Thunder Delivers Bowling Party SaluteThe entire Thunder team threw a special bowling party for 75 children of local military families in an unforgettable afternoon swirling with smiles, laughter and high fives. The festivities kicked off the weekend in spectacular fashion for these excited young bowlers as part of the team’s ninth annual Holiday Assist, presented by Cox Communications.
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By Jimmy Do | okcthunder.com
(Photos by Zach Beeker | OKC Thunder)
The face-painting station became a rollicking tribute to the home game staple during the mid-afternoon festivities inside the bowling alley. When ‘Stache Brothers Enes Kanter and Steven Adams took over and settled behind the table with the kits at their disposal, the paint brushes and color palettes unlocked their artistic side—for better (mostly) or worse. From scrawlings of forest creatures to interpretive portraits of each other (oddly resembling the courtroom sketch variety), faces, forearms and biceps served as canvases for these two de facto Michelangelos. To Adams, they were “just drawing stuff on children” finishing one masterpiece after another as boys and girls eagerly waited for their turn in line.
At Lane 37, avid bowler Russell Westbrook unleashed a wide-array of trick shots to the delight of 9-year-old Kaitlynn and 12-year-old Emily. Spending time with the two girls gave Westbrook a chance to not only display his bowling prowess, but also share sibling stories and stoke competition as evident by the scores on the glowing screen above their heads.
“It was exciting, especially when I found out it was Russell. It meant a lot to me," said Emily.
Looking on, their mother Mimi Casebolt beamed proudly marvelling at how Westbrook connected with her children.
“They’re big fans of Russell. I’m a big fan of Russell and love it that he’s here,” said Casebolt. “It was just a great experience—he was very down to earth and joked around with them a lot.”
Victor Oladipo helped to commemorate the special afternoon by making the rounds as the boys and girls unsheathed their phones for selfies.
“To me personally and to us as a team as well, our military does so much for us. They keep us safe,” said Oladipo. “We can go to bed and sleep at night knowing that they are protecting us if anything happens. It’s a blessing to be able to show them that we care by giving back to their kids and giving back to their families.”
For Domantas Sabonis, he understood the profound impact of Thunder players giving back to the community by spending time with the children.
“When I was a kid, I had a chance to do some of this with professional athletes. It makes your day, your week,” said Sabonis. “For some kids, it might be the best day of their lives. It was awesome being here with them.”
The carnival atmosphere of the event allowed Joffrey Lauvergne to not only mingle with the families on hand, but also to be introduced to an American delicacy—cotton candy.
“I think it’s good for everyone and to show them a good picture of what we are doing. We are not only playing basketball,” said Lauvergne. “I’m just happy and those kids are happy to see us. So I think it’s good to give back.”
In a spirited competition with one of the precocious bowlers, Andre Roberson sized up the score before preparing to launch his next shot.
“It always great to give back, especially around the holidays. Being here with the kids, makes it that much more special,” said Roberson. “I’m seeing some shaky bowlers out here, but it’s all about having fun.
Teammates and coaches capped the afternoon with a photo at the Holiday Assist Bowling Party.
“From bowling and face painting to eating cotton candy and snow cones, the kids from local military families who have parents getting ready to deploy or just getting back, are having a great time, “ said Christine Berney, Thunder vice president of community relations. “The holidays can be stressful for them. So this was a great opportunity to decompress and have fun."
Watch: Thunder Hosts Bowling Party With Military Families