Exciting News On The Fundraising Front!!!!

I'm excited to announce that we raised over $35,000 for Sparrow Clubs USA in our Washington fund raiser! Think of how many more children we can help from this one fund raiser! Great job to the staff and crew who helped make this possible!

Stay tuned for our upcoming fund raisers and fall Sparrow Clubs School assembly kick offs!

High School Sparrow Assembly!

I am pictured here with a Sparrow Child and his Family at a high school introduction
assembly. It is very emotional for the family and students when a Sparrow Child is presented to the whole student body. At the end of an assembly we ask the the students to stand if they are willing to help this child. I've never seen a student not stand and more likely than not, there is not a dry eye in the house (yes, that includes the jocks!). 3,000 kids stood in support of this child and the school raised over $30,000 in just a few short weeks to help with his cancer treatment.

We are inspiring a new generation of youth who give back to their communities all while helping children in need. I am so honored to work with this organization.

Lovely Little Queens Pose For Photo With Mrs. Western States!

A lovely photo at a local parade with the National American Miss Oregon State Queens!

Relay For Life!

Walking in the Sheridan Parade to support Relay for Life! The sun was no where to be seen all day, but the moment the parade started the sun came out in force!

Sparrow Clubs USA Introduces Our New Executive Director~ Steve Mezich!

I enjoyed seeing Steve Mezich once again at a Sparrow Clubs School Assembly. I first met him in the fall of 2007 in Seattle, WA at a Sparrow fund raiser. Steve has been involved with Sparrow Clubs since it's inception and has been on the National Board of Directors since the Sparrow Clubs formation. He has recently been appointment as Executive Director and also holds the job of Co-President.

An interesting fact is that he was the principle at the school Jeff Leeland, Sparrow Clubs Founder, worked when Jeff's son was diagnosed with Cancer and the community raised over $227,000 to pay for treatment for baby Michael. I encourage everyone to read the Sparrow Clubs Story at: www.sparrowclubs.org



Steve is a kind and compassionate man who cares deeply about helping children in medical crisis and loves to inspire healthy children to help those sick kids. I'm excited he has stepped into his new position and wish him all the best as he works to move Sparrow Clubs forward from 600 clubs across the country to thousands in every state and internationally!

Upcoming Sparrow Club and American Cancer Society Events!

Please join me for the upcoming events:

SPARROW CLUBS USA: Luke Mezich Memorial Fund Raising Event
Ellensburg, WA
June 18, 19 & 20

Moriah McNeil Memorial Celebrity Golf Classic
July 9th

RELAY FOR LIFE: June 12th Hillsboro
June 18th Salem
June 25th Wilsonville
June 26th Oregon City
July 10th Lake Oswego

Kids Will Do Heroic Things~When Given Heroic Things To Do!

An 8th grade student shares with her school's student body, how working to help others through Sparrow Clubs USA has made her a better person (a hero in fact)!


















Kim, a Sparrow child, with her supportive family being introduced to the kids.

Sparrow Clubs USA

Audrey~ another Sparrow Child! She has almost completed her cancer treatments! A big thank you to Laura Q. teacher and Sparrow Club coordinator for the school.

Sparrow Clubs USA School Assembly

With Ethan our Sparrow!



An 8th grade
student sharing in front of his whole school how helping others has changed his life for the better!

The school choir performs to open the ceremonies! Wow! Can they sing!

It was a pleasure to have Dr. Nancy Wilson, a National Board member, make the long journey to be part of our Ceremonies!

Three Small Sparrows Closing Assembly: Parkrose Middle School

Please join me tomorrow for the Closing Sparrow Clubs USA Ceremonies at Parkrose Middle School. There are two assemblies at 1 PM and 2 PM.

This is a very special assembly as 3 Sparrow children from the last 2 years and the current Sparrow child will be present. Also, the Interim director of Sparrow Clubs will be on hand and Park Rose Middle School teacher and PRMS Sparrow Clubs coordinator, Laura Q.

I'm particularly excited that some students will be presenting speeches on how Sparrow Clubs USA has impacted their lives, how they have enjoyed helping other children less fortunate than themselves and how they will challenge other students to to continue to help others. I know there will be no dry eye in the house.

Carole Smith~PPS Superindendant Gives A Shout Out and Dinner for PPS Volunteers!

I volunteer hundreds of hours to PPS School District as do many other volunteers. The district honored volunteers on May 20, 2010 with a wonderful dinner and great conversation!

Suzy Bootz, Mrs. Int'l 2006, Visits Oregon!

My dear friend Suzy Bootz, Mrs. Int'l 2006, stayed in my home here in Oregon and we had a blast catching up and talking about the International system and how wonderful it is. It has given both of us a voice for our platform's. In fact, it was Suzy's encouraging me to enter the Mrs. Int'l system again, that ended with me becoming Mrs. Western States 2010! Suzy and I met while judging the 2008 pageant and became fast friends. I had the honor of being asked to judge by Mary Richardson, the Mrs. International director, who I have known since 2004. These are two of the most amazing women anyone could ever meet! Two other amazing women I am honored to call friends are also pictured, Tamara Wissbaum, Mrs. Oregon Int'l 2007 and Lesley Nardini, Mrs. Oregon Int'l Director and former queen. The International system has inspired so many lifelong friendships!

ACS "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" Walk!

As Mrs. Western States 2010 it was my honor to walk in the American Cancer Society's "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" fund raising walk.

I walked for my Aunt, a 10 year survivor, and the countless women who are affected by each and every year. The streets were packed on the 4 mile course. I walked as part of "Team Western States" with my dear friend Tamara Wissbaum. We spent some time at the ACS CAN booth. I am an ACS advocate.

Upcoming Sparrow Clubs USA Events!

Please join me:

May 4, 2010

Sparrow Club Assembly at LaGrande High School 1:00PM
Sparrow: Sam W.
Sponsor: Grande Ronde Hospital Foundation

May 7, 2010

Sparrow Club Assembly at Skyview Middle School 1:00 PM
Sparrow: Daniel C.
Sponsors Carpet One and Bank of The Cascades

May 27, 2010

Parkrose Middle School Celebrating "Three Small Sparrows" 1:15 PM
Sparrows from the last three years will join in the closing ceremonies for Ethan L.

Cancer Research is Our Future!

Ms. Blough's Story:

George Blough received the worst news she could hear in 1990 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Thankfully she had a team of great doctors and a treatment program that would help her recover. However, when she was told her cancer had returned seven years later, she was filled with fear about her future. But, thanks to continued investments in cancer research, a new lifesaving drug and treatment had been developed since her last diagnosis. George fought back with this new treatment and is once again cancer-free. Now she is excited about what her future will bring thanks to cancer research. America’s investment in cancer research has saved countless lives, allowing for millions of cancer survivors, just like George, to experience life’s special moments. Yet there are far too many lives still lost to cancer every year. ACS CAN has made it a priority to increase the federal government’s investment in cancer research. Learn how you can get involved in this lifesaving campaign to find a cure for the most deadly cancers and discover new ways to prevent cancer altogether.

ACS CAN Fights Discrimination Against Cancer Survivors. Ms. Fink's Story:

Ms. Fink is an elementary school art teacher who had her esophagus removed after being diagnosed with cancer. Following her surgery, she was unable to keep up with the young, active children in her classroom and requested a transfer to a local high school art teaching position. Although the position was available, the school district ignored her transfer request and did not even allow her to apply. Instead, she was assigned to be a substitute teacher with lower pay and responsibility. ACS CAN’s Judicial Advocacy Initiative filed a brief with the court on behalf of Ms. Fink. The brief makes clear that because cancer patients are protected under the Americans With Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations must be made to allow for cancer survivors to continue working after their treatment is complete.Surviving cancer brings new life and new hope. It should not lead to workplace discrimination.

Proceeds of Book Sales go to Support Sparrow Clubs

Go to www.sparrowclubs.org to order singed copies by Jeff Leeland author and founder of Sparrow Clubs. These are amazing books!

Sparrow Club Event

At a Sparrow Clubs USA fund raiser with Tamie Farrell, former Miss Oregon USA and Miss Teen USA.

Daffodil Days and The American Cancer Society!

Daffodil Days! The first flower of spring. The flower of hope.

The American Cancer Society’s brightest event of the year is Daffodil Days, when we deliver bright daffodils to businesses, churches, schools and homes in March. Ordering daffodils is a great way for individuals and corporations to show appreciation to employees, customers, clients and friends.

Gift of Hope

You can also anonymously order bouquets in lovely glass vases to be delivered by American Cancer Society volunteers to patients at local hospitals or treatment centers on your behalf. The Gift of Hope cannot be delivered to specific patients, nor is your name attached to the bundle. They are truly anonymous gifts of hope.
For more information about Daffodil Days, please contact us via email, call your local American Cancer Society office or call us anytime, 24 hours a day at 1-800-ACS-2345.

Jeff Leeland ~ Founder and Director of Sparrow Clubs USA

Working with Jeff and Sparrow Clubs USA over the years has been wonderful!

Meeting With Oregon's Govenor~Ted Kulongoski

It was a pleasure to meet with Ted Kulongoski about CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate).

Some Old photos From My Sparrow Clubs USA Functions

The Portland Regional Office Grand Opening and a Sparrow Assembly at a local high school.

The American Cancer Society~Health Care Reform

ACS CAN shattered its goal and collected 55,000 petition signatures in support of meaningful health care reform in just three weeks. Signatures are being delivered to lawmakers from both political parties. In a few days, the U.S. House will take an historic vote on health reform legislation. So in addition to sending our petition to Congress, volunteers are sending individual letters to House members, too. While the legislation is not perfect, it is an important start toward fixing the health care system for cancer patients and their families and saving lives. Will you write a note to your Representative, letting him or her know how you feel about this legislation and its impact on the lives of cancer patients? www.acscan.org/SpeakOut

More than 300,000 people suffer from and lose their lives to cancer each year because they don’t have access to preventive care and treatment. That’s 822 people who will die every day that Congress waits to pass a bill. For ACS CAN, meaningful health care reform has never been about Republicans, Democrats or Independents. It’s about helping those 300,000 people and the millions of others who cannot access the care they need to fight a life-threatening disease such as cancer. It’s about making sure no person is denied health care because of a preexisting condition like cancer. It’s about putting an end to yearly or lifetime insurance caps that force cancer patients to cut off their care. And it’s about taking away the desperate choice so many cancer patients have to make between saving their lives or their life savings. It’s time for our elected leaders to put aside politics and put patients first by reforming our health care system.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network will keep fighting to make the health care system even better for cancer patients, and this legislation is an important first step. Will you help us by sending a message to your Representative? www.acscan.org/SpeakOutThe campaign for health care reform hasn’t been easy -- but we’ve come too far and accomplished too much to stop working for cancer patients.

Why Advocate For The American Cancer Society?

It seems as though most, but not all, of the Sparrow children that I have worked with over the years have cancer. My own family has been devastated by cancer. Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, good Friends and even my Brother-In-Law have either passed away or are currently fighting for their lives. I decided to become an advocate and volunteer because cancer touches so many lives. Not only is the patient affected, their families and friends are as well. It is the second leading cause of death in the US and over 1,500,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed this year alone. Cancer patients need people to advocate for them for health care, insurance, research funding, ETC. I believe in the cause of fighting cancer and finding a cure. If we all work together, we will succeed.

An Overview Of How Sparrow Clubs Works

Sparrow Clubs works by matching a child in medical crisis with a school or similar organization. Sparrow Clubs finds a sponsor to provide funds for the child. The school is introduced to their Sparrow Child and the program through a customized assembly. Each and every child in the school is challenged to do community service and help the Sparrow Child. They record their hours and turn them into to the school. For every hour of community service a child completes, the Sparrow receives $10. This really adds up! Schools can also do their own fund raisers to supply additional funds.

The kids that help are empowered to make a difference. They feel good about themselves because they are helping others. Many times a child has never done community service, never helped another person and it is a new and wonderful feeling. I've found in high schools that sometimes the least likely child to help another, is the one that helps the most. I've had kids that are very poor, be so touched by the Sparrow Child and their battle to stay alive, that they've tried to hand me their lunch money after an assembly. I'm always moved to tears when these things happen. When kids are given heroic things to do ~ they will do heroic things!

Sparrow Clubs USA!

I first became involved with Sparrow Clubs USA when my sons friend was diagnosed with cancer almost 9 years ago. As my son's Cub Scout leader, I decided to help raise money for his friend through Sparrow Clubs. My den and I did community service and in return the Sparrow Clubs, through a sponsor, gave the family $10 for every hour we worked. The family received 100% of the funds raised! Overall, my scouts and our community raised over $100,000! I saw how this helped the family in their time of need. Not only the money, but the sense of support from the community was just amazing for the family. My son and his friends felt so good about helping another person. They were proud of their accomplishment! I was hooked and wanted to help others! I became a board member, volunteer, spokesperson, fundraiser, advocate and supporter of this great organization.

Starting A New Blog!

I'm excited to start a new blog. I had my previous one for over three years, but for some reason I can not access it anymore. I hope my friends and family can continue to enjoy learning what my immediate family and I are up to and how we, as a family, are hoping to make a difference in the world. I hope everyone who reads my blog can see the love and life that I share with my amazing husband and children. I am blessed beyond words in life and love and I hope I can return some of that to the world.