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6-year-old gets Jurassic welcome to Glendive
When 6-year-old Andrew Valasco of Brooklyn, N.Y., was given an opportunity by Make-A-Wish Foundation to go anywhere in the country, he didn't choose Disney World or Universal Studios -
he wanted to go "dinosaur hunting in the desert."
Eastern Montana isn't exactly a desert, but he soon learned it was one of the best places on earth to do some dinosaur digging.
Jerry Jacene, owner of Red Feather Fossil Excavations in Glendive, worked with Make-A-Wish during his stints as a self-taught paleontologist in Tennessee and Minnesota, so when the Spokan+e office of the organization that grants dream vacations to sick children was told of Andrew's wish, it contacted Jacene.
In a little more than two weeks, arrangements were in place and Andrew, along
with his dad, Willie, his mom, Maureen, and his 3-year-old sister, Amber, were on a plane to Billings. From there, Jacene drove them the 230 miles to Glendive to begin their adventure.
When the residents of Glendive found out about the Valascos' trip, they responded with generosity and enthusiasm.
Led by Christie and Steve Bury, curators of the Makoshika Dinosaur Museum in Glendive, the effort to welcome the family snowballed. HKT Motors of Glendive provided a four-wheel-drive Suburban to transport them around town and to the dig sites; the Yellowstone River Inn donated four nights of lodging; and various organizations in Eastern Montana, including
4-H, the Girls and Boys Clubs and Custer Country Tourism Region, provided funds for meals.
Andrew has nephrotic syndrome, a kidney disease that can be treated but not cured. The disease's origins are unknown, but Maureen suspects that medications that Andrew received before a simple blood test revealed the source of his problem may have led to Andrew's condition.
"When he has an episode, he retains water and 'spills protein' into the blood, causing Andrew to bloat and swell up," his mother said. "The first time it happened, I screamed for my husband."
When not affected by the disease, Andrew is an active, inquisitive first-grader whose favorite movie is "Jurassic Park."
When the Burys found out how much Andrew loves "Jurassic Park," they arranged for the theater in Glendive to present a special screening of the movie. The whole community was invited to the screening, and much of the town showed up for it.
"The Boys and Girls Club brought two busloads of kids to the showing, and lots of 4-H'ers came too. The people of Glendive have gone out of their way to make sure Andrew and his family have a great time."
The dig was almost scuttled by the rain that fell in Glendive, but by Tuesday morning, the sun had dried the road out enough to make it possible to cross the creek that separates Glendive from the dig site, which will officially be known as "Andrew's Site." A paleontological "site" differs from a "quarry" in terms of size, Jacene said. A site becomes a quarry if the field of fossils covers enough area.
"I think this site has the potential to become a quarry," Jacene said.
Digging for fossils isn't the only thing on the family's itinerary while in Glendive. They were invited to a bonfire and cookout Tuesday night at the ranch where Andrew's Site is, and on Wednesday evening Miss Montana will visit Glendive to sing for Andrew and his family. They'll leave for home on Thursday.
They'll also visit Makoshika State Park and the Makoshika Dinosaur Museum, which is part of the Montana Dinosaur Trail that includes 15 sites throughout Montana that feature significant dinosaur exhibits.
Maureen Valsaco, a special education teacher, and Willie Valsaco, a financial adviser and Air Force reservist, say they're impressed with the way the community has welcomed them.
Jacene hopes that enough volunteers can be found in the area to make Glendive a "hub" in Eastern Montana for Make-A-Wish.
"I'm committed to making that happen," said Jacene, who recently moved to Glendive from Tennessee. If enough volunteers are found, and Jacene is confident that will happen, Make-A-Wish has committed to holding a training session in Glendive next spring.
The trip from Brooklyn to the Badlands was a success, and the Valascos said they plan on coming back on their own next summer. By then, there's no telling what discoveries may await them at Andrew's Site.
Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.
BillingsGazette.com :: 6-year-old gets Jurassic welcome to Glendive
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Published on Wednesday, September 20, 2006.
Last modified on 9/20/2006 at 12:49 am
6-year-old gets Jurassic welcome to Glendive
By JIM SCHAEFER
For The Gazette
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