Piedmont Students Aim to Raise $100,000 for Family

PIEDMONT, Oklahoma -- It's DUCK Week in Piedmont, which means students are Doing Unselfish Charities for Kids. And the entire community is rallying around one family and a little girl is being honored.

A girl has been chosen by the student council to be the beneficiary of a potential $100,000 fundraising campaign.

It looks like its all fun and games for kids at Piedmont schools this week.

"We have a dodge ball tournament, and we have a talent show and a silent auction," teacher Alissa Antwine said.

A chance at bashing in cars, and swinging at each other was a hit among the teenage boys. But the students aren't being wreck less when it comes to their fund-raising.

They're celebrating the money that's coming in this DUCK Week and the kid that's benefitting is Abby Jones.

"It's when all of the teachers and the kids spend the money to get my kidney," Abby said.

Abby was born with heart defects. She doesn't have a bladder or uterus. She's had four open heart surgeries. Her kidneys are failing. And now she needs a transplant.

"She's kind of a miracle baby, we were told that she wouldn't live through the night the first night that she was here, and she's surprised all the doctors all the way," Abby's father Shannon Jones said.

Medical bills have piled up to total $2 million. Even with health insurance, it's been an enormous financial burden.

"As a father trying to take care of your family financially and getting in as far as we are kinda over our heads with medical bills, it's going to be a life-changing thing for my little girl and for my family," Jones said.

Most importantly, the student council president says, her peers do realize that all this is about much more than just having fun and playing games.

"Over the years, DUCK Week has become, I guess you could say, the popular thing to do," Student Council President Katie Jirak said. "Everybody gets involved and wants to help and wants to make a difference in Abby's life."

Organizers say they are confident they will reach the $100,000 goal by the week's end.

If you would like to help, there's a silent auction Thursday night at Piedmont Middle School. Among the items up for bid -- a signed OU football jersey and football, including Sam Bradford's autograph. And an OSU basketball signed by the entire team.