50 Years, 50 Stories - Tom Miller

We’ve had many great stories in this series so far, but we’ve also realized that there are some people who have stories that should be told, but probably won’t share them on their own because they are too humble.

So Susan LaHoda, Executive Director of the Imagine! Foundation, has taken it upon herself to write up a couple of stories of folks who have stories that simply cannot be ignored. In that spirit, please enjoy the story below about Tom Miller, better known to some people served by Imagine! as “The Pie Man.”

The Pie Man

By Susan LaHoda

Tom Miller, a.k.a. "The Pie Man," hangs out with Aneta
at Imagine!'s Foothills Group Home.
 

Tom Miller, PhD, CEO of the National Research Center, Inc. in Boulder, also answers to another name – The Pie Man. Every Tuesday for the past ten years, Tom has been delivering a pie or another dessert to the eight residents of Imagine!’s Foothills Home, and then staying to chat with the residents.

When Tom’s children became adults and moved on, he was looking for something to contribute to the community that would be more hands-on than just sending a check. He was talking with a good friend about options, and she had a child with cerebral palsy so was very familiar with the disability community. She suggested Imagine!’s Foothills Home because it was close to his own home. So Tom called Foothills and said he would like to come by and see how he might be able to become involved. Tom says, “I wasn’t sure what I was going to do because I don’t have any special certification or training, and I really had nothing to offer but a willingness to help out. Then I thought, ‘Why don’t I just bring over a pie after work and after their dinner and stay and talk with them about what’s going on in their lives?’” As this continued, week in and week out, one of the residents began calling Tom “The Pie Man,” and a wonderful tradition was born!

Tom quickly adds that his repertoire is not limited to pies (he doesn’t make the desserts but does select and purchase them), but asks residents at each visit what they would like to have the following week. He has discovered that though they may not remember some of the things they talked about over dessert, they do remember what dessert they requested the week before, so he needs to remember to bring what was promised!

Sean Bradley, Site Supervisor at Foothills says, “When I joined the staff at Foothills I had no idea who The Pie Man was. Upon meeting him I was amazed at his heart. Tom has no agenda and no reason to be there other than to want to spend time with the residents, be friends with them, and chat with them. It brings a sense of normalcy to their lives. He knows all about each of them, and they ask about his wife and daughters, too. In fact, they like to have staff stand off to the side because their friend is coming to see THEM.”

Bradley continues, “Tom receives no compensation other than spending 45 minutes to an hour hanging out with the residents. He also travels all around the world and brings souvenirs for the residents. It warms my heart to think that he is thinking about them when he is on his business trips.”

Tom says that he gets gratification from being with the residents. He says, “Sometimes I’m not sure how much they care if I’m there or not, but there is evidence that they do when I ring the doorbell. Someone on the other side always yells, “It’s the Pie Man!” I think they appreciate having a change of pace with my coming.”

Tom notes that he has also benefited from engaging with the staff, and he comments how impressed he is with the individuals who serve the residents at the Foothills Home. He says, “To a person, each individual has demonstrated a significant connection to the residents, with a real affection going both ways. The staff members aren’t doing this job for the money. They have been drawn to this work because they have an interest and a real human concern for the people who need their support.” He notes that one of the Foothills residents recently celebrated her 89th birthday, which demonstrates that, as he says, “The kind of care and help that these folks get is amazing! If you just look at the age of the people, it proves that they are well taken care of.”

In addition to his weekly visits, The Pie Man has also taken residents to the YWCA’s annual fundraiser, “Dancing with the Stars.” Tom’s daughter, Lindsay, helps train the contestants, and Tom thought the residents might enjoy attending. He has provided the tickets, but is quick to praise the counselors who, he says, “are generous and excited about helping facilitate the trips and probably do much of that on their own time.”

Tom and his wife, Barbara, were also responsible for a $10,000 gift to Imagine! a few years ago through the Collins Arsenault Family Foundation. In fact, it was this gift that first brought The Pie Man to the attention of the broader Imagine! staff. Prior to that, Tom had been quietly making his weekly visits, dessert in hand, for years without anyone outside of the residential staff really being aware of his involvement. Tom explains, “Cynda and Marcel Collins Arsenault offered the opportunity to a few friends to choose a charitable organization to receive $10,000, and we were very pleased to be able to select Imagine! as a recipient. The Collins Arsenaults donated a meaningful amount of money to many organizations, but their connection to Imagine!, was uniquely personal, as it came through their well-loved daughter, Erin, who had many friends cared for by Imagine!.”

Sean Bradley sums up Tom’s impact by saying, “We feel that at Foothills Group Home we are a family, and The Pie Man is like the uncle of the family who brings fun and happiness.”

Are you interested in sharing your story for “50 Years, 50 Stories?” If so, contact Caroline Siegfried at caroline@imaginecolorado.org or 303-926-6405. We’d love to hear from you!