The blips and beeps lapsed abruptly as the register ran into a snag. The cashier unfurled what seemed like miles and miles of receipt tape. Cheerily standing in the checkout area, Tammera Garland quipped that her shopping trip broke the machine as onlookers chuckled.
Garland, a single mother of six including two sets of twins, brought her sizeable family for a unique afternoon trip to the store with none other than Thunder sharpshooter Steve Novak this past Saturday, courtesy of Homeland.
“The day was amazing. I’m really blessed,” Garland said. “Steve just jumped in and he’s a kid person. I can tell that.”
Novak, a father himself, instantly connected with her children on hand upon arrival as he lowered his 6-foot-10 inch frame to greet each one by one. In pre-tipoff fashion, the Novak-led group huddled at the storefront to chart its plan of action as the giddy Garland gang was antsy from the start. Soon enough, Novak’s words forged ahead their shopping adventure.
“Let’s fill up that cart, huh?”
Through the coordinated efforts of Oklahoma City Public Schools and the Thunder, a long kept secret from November finally manifested itself. Only Garland and Katawna Stephens, family engagement specialist at Oklahoma City Public Schools, knew about the special arrangement.
For Stephens, Garland was a committed working parent who was very involved with her children and their education despite working long hours at a local fast food restaurant to stay afloat while having little to no support system.
“Anytime they call Tammera, she is there for her children,” Stephens said. “Working a minimum wage job with six children would be difficult for anyone, but she's very positive and hopeful about the future and making sure her children know the importance of education.”
So when Garland received the call from Stephens to take part in the shopping trip, Garland was ecstatic to not only have the chance to stock up on groceries, but also to treat her children to a one-of-a-kind experience with a Thunder player.
From exchanging impromptu Q&As on sports and school life to reenacting popular commercials during their time together, the Novak-Garland mashup created an unforgettable day for the children with high-fives and smiles aplenty.
Being a family man, Novak blended right in with the kids as if they were his own with his affable charm and outgoing demeanor. Knowing the afternoon would have an immense impact on the Garland household, he wanted to make sure the family fulfilled their shopping list.
“They were an incredible family—two sets of twins in the family,” Novak said. “I got the feeling that they go through a lot of food and drink at the house. We just had a great time going through the aisles.”
With the surprise visit winding down as cart after cart full of groceries made their way through the checkout counter, Novak approached Garland with one more surprise in hand. Moments later, eyes popped and mouths agape when Novak presented an extra $500 gift card for Garland to spend on her next trip to Homeland.
Subsequently, a round of high-fives and hugs soon followed. Still trying to absorb what happened, Garland was overwhelmed by how such a memorable day of grocery shopping unfolded.
“I’m still shocked. The extra money, as if this wasn’t enough,” Garland said. “It was already a day full of blessings.”
Wanting to savor the moment, Romeo, 12, unsheathed his phone as his mother and siblings squeezed into a huddle with Novak to snap a group selfie, putting a bow on their time together.
“The coolest part overall was getting to meet Steve. I was just excited,” Romeo said. “ He’s a really nice guy. I had a really fun day.”
Once the cashier got the register to work properly, the scanner came alive with its blips and beeps once again. In awe of the spate of groceries inside the shopping carts before him, 10-year-old Qwa’cean was brimming with joy.
“We never had this much baskets before. It just touches my soul,” Qwa’cean said. “I just love today. Today was the best day ever.”
Watch: Novak Takes Family Shopping