On Nov. 9, Thurston High School will host first club launch of school year, commemorated with $10,000 donation from Hayden Homes and First Story

Springfield, Ore., Nov. 7, 2023 – After less than two years since opening operations, Sparrow Clubs of Willamette Valley will double their presence across the region with eight new clubs in the 2023-2024 school year in part due to the strong support of youth, schools and local partners, including Hayden Homes and its nonprofit partner First Story.

“We have seen incredible growth in such a short period of time–it’s a real testament to the caring hearts of the youth of our community,” said Julie Burket, Sparrow Clubs’ Willamette Valley Director. Sparrow Clubs harness the community service hours of youth in area schools to unlock donations for a family with a child suffering a major medical condition.

Media members are invited to attend the region’s first Sparrow Club launch of the year at Thurston High School on behalf of sparrow Sam Lockard, a local 16-year-old recovering from brain cancer. The event will begin with a $10,000 check presentation from Hayden Homes and First Story occurring from 10:30 to 10:40 a.m., followed by all-school assembly from 10:50 to 11:20 a.m. Media are encouraged to arrive by 10:15 a.m. for check-in at the school.

Michael Leeland, the very first sparrow in the United States happens to be an employee of Hayden Homes and a strong supporter of the company’s partnership with Sparrow Clubs of Willamette Valley.

“I know firsthand what it means to families and sparrows to have the support of their community. It’s such a bright light of hope,” said Leeland, community logistics manager for Hayden Homes and first-ever sparrow. “For us at Hayden Homes supporting this special work is part of our Give As Your Go™ mission. It’s all about building a strong community where we can all lead fulfilled lives no matter the challenges we face.”

Each Sparrow Club is hosted by a school that chooses to adopt a sparrow with a severe illness or condition, whose family will receive $3,000 to help relieve the burden of medical costs if students at the school can complete up to 300 hours of community service or more. Students might rake leaves, participate in a neighborhood cleanup day or help deliver meals to seniors. Collectively, Burket anticipates that this year’s clubs will complete more than 2,500 hours of youth community service throughout the Willamette Valley.

“We’ve had some individual Sparrow Club schools continue above 1,000 hours,” said Burket. “The students get inspired by giving back to their communities and just want to keep doing the work.”

Last year around 1,600 students were involved in Sparrow Clubs, raising $12,000 for four children with life-threatening conditions. With double the number of clubs this year, Burket expects to double the organization’s impact.

“We just keep growing,” said Burket. “With Sparrow Clubs in Eugene, Springfield and Salem–the communities here are stepping up to make sure these children feel supported and cared for. And it’s the students who do the work. They show what true community means by supporting one of their own.”

Schools hosting Sparrow Clubs this year include City First Academy, Eugene Christian School and Irving Elementary in Eugene; Elizabeth Page Elementary, Hamlin Middle School and Thurston High School in Springfield; and Salem Parrish Middle School, South Salem High School and West Salem High School in Salem.

The life-saving generosity of Sparrow Clubs began in 1992 with a student emptying his piggy bank of $60 to help save Leeland, then a six-month-old suffering from leukemia in need of a bone marrow transplant. Leeland’s parents later became the founder of Sparrow Clubs USA, which has raised around $8 million for more than 1,500 sparrows over time.

“It takes a village to support a child in need,” said Leeland. “Sparrow Clubs encourage everyone in a community to foster a heart of service and be a powerful force of good.”