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Archive for August, 2011

Spotlight on: United Way

Monday, August 29th, 2011

As a leading backer of local nonprofit organizations and a strong proponent of community service, the United Way is an agency that the Thunder is proud to support in a variety of ways.

For the third consecutive year, the Thunder has taken part in the United Way of Central Oklahoma’s pacesetter campaign, helping lead the way for the organization’s annual fundraising push. Through our community relations efforts, we reguarly work with several of the United Way’s partner agencies, including Special Care, Citizens Caring for Children, Sunbeam Family Services and more. And we also give time – this year, Thunder staffers will be on hand for the Day of Caring at the end of September.

Why do we support the United Way? Because they support a bevy of organizations that directly affect the quality of life for thousands of Oklahomans. Though there are many United Way organizations statewide lending their support to local nonprofits, the United Way of Central Oklahoma alone partners with more than 60 agencies. Those agencies are battling illiteracy and obesity, helping seniors stay healthy and children get a good start on life, and assisting victims of disasters – and the United Way helps them all carry out their missions.

Take a look at this stirring video that shows how much the United Way can do with the support they receive:

For more information on the United Way of Central Oklahoma, visit their website. To find your local United Way, click here and enter your zip code in the top-right corner.

- Karina Henderson

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Living and breathing the Thunder

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

This kind of thing just makes our day. Matt Shoush, a Thunder fan who’s also a close friend of one of our business-office staffers, had a double lung transplant last week and is recovering at Integris. This weekend, he decided to don his Thunder shirt and give the new lungs a spin with a walk around the hospital. This photo was taken right after his walk, and it looks like the new lungs are working just great.

We’re delighted to see Matt’s progress and share in the joy of his family and friends!

- Karina Henderson

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Hot times (literally) in Enid

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

Thunder fans in Enid weren’t discouraged by the heat on Friday, as about 200 people from all around northwestern Oklahoma came to take part in the first 2011 Sprite Thunder Rally.

The crowd that did brave the 105-degree heat got a memorable Thunder experience, with Thunder Girls, Thunder Drummers, Rumble and DJ Boom providing nonstop entertainment. Kids had a chance to get their faces painted and their caricatures drawn, and to hone their skills on our sport court and with the giant pop-a-shot.

Tulsa’s the next stop – we’ll be bringing the same Thunder-ized set-up to the Walmart on 81st & Sheridan from 6-8 p.m. According to the forecast, it won’t quite be 105 outside – might be close, but hot or not, it should be great family fun.

- Karina Henderson

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Everything matters, everywhere

Friday, August 19th, 2011

A few close encounters of the Thunder kind that our fans shared with us today …

Kyden, an Oklahoma native and Thunder fan, reports that he was recently in the spice bazaar in Istanbul. He posted on Facebook that a spice seller, “upon hearing I’m from Oklahoma, asks me, ‘You like Thunder?!?’ It’s awesome that our NBA franchise has this much cache on the other side of the world,” he added.

After I spoke with an Ambucs group in Enid today, Tim, a local attorney, shared a similar story – though from a less exotic location. Tim and his daughter made a trip to New York City not long ago. When they got off the train at Penn Station, his daughter got stopped by several strangers who noticed her Thunder shirt. They heaped praise on the team and wanted to talk about next season. He noted that kept happening all day, from the subway tunnels to the top of the Empire State Building. Tim admitted that while he’s also a Thunder fan, he found it funny that his daughter’s Thunder shirt drew so much attention – while nobody commented on his OU shirt.

Thanks for the stories!

- Karina Henderson

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An unexpected thank you

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

After we put on a big event or promotion, we will frequently receive a variety of thank-yous, usually in the form of emails or cards. Wandering around the office, you can see some of these notes decorating bulletin boards and office walls; just about every department has at least one or two floating around.

When we received a package from Hearts for Hearing the other week, though, we were surprised to see what was inside.

In June, Rumble, the Thunder Girls, the Rolling Thunder Book Bus and several Thunder staff spent a day with kids attending a Hearts for Hearing summer camp. We knew that a dad of one of the counselors had volunteered to take photos all week and chronicle the camp for the organization. We didn’t know that the folks at Hearts for Hearing were planning on turning his pictures into a photo book, which they sent to us as a “thank you” for our involvement.

After the book came in, it was passed around the office and thumbed through by several staffers – both those of us who were able to attend the event and those who just wanted to take a look at this great gift.

Thanks to Hearts for Hearing for going above and beyond and creating something very special for us!

- Karina Henderson

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A little late for spring cleaning

Friday, August 12th, 2011

It’s a little late in the year for spring cleaning, but we have a good excuse – we were pretty busy this spring.

We are wrapping up our first ever office clean-up day, and based on the piles of office supplies, trash and recycling in the hallway, we’ve had extensive participation.

Today nearly every corner of the office has been pulled apart, cleaned out, sorted through, scrubbed and even put back together again. Storage areas have been moved, file cabinets taken apart and stashes of supplies raided.

Perhaps the most noticeable transformation is in our Community Relations department. Since they’re the folks who must keep on hand T-shirts for events, goodies for charitable donations, books for the Book Bus and goodness only knows what else, their office is traditionally – shall we say – “overburdened.” A stream of folks from other departments came though and expressed shock that their office no longer had its signature island of boxes stacked in the middle of the room.

But don’t worry – we’re still the Thunder, so we didn’t take long to have some fun. I just caught several staffers playing what can only be described as a game of bowling with DAT tape. In the process of getting rid of some old data back-ups, our IT guys quickly discovered that the tape can roll down the halls, and pretty soon a whole section of the office was in on the game – including one of our VPs.

After all, it’s not a successful clean-up day until you make a bigger mess, right?

- Karina Henderson

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I thought it was angels bowling…

Thursday, August 11th, 2011

With thunderstorms passing through central Oklahoma this morning, it seems like an appropriate day to tell this story.

Debbi, one of our fans who won a Rumble doll earlier this summer, called recently to tell me she was back from her trip – and to share a story about her grandson.

She had brought her young grandson along to pick up the Rumble doll, so she said that he knows all about the Thunder.

Debbi’s grandson was with her when a storm approached their house earlier this month. He heard the rumblings in the sky and asked his “Nanny” what that noise was.

“That’s just the thunder,” she assured him. He looked as though he was processing what she said – Debbi realized the child knew about the Thunder, but might not know about thunder.

A few days later another storm came when Debbi’s grandson was at home with his mother. Again, the thunder rumbled, but this time, the young boy had it all figured out.

His mom watched him turn to his favorite toy, a stuffed monkey, and say, “It’s OK. That’s just a Thunder game in the sky.”

- Karina Henderson

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Summer camp review

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

With the final session of our 2011 Thunder Youth Baskeball Summer Camps going on this week, everyone involved in the program has taken to reflecting on the last few months.

Tyler, our Thunder Youth Basketball coach, sat down at camp the other day and, from memory, jotted down the number of kids at every camp so he could total them up. We’ve had 918 kids attend our summer clinics – though that number does include some repeat customers. When you include the spring-break camp and Rumble Mini-Dribblers sessions, more than 1,100 kids – from across Oklahoma, from California to Washington, D.C., and even from China – have learned how to play basketball and how to be a team player from our coaches.

Even though this is the last camp we plan to offer until fall, the coaches aren’t on auto-pilot; they’re still coming up with new ways to challenge the young players and bringing in new people. We talked with one new coach who’s focusing on agility with the kids, and another new coach who’s waiting for a liver transplant. (Stay tuned for both of their stories on our website in the next few days.)

By the time Rumble visits this week’s camp on Friday, the campers will have had lessons in ball-handling and team-building, in defense and discipline. Our goal is not just to help these kids become more skilled players, but also to develop them as teammates, as peers and as people.

So many parents have told us that they keep coming back for those reasons and more; we’re grateful we can be making a difference.

We plan to announce more camp dates and locations soon – keep checking our Thunder Youth Basketball page for info.

- Karina Henderson

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You be the judge

Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

From his seats at Thunder Games, he probably can’t see the Thunder Girls very clearly, except on the big screen.

Earnest Magness got a good look at next year’s team this weekend, though.

During Saturday’s auditions for the Thunder Girls, presented by Riverwind Casino, Earnest had the best seats in the house, serving as a judge alongside local celebrities and TV personalities.

In July, Earnest and his fellow Season Ticket Members had the opportunity to submit an entry explaining why they’d like to be a judge at the Thunder Girls auditions. Earnest’s admiration for the hard-working squad showed through in his submission and won him the opportunity to help shape next year’s team.

Abby, Earnest’s Account Manager, said that Earnest has previously entered to be a judge at the Thunder Girls auditions. She also described him as a “superfan” who loves the Thunder and everything about the team.

The 40 ladies who passed Earnest’s (and the other judges’) test will take part in the final-round auditions on Thursday night at Riverwind Casino. Click here for more info, and join us if you can!

UPDATE: Here’s a new video interview with Earnest about his experience on Saturday.

- Karina Henderson

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Chesapeake Energy Arena: Top-notch, from top to bottom

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

By the time the Chesapeake Energy Arena reopens in October, enough of the ongoing renovations will be completed for fans to notice a big difference – as you can see in this Thunder video featuring Kelly Crull. Bright concourses, better comforts and amenities, new signage and more will give the renovated arena a “wow” factor.

But Gary Desjardins, general manager for the facility, noted that there are even more changes that fans probably will never see, though they’ll make a big difference in other ways.

Though our fans are always referred to as our “guests” at events, they aren’t the only ones visiting the building on game nights. Media, Thunder players, visiting teams and their staff will all see some changes in the building, from the top deck to the loading dock.

Desjardins said that building and event staff will find the facility “easier to work in.” Visiting event staff, such as concert tours, will be able to load and unload from a sealed loading dock that will keep that area climate-controlled (and more energy efficient). Thunder staff will move into brand-new office space in the arena, as well.

The Chesapeake Energy Arena will hit its 10-year anniversary next year – by that time, all the renovations, both seen and unseen, are scheduled to be complete. Desjardins believes that when the renovations are through, the arena will set new standards in the industry for fans, staff and other visitors alike.

- Karina Henderson

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