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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Man suspected of sexually abusing child ... Fallen monkey puzzle tree becomes torii gate for Japanese garden in Lithia Park ... Rogue Rovers founder shows company's electric farm vehicle at the White House ... Man suspected of sexually abusing child ... Fallen monkey puzzle tree becomes torii gate for Japanese garden in Lithia Park ... Rogue Rovers founder shows company's electric farm vehicle at the White House ... Disabled student showered with community support School secretary leads effort to raise funds to buy van for family of wheelchair-bound student Sheldon Derr says he'll leave Talent Middle School today not only as an eighth-grade graduate but also as a free person. Comment By Hannah Guzik MailTribune.com By Hannah Guzik Posted Jun. 14, 2011 at 12:20 AM Updated Jun 14, 2011 at 3:20 AM By Hannah Guzik Posted Jun. 14, 2011 at 12:20 AM Updated Jun 14, 2011 at 3:20 AM » Social News Sheldon Derr says he'll leave Talent Middle School today not only as an eighth-grade graduate but also as a free person. For the last four years, Sheldon, 14, has been largely homebound after extensive back surgery left him unable to fit safely in his father's wheelchair van. Single-dad Charlie Derr couldn't afford a new vehicle, so when Sheldon, who has muscular dystrophy, wasn't attending school on a wheelchair-accessible First Student bus, he was almost always home. School secretary Judy Casad decided to do something about Sheldon's situation and after a year spent raising $7,000, she presented him with a wheelchair-accessible van Friday. "He told me, 'You're not giving me a van — you're giving me my freedom,' " she said. Last weekend Sheldon used the van to go to the Rogue Valley Mall and see the new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie with friends. He hadn't had an outing like that in years, he said, because the Rogue Valley Transportation District's Valley Lift buses don't run on the weekends. "Now I have freedom because I can go around and do stuff," Sheldon said. "I'm not just confined to one place. It feels amazing." More than 200 people attended an Elvis fundraiser Casad organized in April for Sheldon's cause. "I've done a lot of fundraisers in my life," she said, "but never have they felt so rewarding." The donations enabled her to secure the wheelchair-accessible 1997 Dodge Caravan for $4,000. The rest of the money went toward cleaning the vehicle and making sure it was up to safety codes for wheelchairs, Casad said. Sheldon is now able to maneuver his wheelchair up the van's ramp and lock his chair into place. His friends can ride in the van's passenger seats. Sheldon and his dad plan to use the van to visit family in Ukiah, Calif. this summer. They'll also take trips to the Rogue Valley Family Fun Center and Lava Lanes — two places Sheldon said he misses. "Before I was really bored," he said. "Now I get to do normal teenage things." When he turns 16, Sheldon may be able to drive the van himself, if it is equipped with special controls, Derr said. However, Sheldon's condition is causing his muscles to slowly become weaker and he faces the likelihood of a severely shortened life expectancy, Derr said. "So this is really when he should be having the time of his life," he said. "And I think with this van, he'll be able to. This gives him new life." Reach reporter Hannah Guzik at 541-776-4459 or email [email protected]. By Hannah Guzik MailTribune.com By Hannah Guzik Posted Jun. 14, 2011 at 12:20 AM Updated Jun 14, 2011 at 3:20 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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