Celebrity event aids kids

By Susan Meeker - Colusa County Sun Herald
May 12, 2009
Derek Jellison was an active, healthy 4-year-old when he was diagnosed with a non-malignant, inoperable brain stem tumor in 2002 that would slowly rob him of his ability to walk and may eventually take his sight and his life.

At 11, Jellison, a Redding fifth-grader, said he wanted to leave behind something long after he’s gone that will help other children with disabilities enjoy the outdoors — as he has done the past three years at the annual Field of Dreams.

Jellison has established an endowment fund through the Community Foundation of Colusa County for the purpose of permanently providing funding for activities for the event.

“I want to give something back,” Jellison said. “I’ve done this (Field of Dreams) for three years and it’s really fun.”

Field of Dreams was founded by Tom Dermody of Williams and is sponsored by the California Deer Association, of which he is a member. With the help of several organizations and celebrities, the event allows children to spend a day in the sun, enjoying a barbecue and fishing or hunting in the north state. The event expanded this year to provide a day of fun to children of fallen veterans.

Saturday’s Field of Dreams was held at Stonyford Ranch, in western Glenn County, between Stonyford and Elk Creek.

“It’s exciting,” said Liz Marks of Stonyford Ranch. “This is the first year we’ve hosted Field of Dreams.  We hope to do it again.”

Kids and celebrities on Saturday fished from the banks of the ranch’s three spring-fed reservoirs, surrounded by moss-colored rolling hills and free-roaming bison and cattle. Some rode horses in the afternoon, following the barbecue, and toured Safari Club International’s mobile exotic animal exhibit.

“It’s not the biggest charity in the world,” said actor-comedian Rob Schneider (“Deuce Bigalow-Male Gigolo,” “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan,” “50 First Dates”). “It’s not even as big as its heart. It’s a small charity, but with a lot of inspiration and some really terrific kids.”

Field of Dreams brought 11 families with 27 kids from as far away a s San Diego. Celebrities attending included actor Tim Abell (“We Were Soldiers”), Stephanie Brown-Trafton (Gold medal, discus, Beijing Olympics) and several professional athletes and martial artists.

“Field of Dreams gives a lot of kids the opportunity to get out and do some fishing when they might not otherwise get to go,” said Tom Erikson, veteran assistant wrestling coach for Purdue University, two-time All American and three-time Olympian. “It’s really a family event. Families are great people.”

Erikson said some of the people attending Field of Dreams are living with tragedy in their lives 365 days a year, 24 hours a day — whether it’s the family with a disabled or dying child or family living with the loss of a parent in the Iraq War.

“Our goal is to get them out and do something fun,” Erikson said. “If all of us spending five minutes here and five minutes there with these kids makes a difference in their lives, then that is what we want to do.” 

Erikson and the other celebrities met the families they would be fishing with at the annual dinner in Granzella’s banquet room in Williams on Friday, where kids enjoyed meeting and getting autographs from ultimate fighter-actor Don Frye (“Miami Vice”), martial artist-ultimate fighter and world arm-wrestling champion Gary Goodridge, ultimate-fighter Rick Vardell and others.

Most of the celebrities arrived the day before, and attended a private wild pig hunt on a ranch near Willows.

Schneider was the only celebrity to make a kill, and plans to donate the meat to a family.

“I can use some ribs though,” said Schneider with a laugh.

The comedian, who was born and raised in San Francisco, enjoys hunting in the north state and said he plans to become a member of CDA.

“I have to hunt up here,” joked Schneider. “They frown on hunting in the metropolis — especially in the downtown.”

Schneider has attended Field of Dreams three of its four years.

“I don’t think I was invited one year,” he joked. “I’m still trying to get to the bottom of it.”

Dermody began the tradition of taking disabled kids fishing about eight years ago. The event picked up sponsorship by CDA four years ago and has grown every year since then.

“This year is the biggest event we’ve had,” Dermody said. “It continues to build, thanks to the support of some really great sponsors and the celebrities.”

Dermody worked together this year to include Guide On, an organization established three years ago to engage children who have lost their adult role model to the war in activities.

Guide On founder Jim Clark established the organization after his good friend, a MH–6 fighter pilot, was shot down in Iraq three years ago, leaving behind two small sons.

Four military families, two from Southern California, attended the weekend event. 

“It’s good to be able to give something back to the families who gave so much for everyone else,” Clark said.

Matt Rogers, CDA president, said the organization is thrilled to be able to see Dermody’s  Field of Dreams  realized and that significantly more sponsors are added each year. The association is a non-profit wildlife conservation organization whose principal goal is to improve California deer herds and other wildlife, Rogers said. The North Valley Chapter serves Colusa, Glenn, Yuba, Sutter, Nevada, Yolo, and San Joaquin counties.

At the dinner Friday, Rogers accepted a check from Jellison in the amount of $500 — which will be used to establish the Derek Jellison North Valley Chapter Endowment Fund, created for the purpose of permanently providing funding for Field of Dreams programs and activities.

Jellison’s mother, Decky, said her son was inspired to raise money for the organization that has brought him so much joy.

Jellison sold oranges from the family’s trees on the street where he lives and also raised money doing crafts.

“It’s something he really wanted to do,” Decky Jellison said. “It’s a way to give something back.”

Proving that some good deeds do go unpunished, Jellison was gifted with a rifle and a hunting trip for the family to Saschatewan, Canada.

People can donate to Field of Dreams through Jellison’s endowment at communityfoundationcolusacounty.org. For information about CDA, visit caldeer.org

Contact Susan Meeker at 458-2121 or smeeker@tcnpress.com.