Pizza Hut benefit set Thursday to help twins

People have the chance Thursday to help a small family deal with medical and travel expenses for their tiny twins while having some pizza.

Lisa Kudrna said Luke and Steele, sons of Katie Bell and George Marcenko, were born March 15, with Luke weighing in at 1.2 pounds and Steele weighing 2 pounds. The boys were flown from Billings to a Salt Lake City hospital and the family is waiting to find out if the infants will need surgery to close holes in their hearts.

The parents - she is from Harlem and works at Box Elder Schools and he is from Killdeer, Saskatchewan, Canada, and is a Montana State University-Northern student and member of Northern's rodeo team - are with the twins in Salt Lake City, waiting until they can return to Billings and then to Havre with the boys, Kudrna said.

"This is a very difficult time in their lives, as they are both very close with family and friends," Kudrna said. "They appreciate all the love and support that this community has shown them."

Kudrna, who works with Bell at Box Elder Schools, said the district has embraced helping the boys and has held some fundraisers in the school.

"Box Elder is like a big family, and we are proud to be helping the family during this difficult time," she said.

Kudrna said she hopes people will "come out and support this young family and beautiful boys with unexpected medical expenses."

Anyone buying food from Havre's Pizza Hut Thursday can say they are donating to Steele and Luke's account and 20 percent of the purchase will go to their fund.

The family also has set up a GoFundMe account at https://www.gofundme.com/3j7jd2w.