By Michael Farnworth
For the Journal
GRACE— Devon Christensen, 17, has been in a wheelchair all his life due to Cerebral Palsy.
Cerebral Palsy in a term used to explain a group of non-progressive physical disabilities in human development that deal with various areas of body movement.
Anytime Devon would go anywhere with his family, his parents would lift him out of his wheelchair to place him in the vehicle, then lift the wheelchair in afterward. As Devon gets older, as all children do, this task gets harder.
Devon now attends Grace High School, and the task of transportation is no longer as easy as it once was.
The Community of Grace has decided to do something about that.
A fundraiser properly named "Give Devon A Ride" has been organized for this coming Saturday, April 16 at the Grace High School located at 704 S. Main in Grace Idaho.
Events will include a volleyball tournament from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. the final game being a boys powderpuff game, and anyone can play. So far 6 teams have registered to play in the tournament, and anyone that would like to play can put a team together. The cost is $5 per person on each team.
The volleyball tournament is in honor of Devon's mother (Sue Christensen) who has coached junior, and high school volleyball for a number of years.
At 6 p.m. the high school boys basketball teem will be playing the faculty and coaches in a no holds barred game of basketball, with half time entertainment being conducted by "Rocken Rythm Clogging", "Showtime Dance", and "Social Dance Club".
There is a $5 admission fee for the entire day, which will include a raffle drawing, bake sale, silent auction, concessions, and games between each quarter.
The winner of the raffle will get a 10-day stay in Oahu, Hawaii (Airfare not included).
Tickets for the raffle are $5, or 5 for $20, and can be purchased at Bergy's, Sanders Furniture, and at the event. The drawing will take place after the ballgames, and you need not be present. The trip to Hawaii was donated by an anonymous donor.
All proceeds from the fundraiser will be going to the Christensen family in the hopes of raising enough money to purchase a van with a wheelchair lift for Devon.
"Devon has been very excited about this" Sue Christensen said, "Devon has had four surgeries in the past 5 months all pertaining to his Baclofen pump which helps his muscles to relax, and gives him just a little bit of peace, so knowing that the community has put this together has made him feel a lot better. We as a family are very humbled that everyone would do this for us. It is absolutely amazing."
Baclofen is a medicine that is administered through an implanted intrathecal pump, and helps to restore normal electrical signals from the spinal cord to the muscles, and reduces involuntary muscle hyperactivity. This allows for more controlled and voluntary muscle movements.
"It makes me feel good," Devon Christensen said about having the community try to help him and his family.
The fundraiser was organized by Claudia Cook of Grace,
"I am really good friends with the Christensens'," Cook said, "and I've seen how much pain, and hurt Sue has while trying to lift Devon in and out of the car and I never see or hear her complain at all. I just really wanted to figure out some way that I could help the family because they (Kim and Sue Christensen) help out so many people."
The community of Grace has united in it's efforts to help the Christensen family,
"I cannot believe how wonderful it has been," Cook said. "We get calls from a lot of people, and they just want to help in anyway that they can. The effort has just snowballed, and keeps getting bigger and bigger."
There will also be a 5K run/walk in Devon's honor on April 30, the cost is $25 per person, and should you register before the run, you will be provided a t-shirt for the event.
Anyone that would like to donate, but cannot make it to any of the events, can send donations to Claudia Cook at 1149 Hegstrom Rd. Grace, ID 83241. Checks can be made out to Devon, Kim, or Sue Christensen.
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