Wednesday, November 19, 2008; Posted: 4:16 p.m. (CDT)
Last week, we showed you Thunder players taking part in the "Read to Achieve" program. It's just one of the many things they're doing to get involved in the community.
Dan Mahoney, V.P. of Corporate Communications for the OKC Thunder, says, "They want to be able to make a different in a lot of lives."
Christine Berney, OKC Thunder Community Relations Director, says, "Thunder as a team and individual players and the coaching staff, these people really care about Oklahoma City."
Mahoney says, "There's only one thing they like more than basketball and that's being involved in the community."
The Thunder is launching its holiday assist program. It's a community initiative to help welcome the holiday season in Oklahoma.
Berney says, "We're just really trying to blanket the community during the holiday season and give back a little bit because they've given so much."
Whether it's reading to kids or something else, Thunder officials say it's a small way to say thank you for the big welcome they've received.
Here's a look at some of the events they have planned this holiday season:
· Thursday, November 20 – The Thunder, along with Homeland Stores of Oklahoma City, will distribute 300 complete turkey dinners to celebrate Thanksgiving. The beneficiaries of turkey dinners are underserved families from the Regional Food Bank of
Oklahoma . Thunder staff will volunteer time to help with serving dinner.
· Friday, November 21 – The Thunder hosts the New Orleans Hornets at the
Ford
Center at 8:30 p.m. The team will be hosting a canned food drive to benefit the Regional Food Bank of
Oklahoma prior to the start of the game. Thunder staff members will be collecting food items at the doors of the
Ford
Center . Fans who donate will receive a voucher for two tickets to an upcoming Thunder game at the
Ford
Center .
· Monday, November 24 – All Thunder players and coaches will be in attendance and provide Thanksgiving Dinner at Tinker Air Force Base for families who have a parent deployed in the
Middle East .
Monday, November 24 – The Thunder Girls will appear at Penn Square Mall to help kick-off the Salvation Army “Angel Tree.” The traditional Angel Tree will be available for the public to assist underserved families in the
Oklahoma City area for the holidays.
· Tuesday, December 9 – Thunder players and coaches will host 10
Oklahoma City families at a Holiday Shopping Spree at a local Super Target .
· Wednesday, December 10 – The Thunder hosts the Memphis Grizzlies at the
Ford
Center at 7 p.m. The team will be accepting toys for a Holiday Toy Drive to benefit the Salvation Army. Toys will be collected at the
Ford
Center entrances and fans who donate will receive a voucher for two tickets to an upcoming Thunder game at the
Ford
Center .
· Wednesday, December 17 – The Thunder Holiday Bash will take place at the
Ford
Center during lunch time and is part of the
Oklahoma City
Public School ’s effort to curb truancy. Approximately 500 middle school students with good attendance records will be rewarded with an invitation to the
Ford
Center for a celebration lunch and social. Each student at the event will receive a Holiday present.
· Thursday, December 18 – Thunder players and staff will distribute the culminated collection of toys and items throughout the City to the hundreds of families and children who registered for assistant this holiday season.
The Thunder will participate in many other charitable and community holiday initiatives for the remainder of the holiday season.
