Children in our area got an early Christmas gift Friday thanks to the AT & T Pioneers . The Pioneers raise money throughout the year to buy area students that are in need of assistance a new pair of shoes. This year at the Famous Footwear in Moline, 350 kids got to hand-pick a new pair.
The program has been a part of the Quad Cities for since the 50’s. The first year, the Pioneers bought one pair of shoes and are now up to over 300. The shoes are valued at around $30 each but the look on the children’s faces is priceless.
“The satisfaction of helping somebody and seeing their faces, it’s fun,” AT&T Pioneer Ed Welvaert says. “They can pick out whatever style they want. They never figured they would get it, but they got it.”
The students each went home with a new pair of shoes as well as new socks, a bag of toiletries, a scarf, hat and mittens.
Santa was also on hand to visit with the kids.
The AT&T Pioneers consists of more than 300,000 AT&T employees and retirees nationwide, and was founded in 1911 with Alexander Graham Bell as one of its first members.