Silent auction benefits medical expenses for McCook girl, 5

Max, Nebraska, photographer Bill Coe holds the computer-enhanced photograph of John Deere tractors that he created and donated for a fund-raiser at Plains Equipment Group/John Deere in McCook. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette)

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Proceeds from a silent auction -- won by Lori Ruggles of rural McCook -- will go to 5-year-old Abby Sedlacek, the daughter of Brad and Korey Sedlacek of McCook who was diagnosed with leukemia on May 9, 2013.

Brad, who works at Plains Equipment Group, which sponsored the fund raiser, said that Abby is doing very well, undergoing chemotherapy treatments at Childrens Hospital in Omaha once every four weeks. She also takes oral chemo at home.

It's a 2 1/2-year treatment plan, Korey said. The talkative little blond -- who passes out "homework assignments" to everyone -- attends Creative Preschool and will start kindergarten in the fall.

Art donor, Bill Coe of Max, said he started with his photograph of John Deere tractors, and reversed and solarized it, burned some areas and increased the contrast to create "Abstract Deere B," the No. 1 autographed and numbered print presented to Ruggles Wednesday.