Six-year-old Grayson Yoder comes from a family that helps others. His parents, Ruby and Rudy, are consistent volunteers with their church in the Noxon-Heron area of northwest Montana's Lower Clark Fork Valley. Many of his aunts and uncles — Ruby is one of nine siblings — also volunteer.
Each year for almost a decade, their family has joined others in the area to help organize, and donate to, the annual Lil Fighters Fall Festival benefiting a family in the broader region with a critically ill child. One of Grayson's aunts organizes the festival's main meal, and last year Rudy and Ruby placed the winning bid on the biggest auction item. They'll be there again this year, beginning at noon on Saturday, Oct.
5, communing and fundraising at Pilgrim Creek Park on the bank of the Clark Fork River in Noxon. As in years past, they'll visit with friends and neighbors among the popcorn, cider and doughnut stands, the face-painting, kids games, wheelbarrow races, greased-pig wrestling and pie-baking contests. But this year's festival will be diff erent for the Yoders and their extended family.
This year, Grayson is the critically ill child. 'I don't know how to explain it, mommy' At first, Grayson didn't look like a critically ill child as he zipped around his grandparents' yard on a tiny dirt bike Wednesday afternoon. But after just a couple laps over about 15 minutes, he said he was too tired to continue, and he rolled the bike back into the garage.
Sitting in the house, he said he .
