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Early Childhood’s beloved Tom Hunter was diagnosed in May with Creutzfeldt - Jakob disease, a very rare and rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease, which
ended his life on June 20, 2008.
Tom was a singer, songwriter and inspiring advocate for children for over 30 years. He became a favorite in the Portland area
since 1980 when he started making annual trips here to share family sing-alongs with mesmerized crowds of preschoolers, their sibs and parents. He was an expert
listener to what children had to say and wrote songs that used their input: Songs about shirts, pockets, a little piece of air, and where lines go when they are erased.
When a kindergartener heard his idea sung by Tom over the radio – he called his teacher to brag “That was MY idea!” A
child in an audience once asked Tom “Are those real songs or did you just make them up? Through his keynotes, workshops for PCPO, NAEYC and
OAEYC, and week-long visits in school districts nationwide, his influence on the quality of education is enormous.
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Featuring Anne-Louise Sterry who is an
internationally known singer/story teller from the Portland area. Anne-Louise will feature Tom’s favorite songs.
, if you have questions or would like to volunteer.