All summer, the students enrolled in 12 Kids ‘R’ Kids Schools and Academies in the Dallas area have trained for the Olympic-Style Games held last Friday. The Games were the culmination of weeks of fundraising to benefit Helping a Hero – a nonprofit that builds specially adapted homes for severely injured military personnel and their families. More than $6,000 was raised in support of a local Helping a Hero military family, and more donations are still flowing in.
One young man was especially touched by the cause and set out on a mission. Ben Stevenson, a student at the Kids ‘R’ Kids in Keller, not only donated all of the money in his wallet – $35! – but also did chores for family and friends to collect more. After reminding himself how much military men and women sacrifice for us, Ben even sacrificed his playtime to be a “scoop up” behind a friend’s dog! After his school matched what he raised, Ben’s total donation to Helping a Hero was $2,000. He has been invited to the Helping a Hero gala, which George W. Bush will also be attending.
“We are so proud of each and every one of our students!” said Bill Sample, owner of Kids ‘R’ Kids Arlington. “They trained all summer, raised money for this great cause and ended up having an amazing time at the Games. It’s hard to say if the students were more excited about competing in the games or presenting the check to the Helping a Hero family. It was a successful first year, and Kids ‘R’ Kids cannot wait to turn it into an annual event!”
Kids ‘R’ Kids Keller, owned by Steve and Missy Brown, was the First Kids ‘R’ Kids Summer Olympics’ winner and received a trophy to display in its lobby. The Games included a noodle toss (in lieu of the javelin throw), a 30-person relay race and a sack race that transformed into a crabwalk race, among others. The twelve Kids ‘R’ Kids Schools that competed at the Cowboys Stadium included Kids ‘R’ Kids in: Allen on North Alma Drive, Allen on East Bethany Drive, Arlington, Castle Hills/Carrollton, Frisco, West Frisco, Legacy West, Las Colinas, McKinney, West McKinney, Keller and Richardson.
About Kids ‘R’ Kids
Headquartered in the North Atlanta suburb of Duluth, Ga., Kids ‘R’ Kids Schools and Academies ® provide a secure, nurturing and educational environment for children (ages 6 weeks – 12 years) to bloom into responsible, considerate and contributing members of society. With over 160 locations in 15 states, Kids ‘R’ Kids International®
