OKLAHOMA CITY, May 17, 2010 – The Oklahoma City Thunder Community Foundation today made two donations to help victims of the May 10 tornadoes that devastated sections of central Oklahoma.
Dedicated to helping support various community causes and organizations, the Foundation today donated $2,000 to a fund established at the Chickasha Bank & Trust for the children of Ricky and Tammy Rider. Twenty-nine-year-old Tammy Rider died when the May 10 tornado leveled her family’s Newalla home. She was one of two tornado-related fatalities in the state. The Riders’ three children – Jason, 9; Ethan, 3; and Regan, 1 – remain hospitalized in the wake of the twisters.
In addition, the Thunder is donating $3,000 to the Little Axe School District to help rebuild the Middle School’s Special Education Center, which was destroyed in the storm.
Today’s contributions stem from the success of several fundraising auctions held this past season at Thunder games for the Oklahoma City Thunder Community Foundation.
The Thunder’s Vice President of Corporate Communications and Community Relations, Dan Mahoney, said the organization hopes to make a difference for some of those impacted by the May 10 storms.
“We are grateful to be able to offer some help during this dark and difficult time for many Oklahomans,” Mahoney said. “The Thunder Community Foundation really is a testament to the generosity and compassion of our fans, without which today’s donations would not have been possible.”