Tyler, in our Events & Entertainment department, and premium service manager Jody weren't afraid to dig in - and dig in deep - when we needed volunteers for Saturday's turkey giveaway.
This time of year, the Thunder is always particularly busy within the community. Between our Holiday Assist initiative (presented by Cox Communications), Thunder Fit Clinics and special events like the Habitat for Humanity build, our Community Relations department is constantly in need of some helping hands.
One thing we’ve learned over the past few years: when it comes to pitching in, our staff never fails to step up.
As community volunteer opportunities arise, our Community Relations department will usually send out an all-staff email or two with details and deadlines. With the Holiday Assist, staff was directed to stop by the CR department and sign up for the events when they could help.
Within a few hours, all of the sheets were nearly full.
Similarly, when the Thunder volunteered to help build a Habitat for Humanity home in northeast OKC, we blew away the number of volunteers we asked for, nearly doubling our needs for the second day. We had so many volunteers for Wednesday’s work day, in fact, that we worked with Habitat and sent ten of our staffers to help roof a second house.
If you know the people in this office, this doesn’t come as a surprise.
From top to bottom, lending a helping hand is ingrained in our office culture. We strongly believe that being part of the Thunder means being part of our community, and we don’t take that lightly. In fact, we push it to the limit.
Many fans see evidence of this spirit on the court, but we live it off the court, as well. From coaches to coordinators, from vice presidents to assistants, we take a fierce pride in being able to use our platform with the Thunder to open doors for people in the community, to make connections and to bring everyone around us into the Thunder Family.
And if that means getting to a Habitat build site at 7:30 in the morning on a chilly November day, or getting buried by 400 frozen turkeys for a telling (and funny) picture, we’re game.
- Karina Henderson
