By Jill Osterhout
Sun Staff Writer
Anyone who has ever met this 90-year resident of Norwich may ask themselves where all of his energy comes from.
From his two-mile walk in the morning to his continuous efforts and involvement with various clubs and organizations throughout the community, Edward Sidote never misses a beat.
Sidote was raised just down the street from where he resides today in the City of Norwich. He was raised by his mother after his father died after returning from World War I. His mother worked in the knitting mill in the area for 49 years. While attending Norwich High School, Sidote took up typing, which, following his high school years, came in handy as he headed off to war.
For the years leading up to World War II, Sidote worked in the office at the Norwich Borden Creamery, preparing shipping papers and later shipping. After graduation in 1935 from Norwich with a Regents diploma, Sidote enlisted in the Army in January of 1942 following Pearl Harbor. He was put to work in induction centers and overseas in medical supplies. His unit was preparing to land on Japanese beaches when the war was ended by the atomic bomb.
Following his Army tenure, Sidote came back to upstate New York and worked throughout the state for roughly 16 years. In the 1960s Ed’s mother became ill, and he decided Norwich would forever be his home. He owned a camp, which needed to be remodeled, and worked several years at Norwich Pharmaceutical. Sidote later would go into tax preparation for hundreds of clients in the area. When asked about the changes he has seen over time, Sidote said, “seeing the pharmaceutical plant transfer and close up was a real big change.”
Sidote worked into his early 70s at the county office building doing tax preparation for the elderly. Long before retiring, Sidote filled his time by traveling the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT), with which he has been affiliated for decades. As a child, hiking and camping were a hobby, but it was not until Sidote came across an adventure book that his interest was sparked.
Sidote traveled to the Adirondacks and soon discovered the FLT near home. He and his walking/hiking partner Rufus Perkins decided to walk the end to end FLT which covers 562 miles throughout New York state. “I was 73, and my walking partner, well he was much younger you see, he was only 72 when we finished,” he said. The duo walked on weekends and on vacations. When they finished the hike, they placed number three and four of all time.
After conquering the biggest of trails, Sidote says he wanted to have others experience the joy of completing the end-to-end hike.
Sidote helped create the FLT Bullthistle Hikers Club. He is a member of Chenango Land Trust, the Healthy Heart Coalition and the Chenango Bird Club. He has won several awards and has been honored for his hard work, including the Howard Beye Lifetime Service Award, which was the first one ever issued, and more.
Along with two others, Sidote had a hand in creating the local Volkssport march that covers a six mile self-guided tour throughout Norwich. Ed explains he is very involved in the Healthy Heart Coalition, which is currently sponsoring the “Chenango on the Move” program. The goal is to get residents of Chenango County to walk 3,000 minutes between May 5 and Sept. 1. “I have already surpassed that amount, by a lot,” said Sidote.
Ed says even if he rises early, he always makes sure he gets his two miles in every day. He also runs a hike every week and says he encourages everyone to join Bullthistle Hikers or Chenango on the Move.
“Your health is your most valuable asset; you have so take care of it,” he said.

Editor’s Note: “Chenango Stories” puts the spotlight on those people whose compelling stories you might not otherwise hear. If you know someone who is interested in telling their “Chenango Story,” contact Jill Osterhout at 337-3075 or e-mail: josterhout@evesun.com.