At Thanksgiving, the Thunder is Inspired by OKC’s People

For 16 consecutive years, the Thunder has taken extra care to be conscious of its neighbors in need during the holiday season. While the organization is active in the community year-round, its tradition-rich Holiday Assist program is meant to deliver a special boost to families – materially, physically and emotionally.

As a reflection of the community, the Thunder is inspired by those who participate in these events. This holiday season, the team is thrilled to share some of their stories.

How can I give if I’m in need?

Felicia Shells answered that question in early November during a Homeland shopping spree with Jaylin Williams.

The mother of seven, Shells spent the entire visit expressing deep gratitude for the gift of food and home goods in advance of the holiday season. When he wasn’t entertaining the kids, Jaylin helped the family shop for daily needs as well as some special wants. With her cart full of goods to keep her family fed for the next few weeks, Shells offered to give the remainder of the money she hadn’t spent to someone else in need. 

“When you’re blessed, you bless back,” she said.    

Jaylin made sure she spent every bit of what she was given, but it wasn’t easy. Shells has a generous spirit, according to Lenora Ware, a program coordinator at the Pitts Center on Oklahoma City’s east side who nominated Shells for the shopping spree. One recent example: Shortly after getting her family settled into their own place, Shells took in another mother and her child to ensure they had somewhere safe to live as well.

In Minnesota, Chet Holmgren’s house was the place to be on Thanksgiving.

Most years, the Holmgrens would have so many neighbors and friends over to the house – more than 100 people over the course of two days – that Chet’s mom, Sarah, didn’t even know some of the folks who had come by to make themselves a plate.

That warm, open-door spirit continues with Chet in Oklahoma City. With the help of his parents and sisters, the Holmgren Family Thanksgiving Dinner truly is a family affair.

For the second year in a row, Chet welcomed families from Citizens Caring for Children to the Thunder corporate office inside Paycom Center for a traditional Thanksgiving meal that included homemade cookies prepared by his sisters, followed by various arts and crafts activities.

Chet had only one rule. “Nobody is allowed to go home hungry,” he said, “so make sure you get yourself a plate or two or three.”

A veteran of several Holiday Assists, Kenrich Williams is establishing his own family Thanksgiving tradition, with an assist from his young daughter.

After braving the blustery cold during the Thunder’s drive-through events the past couple of years, father and daughter got the chance to enjoy some beautiful weather while handing out turkeys and interacting with folks at Skyline Urban Ministries. Kenrich said the spirit of giving is something he wants to instill in his daughter at an early age, and providing food to those in need around the holidays is a perfect way to do so.

Jaylin Williams grew up in a tight-knit community in Ft. Smith, AR. It seems everyone there, especially those at the Boys and Girls Club, is familiar with Jaylin and his big beaming smile.

He knows what the Boys and Girls Club provided him as a youth and wants to pay it forward here in Oklahoma City. So, with the holidays in mind, Jaylin invited his dad and three brothers to drive up I-40 from Ft. Smith for an event he hosted at the Northeast Boys and Girls Club.

Biljana Mapes was among the families that participated in the Jaylin Williams Thanksgiving Grocery Giveaway. Mapes is originally from Serbia, the home country of two of Williams’ teammates, Vasilije Micić and Aleksej Pokuševski.

A mother of three, Mapes explained that the Thunder having two of her countrymen on the roster has made her feel closer to home. She added that her daughter is Rumble’s biggest fan, and taught Jaylin a few Serbian words to surprise his teammates with. 

There are areas on the east side of Oklahoma City that have been categorized as food deserts, but RestoreOKC is doing something about it. Between its beautification efforts, food distribution and its own urban farming program, RestoreOKC has been able to provide staples along with fresh fruits and vegetables to people in the surrounding area. 

Aniyah Johnson, a 17-year-old junior at Dove Science Academy, is an intern with the farm program and has helped RestoreOKC since she was 12. She plants food, works in the greenhouses and helps restore parks and gardens on the east side.

She attended the first Lu Dort Thanksgiving Grocery Giveaway in both an official capacity in her intern role and as a participant. After assisting with the event, she went home with a big bag of food for her family.

As Johnson walked into RestoreOKC, she knew Rumble was going to be there. When she saw Lu, and learned about his desire to give back to people who are in a similar situation now to the one he once was in, the event took on an even deeper meaning.

“It's that one thing you don’t want anybody else to go through,” she said. “When it’s on your mind, it’s a motivation to do it. It’s cool that it’s on his mind.” 

Joe Schrock serves in the 552^nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Tinker Air Force Base. In early November, the 15-year veteran, his wife, son and two daughters all attended the Thunder’s full-team Thanksgiving Dinner party at Tinker Elementary, a school where 50 percent of the students are from Air Force families. 

Thunder players dished out food, chatted with the families and made holiday cookies in the school gym afterward. It was touching to the Schrocks to learn that Jalen Williams understands what it’s like to be in their shoes; Jalen’s parents both served in the Air Force. 

The Schrocks felt extremely grateful for the opportunity to get together and celebrate a holiday as a family. Like every good team, the Schrocks know that when the going gets tough, sticking together is the best way to persevere and to enjoy the time they do have together by living in the moment. 

“We have a really strong family. We’ve had eight deployments, and I don’t know if there will be more, but if there are, we’ll get through it as a family,” Shrock said.  

Looking at a map of the United States, Jasmine Wesley picked a state, loaded her three children in the car and started driving. Fleeing from an unsafe situation, Wesley kept driving until she reached Oklahoma City and arrived at the City Rescue Mission. Once there, she and her children received all their basic needs.

Years later, Wesley is the first face that City Rescue Mission clients see when they walk through the door. She’s there to greet them, meet them on their level wherever they are, and help them get the services they need. 

“We serve all kinds of people here,” she said. “We just unconditionally love them when they walk through the doors.”

Josh Giddey and Cason Wallace helped the Thunder and OG&E unveil a refresh of the facility’s gymnasium the team initially updated in 2012. The two players participated in the ribbon-cutting, played basketball with the kids and soaked in Wesley’s inspirational story, witnessing a person who, thanks to a supportive civic institution like the City Rescue Mission and its longtime partners like the Thunder, has been able to turn her life from a tragedy to a victory.

“I feel like all my steps were guided. This is exactly where I was supposed to be,” she said. “I felt like I was running away from something, but now it’s like I was running to my life and what it should have been.”