Herrera Elementary chosen for B STRONG Shoe Giveaway

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The B STRONG Shoe Giveaway donated more than 15,000 pairs of sneakers to disadvantaged children in El Paso County school districts. This year, the Herrera Elementary School Polar Bears have been chosen to earn 500 pairs of shoes Thursday.

"Herrera Elementary actually qualifies as one of the more disadvantaged schools in El Paso. They popped up our radar, so we put them as one of our recipients this year." said Aboud Memorial Foundation Director Gary Aboud.

This is the Braden Aboud Memorial Foundation's biggest giveaway, promoting fitness and choosing one elementary school every year for kids to show their good sportsmanship through the 'Earn It' program. Every student in the school "earns" a pair of shoes.

Over the lifetime of the giveaway, the foundation visited 20 El Paso elementary schools, giving away more than 10,000 pairs of shoes.

Additionally, students receive socks and backpacks as part of a co-sponsored giveaway by the Anchondo Law Foundation and the Robert E. & Evelyn McKee Foundation.

The Braden Aboud Memorial Foundation said it formed in 2007 in memory of Braden Aboud and his community spirit.

"At the time my son was really into tennis shoes and different styles and he absolutely loved tennis shoes and love sports," Aboud said. "We just took that idea and developed a shoe giveaway and we've done it for the last 19 years."

Aboud said the giveaway has a positive impact on the kids, saying it 'levels the playing field' and helps boost the confidence of the kids and what they wear around their friends everyday.

One thing Aboud called incredible was the amount of volunteers willing to help, UTEP sent members of its volleyball and cheer team as well as student volunteers from Coronado and Franklin High School leading to one of the best turnouts of volunteers.

Among the student volunteers was the Franklin High School student council, and class president Valentina Marinangeli volunteering in her third Braden Aboud event saying her and the student council don't come for their benefit.

"We really get nothing in return but what we do get is smiles," Marinangeli said. "Instead of us receiving something from it just like spending time with the kids, putting a smile on their faces. I like to play around around with them and make memories for them. It's really a blessing to be here and making them receive shoes."