Thunder stars surprised young readers at Will Rogers Elementary, sharing books and inspiring the next generation on the Rolling Thunder Book Bus.
The Oklahoma City Thunder just got back from an undefeated three game road trip, and the first thing a trio of players did upon returning was helping out in the community.
Thunder fan favorites Aaron Wiggins and Jaylin Williams, along with newest two-way player Payton Sandfort, pulled up to Will Rogers Elementary School on the Rolling Thunder Book Bus on Friday. The event was presented by American Fidelity.
"Awesome just spending time with the kids," Wiggins said. "Being able to encourage them to read. Passing out books. Just being able to come back to obviously where we were one day and kind of re-live the world they're in. Just awesome being able to be here."
The 27 year old who saved basketball was asked how the elementary kids responded to the Thunder Cares project.
"They were obviously excited... Their energy was through the roof. They were excited and we were able to turn some of that energy into energy for reading books. So that's the positive side of it," Wiggins said. "It's important because we have an impact. The things we can use with our profiles and who we are, we should use it the right way and make sure we're benefitting the younger kids and the next generation. So being able to just be out here and encourage them to read books similar to how we did when we were younger is huge, it's good for them."
Wiggins, Williams and Sandfort assisted the students in picking out books from the bus to keep as their own, handed out wristbands and bookmarks and spent time interacting with all the kids.
"I think it's super cool. Just being around the organization for the past six or seven months, it's such a community thing, it really is," Sandfort said. "And being able to help out the younger generation, reading some of the same books I used to read when I was a kid, I think it's a special opportunity. If I was a kid like this, it would be the coolest thing in the world so that's awesome."
Sandfort was asked why he thought it was important for the Thunder to help out in the community.
"This community gives the Thunder so much," Sandfort responded. "The support, showing up to the games. All the support throughout the city. Giving back is the least wee can do for everybody. So I think it's so cool to be able to help out."
From the official Thunder press release:
The Rolling Thunder Book Bus visits schools statewide to promote the joy of reading to young students. A ten-year partnership between the Thunder and American Fidelity, the book bus program has made over 3,000 stops and has given away more than 250,000 free books to children across the state.