve the spotlight.
“I don’t want to look at it like I’m the star of the show,” he said. “It’s the students; they’re the ones that inspired me to do this walk.”
The new independent living program will feature a space designed to resemble a home, complete with appliances, furniture and fixtures. The goal is to provide an “authentic hands-on environment to help students learn home-based activities,” according to United Cerebral Palsy of Long Island.
The organization’s president and CEO, Colleen Crispino, praised Polhemus for his “unwavering devotion to students with disabilities.”
“As he approaches retirement, Coach Chris continues to teach us one final, powerful lesson: that every person has the ability to make a lasting difference in the lives of others,” Crispino said.
Nominate a Long Islander who goes above and beyond or serves as an inspiration to their community. Send details and photograph to Michael Ebert, michael.ebert@newsday.com (photos should be high-resolution). Photos may be used in other publications affiliated with Newsday.
Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.
