TEMPLE, Texas — Fifty students at Temple Independent School District’s Hector P. Garcia Elementary School have brand new bicycles today thanks to a generous donation from the Weifield Group Contracting Texas.
Representatives from the Austin-area office of the Colorado-based electrical contractor visited Garcia Elementary Thursday morning (October 12) to present bicycles and helmets to the 50 students. The students watched a bike safety video and met the group from Weifield before heading out to the parking lot to get their bicycle and helmet. Many of the students even had the opportunity to test drive the bicycles before their families took the new bicycles home. The students receiving the bicycles represent all grade levels at Garcia Elementary and were selected based on need, behavior for the first six weeks, and teacher recommendations.
“When we learned that Weifield Austin was going to donate some bikes to us, we were very excited, but when we were told it was going to be 50 bikes that they individually built with their own hands, we all sat in shock for a minute,” said Courtney Christian, principal of Hector P. Garcia Elementary School. “It is such a tremendous outpouring of care and support of our kids. This opportunity allowed us to highlight students who exemplify our Garcia Guidelines for Success – students who show respect, act responsibly, support others, and strive for success each and every day. The support of folks like Weifield Austin truly defines partnership and community, and we are very grateful for what they are doing for kids.”
Weifield Group presents the bicycles annually to schools in areas where the company has active projects and the Austin area division selected Garcia Elementary this year. Foremen for work crews from Temple-area projects built the bicycles as a team-building exercise before presenting the finished products to students on Thursday. The donated bicycles and helmets totaled $5,500 and company officials say giving back to the community is one of Weifield Group’s core values.
“We are devoted to creating a meaningful impact in the communities we serve across Austin and the surrounding cities of Central Texas,” said M’Lissa O’Neil, executive assistant for Weifield Group Contracting Texas. “Our goal is to make a difference in the lives of young learners and their communities, addressing their unique needs and offering them opportunities for growth and success. Donating a bike to a child is a small gesture that can significantly enhance their quality of life. It empowers them to overcome barriers, promotes education, encourages physical health, provides a challenge, and imparts valuable life skills and experiences.”
The Weifield Group does bicycle presentations in each of its regions, which also include Colorado, Tennessee, and Wyoming. The company does electrical and other contracting for schools, grocery stores and other commercial projects in each of those regions.