What’s better than ice cream? Free ice cream. What’s better than free ice cream? Free ice cream in support of a good cause. Here’s the scoop… On April 12, Southwest’s NoLimits Internship Program teamed up with the Ben & Jerry’s of Dallas/Fort Worth for B&J’s 33rd Annual Free Cone Day Celebration. While the ice cream itself was free, all customers were encouraged to make a contribution to the American Red Cross. We jumped at the chance to serve our community (and ourselves to some scrumptious Phish Food). Thirty-two Interns and six Southwest Employees went out to Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops in McKinney, Plano and Highland Village to welcome the long line of customers, serve ice cream, and garner support for the Red Cross. Representatives from the Red Cross mingled with the customers and educated them on the organization’s mission. The Red Cross is an international humanitarian aid organization that offers emergency services. Its work includes domestic and international disaster relief, community services for the needy, support for military families, the collection, processing and distribution of lifesaving blood, health and safety education as well as international development programs. Southwest has been a long-time supporter of nonprofit organizations that focus their efforts on disaster preparedness and response, so this volunteer opportunity was a natural fit for us. As our Internship sadly comes to a close in just two weeks, it was sweet to Share the Spirit with the Interns in the height of National Volunteer Week. For a few short hours, we were living the Americone Dream. (I’m sorry, but it’s just too easy!) This blog post is part of a week-long series on volunteerism at Southwest Airlines in honor of National Volunteer Week. On Monday, April 13, 2011, Southwest launched 40 Hours for 40 Years, an Employee Volunteer pledge campaign that challenges its 35,000 Employees to pledge and record 40 volunteer hours in honor of our 40 years of service. For every 40 hours volunteered at a nonprofit by an Employee or group of Employees, Southwest Airlines will donate a complimentary, roundtrip ticket to that organization through its ongoing Tickets for Time program. For more information on ways that Southwest gives back to the communities it serves, please visit www.southwest.com/citizenship.
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Hey Bianca - I KNOW why you get these awards. Your people LIVE social responsibility every day. You may remember Larry Colbert. He is visually impaired and his seeing eye dog Banner was rescued by Troy and 7 other SW employees back in 2007. Banner had cut his leg, but was powering on to get his master to his airplane when a security guard saw that Banner was bleeding. Your team saved Banner's life, even though they didn't realize at the time that Larry was on a SWA flight. Well - so many of your people bonded with Larry that I thought you all would want to know that Larry is in distress now. He is in intensive care at Good Sam's. Here's more of the story http://wp.me/pF6nu-lg
Thanks for all you do! I LOVE SWA!
Beth Terry
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Philadelphia Phillies’ centerfielder Shane Victorino isn’t a newbie to success. As a senior in high school, he was named Hawaii’s state track and field champion. An overall athlete, Shane quickly worked his way up to the majors in 2003 with the San Diego Padres and signed with the Phillies in 2005. Since joining the Phillies, he has captured three Gold Glove Awards and played in the post season for the past four years. His proven track record and remarkable speed have led his fans to endearingly nickname him the “Flyin’ Hawaiian.”
Shane’s tremendous success, however, is just as prevalent off the field. With a heart as golden as his glove, he is devoted to bettering his communities. In the spring of 2010, he and his wife, Melissa, launched a nonprofit called the Shane Victorino Foundation (SVF). As a proud sponsor of the Phillies, Southwest Airlines also champions the SVF and its mission.
“I admire Southwest’s commitment to giving back to the communities where its customers and employees live and work,” Shane said. “I am appreciative of this collaboration with my foundation to further impact the lives of underserved youth.”
The SVF works to provide opportunities to underprivileged children in Hawaii and Philadelphia through educational, recreational and wellness activities. Its first major project focuses on the renovation of the Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia’s 100-year-old Nicetown unit, in which SVF made a $900,000 pledge. This contribution will not only benefit the children of the area, but also work to unite the entire community.
For his great work throughout this past year, the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association (PSWA) has honored Shane with its 2010 Humanitarian of the Year award. He received this accolade on Jan. 31, 2011 at PSWA’s 107 th annual banquet in Cherry Hill, NJ.
Other Phillies were also honored by PWSA that evening. Starting pitcher Roy Halladay was named Outstanding Pro-Athlete of the Year. Manager Charlie Manuel served as a guest speaker and Ruben Amaro, general manger, was also in attendance. The Southwest Family would like to congratulate Shane for his achievements and thank him for his continued dedication to making the world a more Fun-LUVing place!
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