On the morning of December 18, 2017 at Stafford Elementary, 359 bicycles stood waiting to meet their new owners. These bicycles were not gifts. Each one was a reward for a job well done. At 7:45 a.m., pupils from kindergarten through third grade arrived at the school with their parents. Brothers from Rho Xi Chapter volunteered and assisted the students as they were fitted with helmets and led to the bicycles, which were adjusted to fit each rider’s height. The bicycles were donated by the Spring-based nonprofit, Elves and More. Before Elves and More started in 2001, founder David Moore was focused on the Christmas holiday. He wanted to give to individuals in need, and make the holiday something special. Instead of adopting a family for Christmas, he adopted a neighborhood of 23 families that included 110 kids. In 2002, Moore decided to up the ante and give to more families in need. It didn’t take long for Moore to realize that bicycles were the most requested gift. In 2003, he reached 10,000 children, and bicycles accounted for approximately eighty percent of all gifts. Then in 2004, Elves and More was born as an official nonprofit organization with a mission of gifting 25,000 children in the greater Houston area each year. Instead of focusing on Christmas, the group decided to build a program around literacy. Title 1 that are enthusiastic about the program can sign up for the bicycle donations. Students are eligible for a bicycle if they pledge to improve their reading skills. Struggling students attempt to read on their grade level, while others already reading at grade level are challenged to excel further.
