Laura and Gerald Zelenka Different Directions, Same Adventure By Tom Hawrylko
On Valentine’s Day eve, Laura Zelenka will be packing her bags. No, she’s not bailing on her 42-yearmarriage to husband Gerald. Their marriage is strong and things are stable at their Rosemawr home—despite managing a menagerie of animals in their basement, taking care of aging parents and helping out with some babysitting for their almost 3-year-old granddaughter Isabel. From Feb. 15 to 22, Laura will be using vacation days from her job teaching 4th and 5th grade science in West New York so she can volunteer her time at an orphanage in Haiti as part of Free the Kids. This somewhat solo excursion fits into their marriage well. That is because she and Jerry (whom readers may remember as a longtime CHS Science teacher) have shared an adventurous life. They and their kids (Michael 36, Chrissy 33, and John 26) have spent summers on cross country trips, camping in Canada and on frequent wildlife vacations. Before kids, Jerry and Laura backpacked across Alaska and driven the Alcan Highway there before it was paved. Then there is his solo wildlife photography trips which have taken Jerry across the globe. Add to that her volunteer excursions and Laura and Gerald seem to be trotting off to different ends of the globe. So how do they make their marriage work? “The secret is we spend time together but we give each other enough space to grow,” she explained. “We travel a lot together but sometimes one of us stays home to maintain the critters.” The critters she speaks of is literally a basement full of birds, lizards, snakes and other furry, slimy and cuddly creatures. For over 30 years, the Zelenkas have been bringing animals into homes and other public spaces so people of all ages can see wildlife up close and personal as part of their Touch of Nature Animal Show. “Our family works in the nature show, I support his photography trips and he’s really good about all that I want to do,” she said. “It works both ways.” 6 February 2014 • Clifton Merchant
Much like her marriage, Laura said she has to be flexible for this excursion with Free the Kids. To get medically ready for her trip, Laura has been receiving a series of immunizations and taking a regimen of pills to ward off typhoid and malaria. Then there is the packing and planning for her time at the orphanage. Not only does she and her traveling partners have to each spend about $1,500 of their own money to get to Les Cayef, Haiti, but they will also bring along 10 computers, household items, hair clippers, clothing, flips flops and Crocs. “I get it back in a different way,” she said. “Volunteering is a very rewarding way to spend some of your life. It gives a greater sense of purpose other then simply existing.” Last year, Laura went with another group to South Africa to work in an AIDS hospice. For the last few Wednesday evenings, she and other fellow travellers have been meeting for elementary lessons in Creole, the French-based language of Haiti. “A lot of the people there speak English but we practice common phrases, hello and thank you.”