Betsy Rogers is nothing short of amazing. This single mother, who cares for a family of thirteen, is a well-known and much respected figure throughout the community of North Pole, Alaska. She home schools her younger children and is very involved with the local high school that her older children attend. She is the team mother for both the football and wrestling teams, and is a second mom to most of the kids in the area. When asked to describe Betsy in one word most people respond with "selfless." She is a woman of strong moral values and has passed those values on to each of her children.
Her parents adopted three African American children, and being raised in a bi-racial family taught Betsy valuable life lessons at an early age; treat people with respect and good things will happen to you. It is amazing to see how Betsy has passed all of these qualities to each of her children. They all excel in everything they do, whether it is sports or academics.
Betsy wears many hats, one being a teacher. She has home schooled all of her children until they were old enough to go to high school. Her constant support in the classroom and on the athletic field has nurtured her children to be outstanding citizens who are always thankful for what they have and who are aware that there are always others who are less fortunate.
But the Rogers family has recently fallen on hard times. Shortly after Betsy's marriage ended, leaving the family in a difficult financial situation, her brother was diagnosed with kidney failure and began dialysis treatments. Despite her family's already difficult living conditions, Betsy immediately invited her brother and his three children to move in with her family, crammed into the Rogers' current two bedroom home. The tiny house is falling apart, and worst of all the water heater only supplies enough heat for one warm shower and the house is without insulation in the brutal cold of Alaskan winters.
If you ask Betsy how she manages all the negatives in her life, she'll smile and respond that there are no negatives. She taught her children to always walk with pride, shoulders back, and head up and they truly live by this motto. She has extraordinary kids whom are loved and admired by many, and who love and admire her, and as far as she is concerned, that's all you need in life.
In this episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," the Extreme Team travels to the North Pole for a little Christmas in July to give Betsy and her incredible family the best gift any of them could imagine – a new home and a new sense of security. ACCO Brands is proud to provide Betsy and her family over 50 innovative learning products for a new Home School classroom built into the Rogers’ new home. These products will help Betsy and her children learn, grow and excel in the future.