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P/SUNNY Temp: 36 °F Wind: SW at 3 mph Wednesday, April 2, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend March 19, 2003 Ashley Rucker motors through Griffin Creek Elementary School�s gym Tuesday as a production crew from Texas tapes the Sparrow Club event for a videotape that will be shown to schoolchildren across the nation. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven ‘Sparrow’ story inspires video shoot By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune Thanks to Griffin Creek Elementary School students, millions of children across the nation will get to see a local sparrow soar. Tuesday morning, a crew from the Texas-based organization Motivational Productions arrived at Griffin Creek to film a school assembly that will be featured in a videotape called, "Light the World." According to producer and director Steven Hogue, the video will be shown to more than 4 million school children across the United States in the next school year. "We were looking for a really heart-warming, inspirational story," said Hogue. "After we heard about their sparrow, we knew that Griffin Creek was the one." Griffin Creek is one of 16 Jackson County schools that takes part in Sparrow Clubs, a non-profit organization founded in the Northwest that is now taking hold across the United States. Sparrow Clubs pairs a local school and sponsoring businesses with a single child in medical need. Through donations and community service projects, students raise money to assist a school’s "sparrow." "It gives equal opportunity for all kids to take part," said Jeff Leeland, executive director of Sparrow Clubs, based in central Oregon. "It doesn’t limit them because they don’t have money." Griffin Creek’s sparrow is Ashley Rucker, an 11-year-old fifth-grader whose muscular dystrophy keeps her confined to a wheelchair. Between October and December, students performed community service projects, held fund-raisers and donated their allowances to help Ashley’s family purchase a motorized wheelchair. The family’s insurance wouldn’t pay for a motorized chair, and without one Ashley didn’t have much independence. The Medford girl who enjoys art and reading needed friends, teachers and siblings to push her wheelchair. Partnering with Airport Chevrolet, Griffin Creek raised more than $10,000 for a custom-designed, motorized wheelchair. The school held an assembly in January presenting Ashley with her new wheelchair. Tuesday morning, kids and teachers recreated the moment for the cameras. Motivational Productions produces videos for elementary and secondary school assemblies, specializing in character education. Hundreds of students — many clad in Ashley’s favorite color, purple — clapped and cheered as Ashley zoomed around the gym in her motorized wheelchair as "Fun, Fun, Fun" by the Beach Boys played in the background. "I can go fast, I can pop a wheelie and I can lean backwards," said Ashley. "It’s really cool." Griffin Creek sixth-grader TJ Flowers said he didn’t mind the extra chores or work he did to raise money for Ashley’s new wheelchair. "It was fun. We’re talking about a different project, not just chores," said Flowers, 12. "You just get a great feeling by helping people." Ten-year-old Hailey Matlock is best friends with Ashley, and said the motorized wheelchair has made a huge difference in Ashley’s life. "She would just drive and drive and drive after she got it," said Matlock. "It’s like she’s got a permanent smile on her face now." For more information about adopting a sparrow or sponsoring a club, call C.J. McPhail at 621-1126 or log on the Internet at www.sparrowclubs.org . Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S