My name is Taylor Dericco, I am 16 years old, and a student at Healdsburg High School. Since I was 9, I have been a proud member of the Westside 4-H Club. Having been a member of 4-H, I have had the opportunity to raise, show and sell my animals at the Healdsburg Futures Farmer Country Fair. This has allowed me to be involved in a community where individuals, businesses, and organizations enthusiastically support their local youth. Over the years, I KNOW that I have been privileged by this support, and have in turn paid it forward by donating part of the money from the sale of my animals to people or families who were experiencing difficult situations in the hopes that this would ease some of their stress.
This year, I plan on donating to the James Jewett Trust Fund to help his family offset the cost of the enormous medical bills they have incurred.
James is a 2007 Windsor High School graduate who was involved in a motor vehicle accident in Healdsburg on April 6, 2008, and is now paralyzed. He is also the cousin of one of my classmates at Healdsburg High School.
I am encouraging all FFA and 4-H clubs that participate in the Healdsburg Future Farmers Country Fair to assist me in raising funds to help out with James’s medical care expenses—whether it be $1 or more as every little bit counts!
Checks may be made out to the James Jewett Trust Fund and deposited at any Exchange Bank (the fund was opened at the Windsor Exchange Bank). Cash is also accepted. For further information regarding James, you can check out the website at youcandoitjewett.googlepages.com.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
A Few Words from James' Cousin
A FEW WORDS ABOUT JAMES JEWETT FROM HIS COUSIN
Sweet, funny, caring, athletic, a people-pleaser, quiet, easy going, a hard-worker. James Michael Jewett is all of the above and so much more, but one thing he is not is a complainer. You will never hear him whine about anything he has to do. Throw anything at him and he will handle it without a question. "Sure," "okay," and "alright" are the most frequently spoken words in his vocabulary; refusing to ever tell someone no.
James works as hard as he can at the things he does, and turns out to be great at whatever he sets his mind to. Football, baseball, snowboarding, wake-boarding...he's always up for anything, even if it's just a game of cards with the family.
Everyone who knows him would agree that James is extremely easy to be around. He makes you feel comfortable, like nothing is expected of you.
James is the type of person that keeps a lot of things inside. There are times when he doesn't let much emotion out, probably because he doesn't want to bother anyone with it. He's more of a quiet person, not because he has nothing to say, but simply because he is one of those people who just don’t need words. However when he does speak, you're going to want to listen because it's guaranteed to make you smile. James loves to have fun and laugh, and a good time seems to follow him wherever he goes.
The most special thing about James is that he is something different to everyone who knows him. He has the amazing ability to become whatever you need him to be, without even trying. Just by being himself, without changing a thing, he is able to be something different and special to everyone who knows him.
April 6, 2008–In one day, in just one moment, the life of James Jewett and the lives of all those around him was permanently changed.
James was traveling to work along Old Redwood Highway at approximately noon when his 1999 Jeep Cherokee was hit by a 2005 Audi turning into his lane. James jeep flipped and struck a power pole which pinned him inside where he was trapped until firefighters were able to cut him free. The impact of the crash shattered his eighth and ninth vertebrae and the bone fragments severed his spinal cord. James underwent over eight hours of surgery to fuse his spine with metal rods and 14 bolts that will allow him to sit upright, but he is not expected to ever walk again.
James is loved and admired by so many; we are all so very proud of him. And it's become apparent that it is not that James needs all of us, as much as we all need James.
No one knows why this happened to him, and I'm sure everyone has questioned how unfair the situation has turned out to be, but James Michael Jewett is the strongest man alive. He can and will get through anything life throws at him, including this.
Sweet, funny, caring, athletic, a people-pleaser, quiet, easy going, a hard-worker. James Michael Jewett is all of the above and so much more, but one thing he is not is a complainer. You will never hear him whine about anything he has to do. Throw anything at him and he will handle it without a question. "Sure," "okay," and "alright" are the most frequently spoken words in his vocabulary; refusing to ever tell someone no.
James works as hard as he can at the things he does, and turns out to be great at whatever he sets his mind to. Football, baseball, snowboarding, wake-boarding...he's always up for anything, even if it's just a game of cards with the family.
Everyone who knows him would agree that James is extremely easy to be around. He makes you feel comfortable, like nothing is expected of you.
James is the type of person that keeps a lot of things inside. There are times when he doesn't let much emotion out, probably because he doesn't want to bother anyone with it. He's more of a quiet person, not because he has nothing to say, but simply because he is one of those people who just don’t need words. However when he does speak, you're going to want to listen because it's guaranteed to make you smile. James loves to have fun and laugh, and a good time seems to follow him wherever he goes.
The most special thing about James is that he is something different to everyone who knows him. He has the amazing ability to become whatever you need him to be, without even trying. Just by being himself, without changing a thing, he is able to be something different and special to everyone who knows him.
April 6, 2008–In one day, in just one moment, the life of James Jewett and the lives of all those around him was permanently changed.
James was traveling to work along Old Redwood Highway at approximately noon when his 1999 Jeep Cherokee was hit by a 2005 Audi turning into his lane. James jeep flipped and struck a power pole which pinned him inside where he was trapped until firefighters were able to cut him free. The impact of the crash shattered his eighth and ninth vertebrae and the bone fragments severed his spinal cord. James underwent over eight hours of surgery to fuse his spine with metal rods and 14 bolts that will allow him to sit upright, but he is not expected to ever walk again.
James is loved and admired by so many; we are all so very proud of him. And it's become apparent that it is not that James needs all of us, as much as we all need James.
No one knows why this happened to him, and I'm sure everyone has questioned how unfair the situation has turned out to be, but James Michael Jewett is the strongest man alive. He can and will get through anything life throws at him, including this.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Sunday - April 20, 2008
James has a laptop during his rehab in Vallejo and has internet access. You can let him know yourself that you are thinking of him by commenting here at his blog, or
All for now.......To be continued....
To keep updated on all the events for James.
Go to http://youcandoitjewett.googlepages.com to find out more.
Don't see your event there or it you have any photos you would like to share send them to youcandoitjewett@gmail.com
All for now.......To be continued....
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
We brought James some mail and a package we received to bring to James. There were cards and a game called "Who, What & Where" sent to James from the Catelli Family of Cotati. There were 10 of us in the room, including James and we played it. The game is a drawing game of having to draw who, what and where - stuff like Don King eating speghetti in the forest. James got that one even though Tommy was the artist. James was our official timer as we only had four minutes to finish our drawings. Then one by one we would run them past James and his dad. Keep those prayers coming!!!!
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Website
Hi Everyone!
The correct Website is http://youcandoitjewett.googlepages.com (no www).
The correct Website is http://youcandoitjewett.googlepages.com (no www).
WE NEED DONATIONS FOR AUCTION ITEMS!
Website: youcandoitjewett.googlepages.com/home
It's Saturday morning, April 12th, and for some reason the website that was set up on behalf of James www.youcandoitjewett.googlepages.com/home is not coming up. We have alerted the appropriate parties and it's being worked on. We will post an updated comment on this blogsite when it's back up and running.
To be continued......
To be continued......
Friday, April 11, 2008
April 11, 2008
Good Afternoon from Mama Kimberly -
I went by this morning to see James and found that once again he had a hard night. They are still worried about his bruised lung and had to wake him up every hour on the hour to change his position. They have also reduced the pain medication on him at the same time, which didn't help his comfort level.
He will be transferred to the rehab center just as soon as he is able to be transported and when a bed becomes available - both must happen first.
We will be seeing James later tonight - Tom, Jamal and John got to watch the Sharks Game with him last night and noted that James is somewhat better as he was able to make a "remark" to Jamal that made them all laugh.
To Be Continued........
I went by this morning to see James and found that once again he had a hard night. They are still worried about his bruised lung and had to wake him up every hour on the hour to change his position. They have also reduced the pain medication on him at the same time, which didn't help his comfort level.
He will be transferred to the rehab center just as soon as he is able to be transported and when a bed becomes available - both must happen first.
We will be seeing James later tonight - Tom, Jamal and John got to watch the Sharks Game with him last night and noted that James is somewhat better as he was able to make a "remark" to Jamal that made them all laugh.
To Be Continued........
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