Windsor students help Rebound project

Earlier this month, more than 700 balls -- including soccer balls, basketballs and volleyballs -- filled the courtyard at Windsor Elementary School in Arlington Heights.

It was quite a sight to see, but not in preparation for a sports tournament or league play. Students had brought in their own used balls to be shipped to children in need of sports equipment in Third World countries.

Specifically, the 500 Windsor students contributed 742 balls to an organization called "Rebound Sports Project."

Mount Prospect resident Victor LaPorte launched the effort locally last summer, holding collections every week at the Mount Prospect Lion's Club Farmers Market, and even one at Prospect High School's homecoming game.

The Windsor students more than surpassed both of those in one week, LaPorte said. Teacher Deborah Wilson brought the program to Windsor, learning of it from the Prospect drive.

"The results have been overwhelming," he said. "It's 10 times what we collected at Prospect, and twice as many as we collected all last summer at the farmers market."

The collection pushed LaPorte beyond his goal of collecting 1,000 balls during his first year, enabling him to put together a shipment of 500 balls that went out two weeks ago.

LaPorte works with MotoDiscovery -- a motorcycle touring company based in San Antonio, Texas -- to distribute them. So far, they've started out in remote villages in Mexico, but they plan to extend their reach to South America.

As a former creative director with Leo Burnett Advertising who traveled extensively with his job, LaPorte became acquainted with the motorcycle touring company and its remote outposts.

"I took one of their extended, off-road tours in Mexico," LaPorte said. "Some of the poverty we saw was heartbreaking."

His nonprofit organization is attempting to give children a brighter start, he said, and word of its mission appears to be growing.

"Imagine the look on a kid's face, when, out of nowhere, a guy on a motorcycle rides up and hands him his first ball," LaPorte said. "It's either Santa's rebel elf, or a member of our distribution team."

To learn more about Rebound Sports Project, visit: www.reboundsports.org.