On Monday, Janson opened up a bank account for donations for a sled at Zions Bank titled the Noelle Pikus-Pace Donation. Her father said he's willing to return any excess money to contributors once the sled is paid for. He's started work on the sled, made in Salt Lake City by Randy Parker, which will be fitted to Pikus-Pace's body frame when she returns home on Friday.

On Monday, Lee, Janson, Uncle Jerry and brother Rob took a gamble on Noelle. They gave the OK to start working on a new sled. On the same day, Janson juggled this Zions Bank deal while taking finals in physics and chemistry.

I asked Janson if it doesn't seem odd, that he is being harassed for payment of medical bills — even having a surgeon in Canada call him personally for money.

"Yes, it does seem like something is off, that nobody's contacted us to help. But maybe those bills are being forwarded to an insurance company and it takes time."

And Lee?

"I don't know what to make of it. It seems somebody from the federation should be communicating with Janson and Noelle over their medical situation and the sled. They told them they'd give (Noelle) about $600 to fix her old sled, but Randy said it would cost more than a thousand or two to fix."

So, the race is on.

What's supposed to be right, isn't.

But that doesn't help Pikus-Pace, whose birthday was Dec. 8.

There has got to be some folks around these parts who can step up and throw a bone to Janson and Pikus-Pace and the sled fund.

They didn't ask for this to happen, and they're not asking for anything now — except a chance to compete.

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E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com