Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Holiday Volunteers - FAQ

Are you looking for a way to give back this holiday season? With Christmas and Thanksgiving fast approaching we are looking for volunteers to help us provide for the less fortunate this blessed time of year.  Below is a list of our current opportunities.



Frequently Asked Questions

Angel Tree Locations: Promenade Mall and Woodland Hills Mall. The Angel Tree is located just outside of Macey's on the Lower level at Woodland Hills and Promenade. At Promenade this is just down from Santa. This is the same location as last year. Print Angel Tree FAQ's HERE.

To volunteer call:  Rhonda McDaniel, 587-7801 x113.


Bell Ringing Locations: Go to here and enter your zip code.

Christmas Joy Center Location:
Click on the image to enlarge.


Schedules: If you registered electronically, your schedule was e-mailed to you. That is the only copy of your schedule. If you've lost your schedule, please check your e-mail inbox before contacting us. If you can not locate your schedule, contact Rhonda McDaniel, 587-7801 x113

What to Bring: Please leave all personal belongings in your car or at home.

Current Opportunities



Angel Tree Booths
Description: Receive and process toy donations for Angel Tree families. **Age 18 plus preferred. Any child under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Date/Time: November 20-December 21 (10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon-Fri only)
Location: Promenade Mall: 41st and Yale; or Woodland Hills Mall: 71st and Memorial
Volunteers Needed: 4 volunteers per shift.


Bell Ringer
Description: Be a part of our Christmas Kettle Campaign to raise funds for the Salvation Army. Smile and ring a bell. ** All minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Date/Time: November 18-December 24 (Day Shift 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Night Shift  5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.)
Location: Various locations, throughout Tulsa and most surrounding communities.
Volunteers Needed: 1500

If you have any special circumstances or would like to discuss additional volunteering opportunities, contact Rhonda.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Rally Day at The Citadel

Sound the battle cry! THE SALVATION ARMY TULSA CITADEL IS  CALLING  ALL SOLDIERS REPORT TO BATTLE!

Rally Day, Sunday, September 5th 



SPECIAL GUESTS

MAJORS JIM & APRIL TAYLOR

CORPS LUNCHEON TO FOLLOW


Looking for MIA Junior & Senior Soldiers; bring your Army memorabilia and join the festivities!
The Citadel is located at 3901 E. 28th St., Call 918-747-8844 for more information.

Volunteer/Employment Fair

Curious about how you can get involved in our Christmas program? Looking for a full time position with The Salvation Army?

Join us for a volunteer/employment fair on Wednesday, September 1 at OU Tulsa. This will be a come and go event allowing students, faculty and staff to gain information on volunteer opportunities from area organizations. Opportunities will be available from 10a.m.-3p.m. and will be located in OU-Tulsa’s Learning Center directly across from the McDonalds on Yale.

Questions? Call 918-587-7801 and ask for volunteer services.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Five Years Later

As we approach the 5th year anniversary of Katrina, the nation is reflecting this week on tragedy that befell the Gulf Coast so many years ago and how the area has pressed on since. As an integral part of the community, The Salvation Army was there before the storm, and we were there after working to provide support and help rebuild.





As a part of continuing recovery efforts, The Salvation Army is investing in projects, communities and individual lives in order to help the area become even stronger than before. Five New Orleans neighborhoods are being revived with affordable, green housing thanks to EnviRenew, a project of The Salvation Army New Orleans. Emerge is encouraging youth with positive incentives to learn. A new Salvation Army Kroc Community Center is under construction that will provide the residents of Biloxi, Mississippi with educational opportunities, exercise facilities, services for the community, and many other resources. And these are just a few of numerous ways The Salvation Army is helping the Gulf achieve a brighter future.

The above video “When the Winds Died Down” gives a personal look at how members of the Gulf Coast community found support and hope from The Salvation Army following Hurrican Katrina. We’ll continue to post a new video each day this week that delves further into each individual’s personal story and how The Salvation Army helped them rebuild.

(Text from The Salvation Army Blog)

Monday, August 16, 2010

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Even before school starts some parents are already planning ahead for their children's Christmas gifts and family food baskets.  Early Monday morning, August 16th a short line of families waited to receive an appointment for Salvation Army Christmas assistance.  Sleepy children hurried in with their moms and dads as each family was quickly scheduled an appointment to apply for our annual holiday help at the Christmas Registration Center.  If you, or someone you know needs a little assistance with making the Christmas season brighter this year, please remember to have an appointment scheduled in advance for the registration process.  This can be done by dropping-in at the Center of Hope, 102 N. Denver in Tulsa from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily.  Pictured, are Cathy Kumm, Neediest Families Case Manager, Tara Ricketson, Emergency Financial Assistance Case Manager and volunteer Terry Wingate as they await families scheduling appointments.

Story Submitted by Samantha Messick, COH Staff

Friday, August 13, 2010

Food For Hope Week!

FRIDAY:   Back to Basics: Tex Mex & BBQ

Ricardo’s Mexican Restaurant
It was a tough job, but somebody had to do it.  So I nominated myself and four friends to eat at Ricardo’s, which is owned by Thomas Hunter, our Food for Hope honorary chair. Ricardo’s has the best chile rellenos in Tulsa, bar none.  Our server Amber was very sweet and patient with us. We can be a little demanding. The tab for our group of five came to $32.90 and 15 percent of that is $4.93 which would feed two guests one meal each at the Center of Hope.

Rib Crib

Inspired by the Williams’s Rib Crib adventure Thursday, 14 employees at Area Command ordered in from the Rib Crib at 16 th  and Harvard. The “Super Spuds” were four times the size of a normal potato, the barbecue was mouth watering and the healthy eaters in the office loved the salads. The total cost $98.50, 15 percent of that is $14.77, which would feed eight people one meal each at the Center of Hope.

El Chico
The Majors Williams ate lunch Friday at El Chico at 9825 E 21 st  St. where restaurant manager Bob Moneypenny made time to sit with them for a few minutes. “It was a great meal, “ Major Roy Williams said. Bob has been with El Chico for 20 years and with the 21 st . St. location for 15 years, a long time in the restaurant business. The Williams’ lunch came to $21. Fifteen percent of that is $3.15 which would feed one person one meal and a snack at the Center of Hope. Thanks to everyone who has participated in Food for Hope. It's been a great week!


Photo: Bob Moneypenny and Major Kathleen Williams at El Chico, Tracy Hamilton, Women’s Ministries administrative assistant,  enjoying a Rib Crib salad.



THURSDAY: Sand Springs Rib Crib: Ribs & More

Majors Roy and Kathleen Williams have really caught the Food for Hope eating-out bug. Wednesday evening, they ate at the Which Wich? at 6028 S. Memorial. Their two sandwiches and four chocolate chip cookies came to $17.80. Of that amount, Which Wich? will donate $2.67 to Food for Hope.  One meal for one person at the Center of Hope costs $1.80, so the $2.67 will feed one person a meal and have 87cents left over for a snack. In addition to the six daily seatings for meals the Center of Hope serves, it also provides brown bag lunches for guests to take to work, and food for special occasions such as monthly birthday parties for kids whose families are staying at the center. 

For Thursday lunch, the Majors Williams ate at Rib Crib in Sand Springs, where Sand Springs Advisory Board member Cody Worrell is general manager. “The best part of eating at Rib Crib is Cody, who is one of the most community-minded people in Sand Springs,“ Major Roy Williams said.  He said his baby-back ribs were excellent. The Williams’ tab came to $21.83, of which $3.21 will go to Food for Hope and feed one person a meal and a snack. 


WEDNESDAY: The Chalkboard : Healthy & Delicious

Salvation Army Advisory Board member Billie Barnett helped Major Roy Williams lighten up his lunch Wednesday by bringing in house salads from the Chalkboard. “All their salads are excellent,” Billie said. The house salad features a bed of mixed spring greens, dried Bing cherries, goat cheese and honey roasted pecans. Major Williams, Billie, and a guest ate for $36.90. The Chalkboard will donate $5.53, 15 percent of their tab, to Food for Hope. That will feed three people staying at the Center of Hope. Tracey Sudberry, owner of The Chalkboard, has signed up two other restaurants to participate in Food for Hope: The Green Onion and Garlic Rose. Thank you, Tracey, for your support!

TUESDAY: Evelyn’s Fried Chicken the Best!

For the the second day of Food for Hope Week, Majors Roy and Kathy Williams went to lunch at Evelyn’s Restaurant at 3014 N. 74th East Avenue, across from Mohawk Park. The couple both ordered the best-known entree from Evelyn’s – fried chicken. “It was the best fried chicken I’ve ever had in my life,” Major Roy Williams said. Mrs. Williams doesn’t make fried chicken. She ate the collard greens and candied yams for side dishes. “The greens were wonderful,” she said. The couple spent $16.32, of which Evelyn’s will donate $2.44, or 15 percent to Food for Hope. This will feed one person one meal at the Center of Hope.

Photo: Wanda Armstrong, manager of Evelyn’s Restaurant, poses with Major Roy Williams during the second day of Food for Hope Week.



 MONDAY: Chili's to Kick it Off

Major Roy Williams, Tulsa Area Commander, and Major Kathleen Williams, Women’s Ministries Coordinator, kicked off Food Hope Week Monday by enjoying a meal from Chili’s, a Food for Hope participating restaurant. They chose the 51st and Harvard location of Chili’s and enjoyed a cool Caribbean salad and hot barbecue sandwich. “My salad was perfect for a hot summer day,” Mrs. Williams said. Their pre-tax bill came to $32.39 and Chili’s will donate 15 percent, $4.85, to Food for Hope. That $4.85 will feed a family of three staying at the Center of Hope homeless shelter one meal each. See how easy it is to help the homeless? All you have to do is eat out! And you have until Saturday to participate in Food for Hope. Watch our blog for the next exciting Food for Hope testimonial!
Sallie

Photo: Carlos Ibarra, one of the managers for Chili's and Major  Kathleen Williams pose in front of the Chili's at 51st and Harvard. This is the second year Chili's has participated in the Salvation Army Food for Hope week. 



-Sallie

Thursday, August 12, 2010

FFH 2010 Participants

Remember- Check back daily for NEW restaurants!

 What is Food for Hope?  This annual community event connects local restaurants and Salvation Army supporters together to raise money for the Center of Hope - which serves more than 1,000 meals daily!

Entry forms available at all local QuikTrip stores!
Or download here.

How does it work? Supporters visit participating restaurants (with an entry form) from Aug. 9-13 and 15% of their meal cost is donated to The Salvation Army. Diners who present an entry form have a chance to win a $1000 gift card from QuikTrip and their restaurant servers can win a $100 gift card to QuikTrip!   It's a partnership where everybody wins!

Restaurants listed by location:
BIXBY

CHILI’S
11138 S Memorial Bixby, 74008
(918) 369-3901

RIB CRIB
12850 S Memorial
Bixby, 74008
(918) 369-4799

WHICH WICH?
10438 S 82nd E Ave
Bixby, 74008
(918) 369-9424

BROKEN ARROW

CHILI’S
1101 N 20th St
Broken Arrow, 74012
(918) 355-9456

EL CHICO
732 W New Orleans
Broken Arrow, 74011
(918) 451-0633

RIB CRIB
121 W Kenosha
Broken Arrow,  74012
(918) 258-1559

Target Sponsors Back-to-School Shopping Spree


If it had been a race, the young dads with boys would have won, hands down. The moms with one child came in second, the moms with two daughters finished last. The event was the Target Shopping Spree, held Tuesday to provide 100 kids from four Boys & Girls clubs with $80 of clothes and supplies to prepare them to go back to school. Kids from the Boys & Girls Clubs swarmed in the four Tulsa area Targets; Super Target on 71st., Target stores at Tulsa Hills, Broken Arrow and 21st & Yale. At the Target store near 21 st and Yale, 25 kids from the Salvation Army North Mabee Boys & Girls Club crowded the front of the store at 9 a.m., along with a parent or volunteer chaperone with each child and volunteer monitors in the fitting rooms and rest rooms.
A fast-moving parade of red carts took off from the front of the store and headed to the kids’ clothing departments. They were followed by photographers from KTUL NewsChannel 8, OETA and FOX 23. James, the photographer from KTUL, is about 6’5” and spent a lot of time walking on his knees to document the little guys picking out their supplies. The favorite item in the school supplies department was a Lebron James binder, a shiny red plastic binder with a raised 3-D action photograph of the basketball player. It was a favorite of the dads and the kids. Thank you Target!
-Sallie

North Mabee Boys & Girls Club Story Goes National

Wednesday was a big day for the Tulsa Command and the Salvation Army North Mabee Boys & Girls Club. Since May, we’ve all been anticipating how the story of the North Mabee club will be communicated to the rest of the country in the Salvation Army 2010 Online National Annual Report.  The story of the North Mabee club was selected from all the programs in the Southern Territory to be featured in the national annual report. Wednesday, the annual report went live and was e-mailed to every TSA officer in the U.S., every advisory board member and many TSA employees.

The four minute, 40 second North Mabee story was the longest segment of the annual report, and the only one about a Boys & Girls Club.  To me, the video captures the spirit of North Mabee; the challenges the kids experience and the opportunities the adults have created for them. The North Mabee club is not a just a place that shelters children from a tough neighborhood. It’s a place where people of integrity consider the present and future of each child and create programs to match the child’s needs. From club director Jo Bright to the coaches, the video also shows the deep love and compassion the adults have for  the children. I found it very touching. Let us know what you think!




-Sallie

Lunch for a Cause

I love good food. Let me start by saying that. Generally, I try to eat my meals at home. HOWEVER, during Food for Hope Week, I break all the rules. I throw caution to the wind and enjoy letting someone else cook my food.  I feel good knowing that I am helping ensure the neediest people in Tulsa get hot meal when they need it most.

Today, I enjoyed lunch at The Chalkboard, this well-known Tulsa restaurant that has been around for nearly 40 years.  Bonus, it is only 3 blocks from work! I drive by it every single day and I had never eaten there before. My coworker, Rhonda S. and I were thrilled upon realizing we had a Food for Hope restaurant right up the street. The Chalkboard is Rhonda's favorite, so she was happy to introduce me to the great atmosphere and European Continental food style.


My review... The food? DELICIOUS! Rhonda had the Chalkboard Muffolata and I had the Chalkboard Burger. The service? OUTSTANDING! I heard our server, Casey B., tell 3 other tables about Food for Hope Week, encouraging them to enter the drawing to win a $1,000 gift card to QuikTrip.  

So here's the breakdown: Rhonda's pre-tax total was $12.95 and mine was $14.54, The Chalkboard will donate $4.12 or 15 percent of the totals to The Salvation Army. This will pay for two meals for those in need. Pretty neat huh?



~Lindsay

Friday, August 6, 2010

Christmas Volunteers Needed

Each Christmas season we receive thousands of applications for Christmas assistance! Because of the great need in Tulsa, we have to start early to get it all done in time!  

This year our Christmas registration will take place from Sept. 7 - Oct. 8 at our North Mabee Boys & Girls Club (3001 N. Cincinnati).  Volunteers are needed to assist clients and receive applications each day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Flexible scheduling is available for all volunteers. Computer skills are necessary as well as the ability to work with sensitive/personal information in a confidential manner.

If you are looking for a way to give back to your community and think this might be a good fit, call Tracy at 918-587-7801.  

~Lindsay
P.S. If you know someone who needs Christmas assistance, registration is BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.  To get an appointment call The Center of Hope at 918-582-7201.

Mummies and Music and Memories, Oh My!

The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs’ Rock Philbrook Day last Thursday was a success! The museum was overrun with 150 kids, Summer Day Camp counselors, and museum docents. “The kids loved it. My son is still talking about,” said Jerome Smith, director of the Mabee Red Shield Boys & Girls Club. The docents seemed to enjoy guiding the kids through the “Egyptian Treasures: To Live Forever” exhibit and the children loved seeing the mummies. 



“It was just great to have the kids here using almost every facet of the Museum as a platform of engagement and learning,” Randall Suffolk, director of Philbrook said. 
The kids attended a concert by Steinway pianist Dr. Phillip Powell, the Barthelmes Conservatory Tulsa Young Chamber Musicians and watched a video of the “A Pocket Full of Hope” performers. Lunch on Philbrook’s front lawn included a performance by an African drum group and several kids were given a chance to perform with them. For another ‘hands-on’ activity, the children created their own miniature mummies with paper and markers. They were given their mummies to take home, as well as many memories of their exciting day at Philbrook.

-Sallie

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Something New Brewing at QuikTrip

I just got back to the office from the QuikTrip at 15th and Denver and scarfed down a large, decaffeinated, whole-milk iced latte with whipped cream on top. (sigh…) I already want another one. Is it crazy to be such a big fan of a convenience store? My friends and I have named the new QTs with the coffee and tea bars the Taj Mahal QuikTrips. One friend and her son who is home from college make a nightly pilgrimage to my Taj Mahal QuikTrip to try out different types of teas. Does everyone have a QuikTrip they call their own? Or am I just weird that way? My QuikTrip used to be the one on 61st & Lewis, but now that the Taj Mahal QuikTrip is open, I’ve switched.  Amazingly, the 61st and Lewis QT still seems to be thriving. :)

When my family visits from West Virginia, I take them to a QuikTrip because they just don’t have anything like it at home. My favorite Taj Mahal QuikTrip clerk says “See you later alligator” when I leave, and he likes to make rhymes while he rings me up. Oh, there was a work-related reason I visited QuikTrip today. The Food for Hope entry forms have arrived! Grab a few for next week to fill out and take to a participating restaurant. You may win a QuikTrip gift card worth $1000! Just think of all the iced lattes that will buy, not to mention gas!
-Sallie

PS- Photo from the Irritated Tulsan blog, I drank mine too fast to get a photo :(