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http://www.omniture.com --> Email Story to a Friend June 9, 2006 Ruch Elementary School teacher Scott Stemple is running 100 miles to help raise money for 7-year-old Miles Johnson, Ruch School�s �sparrow�. Miles is getting ready for another heart operation this summer. Top right: Stemple prepares for today�s run. (Mail Tribune / Jim Craven) Feat on feet By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Running 100 miles from Crater Lake to the school in Ruch where he teaches is sure to get teacher Scott Stemple's heart beating. What he's hoping is that his 18- to 20-hour feat, which began in the wee hours this morning, will benefit the heart of Ruch first-grader Miles Johnson even more. A 7-year-old born with an incomplete fourth heart chamber, the boy had his first of several heart surgeries when he was just 5 days old. With Miles facing open-heart surgery this summer, friends and fellow students wanted to improve his quality of life and support his worried family. A school year's worth of fundraising efforts behind them for their "sparrow," the nickname given under the national Sparrow Clubs project, Stemple said he wanted to find a way to highlight the Sparrow Clubs' mission, which is to help children in medical crisis. He also wanted to illustrate how fellow students had reached out to help Miles get closer to living like a normal 7-year-old. The idea for "100 Miles for Miles" came to him this spring as he prepared for a May marathon in Vancouver, B.C. While most folks are willing to give to a good cause within their comfort level, the ultra-marathoner wanted to challenge himself and others to expect more. "I run marathons all the time; I love to run, but 26 miles is a completely different ballgame than 100," he said. "I really wanted to do something that would make people stand up and take notice, and hopefully raise money for Miles." Stemple estimates the trek will take between 18 to 20 hours. His parents, in-laws and his wife will drive support vehicles, providing water, food and necessities. Upper management personnel from Lithia Motors, his run's largest sponsor as of yet, will join Stemple running through parts of Medford. Students from Ruch and a handful of other schools will join in his journey at various points, including a final stint, around 5:30 tonight, with 50-plus Ruch students running behind Stemple for a final mile along Highway 238. The event's namesake, shy but with a wide smile on Thursday, said it made him "feel really good" that his school wanted to help him. "All the kids been doing community service for me and for Sparrow Club. It's making me very happy," said Miles. He made no bones about why the event was so important. "Well, he's gonna run 100 miles for Miles — that's me — and he's going to put me on his shoulders for the last lap because it's for my heart problem. One part of my heart is not working good, so everyone is helping me." Miles' teacher, Jennifer Snelling, said his positive attitude motivated students to reach out and help this year. She noted that students had not only participated in fundraisers all year, but had taken the tiny "sparrow" under their own wings. "When Miles gets tired, he lets us carry him on our shoulders to get back to class," she said. "I have a very compassionate class as a result of this little boy. They all just love him." Though years beyond first grade, seventh-graders Andrew Phillips, 13, and Marshall Moses, 12, will join Stemple for a section of the run Friday between Kennedy and Lone Pine elementary schools in Medford. "We've been raising money and we've got, like, $7,000 so far. I think it's neat we're doing this because it shows that one big school can help even one student," Andrew said. Moses agreed: "I like running and I want to help Miles out. He's a fun little kid, and I think it's kind of sad he doesn't get a chance at life when he's feeling like he does now." Sparrow Clubs spokesman CJ McPhail said Stemple's fundraiser was "certainly the most unique fundraiser for Sparrow Clubs to date. Stemple admitted that having crowds turn out for segments of his run is for "gawk appeal, kind of like when they go out to Woodrat Mountain and watch the paragliders." But that's part of the point. "Even if bystanders enjoy the possible train wreck aspect of it, there's a curiosity factor and as long as they're taking notice to why we're out here, that's all that matters," he said. "And his name is so wonderful. How can you not mark this run '100 Miles for Miles?' " Phyllis Johnson, Miles' mom, is moved by the effort. "The whole thing is so absolutely amazing, and we never even asked for it," she said. "We found out Miles had to have heart surgery on a Monday. A couple days later we got the call from ... Sparrow Clubs, and they immediately said we want to help you and support you through this." Johnson recalled her son writing a paper early in first grade about what he wished for. At the time, Miles was feeling scared and sad, she said. "I remember he said 'I want people to care about me.' "Now it's like he got that ten-fold. He just knows that everybody cares about him. There are banners everywhere, kids go by and high-five him. It's something that really moves your heart." Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected]. Advertisement s Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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