A spaghetti dinner fundraiser is set for Friday at the Pineville Community Center to benefit McDonald County school resource officer Buck Owen, who received a liver transplant on July 31.
Chad Akins, who is organizing the fundraiser, said the funds raised will help the Owen family with medical and living expenses. The surgery was done at UAMS in Little Rock, Ark., and Owen and his wife will probably be living there for a few more weeks, he said, as well as having to make a few trips to Arkansas afterward. Insurance only covers so much, and Owen will be on medication for the rest of his life, Akins added.
Owen had to have the transplant because the medication he was on for leukemia as a child damaged his liver.
Akins said Owen was walking the day after his surgery without a walker.
"He's doing all he can to get better," Akins said.
Tiffany Newhard, who is helping organize the fundraiser, said, "There's been a whole outpouring for Buck because he's awesome. He has the kids in the county's best interests at heart."
She said a couple of years ago he promised the football team if they won five games in a row he would be tased in front of the whole school. He kept his promise and let one of the football players tase him after their victory streak, she said.
"He has a way with kids," she said. "He's just one of those guys. If anyone has a problem, they call Buck."
She also said he is "breaking all kinds of records in the transplant unit."
Akins said, "Buck's my best friend. He's more like family than anything. He does a lot in the community. Just a mentor to the kids and helps them through some tough times. When school starts up, he'll be missed there. They're used to always seeing him, so it'll be different until he can get back."
In addition to the spaghetti dinner, there will be a pie auction and a 50/50 raffle. The winner of the 50/50 raffle gets half of what is raised, and the other half goes to the Owen family. Akins said there will be a couple of other auction items as well.
"We're taking all the donations we can get," he said, including donations of food and people's time to serve.
"Hopefully, we get a good turnout and, hopefully, this is just the beginning of what we can do to help him," he added.