Edmond Students Raise Over $350K During Swine Week For 'Limbs For Life'

It's a week surrounded by a lot of fun and hard work for a group of Edmond Memorial High School students. "Swine Week" is a little about pigs and a lot about helping for the greater good.

This is a tradition that started back in 1986 when a classmate's sister needed a kidney transplant. In 26 years, students have raised more than $3.5 million.

3/10/2013 Related Story: Edmond Students To Raise Money For Amputees During 'Swine Week'

This year's plan was to try and raise $350,000 for "Limbs for Life," an Oklahoma-based group that raises money to provide prosthetics to those who can't afford them.

More than 150 students participated and worked more than 10,000 hours in the planning, creating, decorating and executing of Swine Week and the events, such as the auction, car show and Hog Jog 5K.

In addition to Edmond Memorial's Swine Week, Edmond Santa Fe and Edmond North have similar weeks where funds are raised for a specific charity. The three schools collaborate to select a common thread charity. This year, the common-thread organization is A New Leash on Life, Inc. A New Leash on Life, Inc. will receive five-percent of charitable donations from each Edmond high school.

Up until Friday, students were nervous about reaching their goal. Students announced that $353,011 was raised for "Limbs for Life" and "A New Leash on Life," during the 27th annual Swine Week.

"It's so heartfelt to us to be able to make a difference in the life of just one person, let alone a waiting list of 90 recipients," said Makenzie Burger, EMHS student and Swine Week co-chair. "Being able to help two nonprofits in OKC is meaningful to us, as students."

News 9's Kelly Ogle and Alex Cameron were there for the big announcement.

Limbs for Life representatives told the audience today that this money will help 140 people in need of limbs.