Families all over the United States try to find ways to show their gratitude and give to others around Thanksgiving. For Dion Waiters and his family, Tuesday was the perfect opportunity to show how thankful they truly are.
At the Moore Food and Resource Center, Waiters helped hand out turkeys, pies and other Thanksgiving essentials to needy families with the help of Homeland and some Thunder staffers. The idea and financial commitment was Waiters’ himself, and the execution came to fruition when the Thunder guard approached the organization with the desire to give back to Oklahomans around the holiday.
“I wanted to give back to the people who are less fortunate,” Waiters said. “I made it my business to go out here and make it happen for the people who can’t afford it.”
The uniquely special aspect of Waiters’ community visit was the way he incorporated his family who was in town visiting for Thanksgiving. More than half-a-dozen members of Waiters’ family spread themselves out along the line of food stations, helping to hand out the different Thanksgiving items to local citizens as they made their way through the building. As his uncle helped an elderly family carry bags of food to their car, Waiters explained why it was important to him to show his family this side of his Oklahoma City life.
“It’s not just on the court. It’s about involving yourself with the youth and others,” Waiters explained. “It’s making an impact and helping lives. I’m just trying to show them that it’s more than just basketball.”
As the families stopped from station to station, Waiters noticed the looks of relief, the joy of receiving a gift and the togetherness that flashed across their faces. It was like looking in a mirror for the young man who grew up in a poverty-stricken neighborhood in south Philadelphia. He and his own mother stood in a similar line, with similar feelings, many years ago.
“I remember a couple of times that people had little events like this that we went to. It’s great for the people who did that back in the day,” Waiters recalled. “I’m fortunate that I’m able to be put in this position to give back, especially coming from where I came from and being in the situations that some of these people are in.”- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Roberson and McGary Give Back Too
After Waiters’ event on Tuesday, there was still more in store for those in need in the Oklahoma City area. At Life Church in Oklahoma City, Mitch McGary and Andre Roberson helped dozens of volunteers, including Thunder staff, hand out Thanksgiving meals to families, took photos and shared laughs with parents and children alike.
Roberson’s sister joined in the festive environment, yet another example of Thunder players uniting their family and their Oklahoma families all in one.
“It feels great being around a family atmosphere,” Roberson said. “Sharing it together makes it all that much more special.”
“I want to do whatever I can for families less fortunate than myself,” McGary said. “It’s a blessing to be here. It’s pretty awesome. Kids are smiling and the families are grateful.”
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Watch: Thunder Trio Warms Hearts at Thanksgiving