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‘Elves & More’ Organization Makes Learning Special for Kids With Bikes for Grade Improvement

Posted byHoumanitarian
Video Link: Elves & More Builds 10,000 Bikes for Kids
(KPRC 2 News)

Robert Stanton, Chron.com
The North Pole may be thousands of miles away, but that hasn’t stopped scores of Santa’s elves from working their tunics off to put together bicycles for Houston-area students.

This year, the nonprofit Elves & More organization is on track to deliver 10,000 new bicycles and helmets to economically challenged students who signed pledges in August to improve their reading grades and maintain a satisfactory or above on their conduct grade.

The 4,000 volunteers have been working at Reliant Arena since Dec. 8 to construct the bicycles, which will be delivered Saturday to students at nine school districts: Fort Bend, Waller, Galveston, Texas City, Crosby, Aldine, Alief, Spring and Conroe.

“When you go out and you put that bike into a child’s hands, and you see their little faces light up because they have achieved that (academic) goal, that’s why we do it,” said Rebecca Roberts, executive director of Elves & More.

Louis Vetrano, who took a 10-day vacation from his job as a Houston corporate attorney to work on the bikes, said the project pays big dividends for the students and their communities.

“Elves & More is about changing lives one bike at a time,” said Vetrano, a volunteer since the organization was formed in 2003. “The kids signed a contract to improve their reading scores and their conduct. If they meet that goal, they get a bicycle. We’re about teaching children to help themselves.   “This is not an entitlement program,” he added.
(Read more and see pictures at Chron.com)

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