KXL Everyday Hero – Laura Queen

By Jim Ferretti:

I was so happy to be able to nominate Laura Queen as this weeks KXL Everyday Hero.

The retired Parkrose Middle School teacher has played a huge role in my family, even though no one in my family attended Parkrose Middle School.

I met Laura in 2013 when my daughter Lilli was adopted by the school as their Sparrow.

Sparrow Clubs helps families with mounting medical bills because of an illness with a child.  In our case, Lilli was born with a severe congenital heart condition known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.  After three open heart surgeries by the time she was 5, even with insurance, medical bills piled up.

The students at Parkrose Middle School worked to helped to pay some of those medical bills by simply taking on community service projects.  Sparrow Clubs raises money for families and then the students earn that money for the family by completing the community service.  It really is a win-win situation for everyone.

“I can honestly tell you that every single sparrow family that I have ever had has changed my heart and become really and truly a part of who I am.” Laura said. “And reminded us of the things in life that are important and it’s not what we have, um it’s not where we go or how many things we can buy, but it’s what we do for other people. And the greatest gift is truly is when someone allows you to help them.”

Laura is now retired from teaching but has taken on a new responsibility as the Program Coordinator for the Portland Sparrow Club chapter.

She is continuing to shape young lives in and out of the classroom and helping families in need at the same time.

She is truly a KXL Everyday Hero.

Sparrow Clubs is hosting its annual auction all virtually this year because of the pandemic.

You can sign up and take part simply by clicking HERE!

I surprised Laura with the news she was going to be our KXL Everyday Hero while she was in the middle of a Zoom meeting with Executive Director of Sparrow Clubs, Matt Sampson.