How about an OSA holiday service project?

I'm talking an officially-sponsored project to serve the community on a large scale. Obviously would have to have Owner's approval. Maybe he can chime in...

Something like everyone donning hats and OSA T-shirts (or not), going downtown Tulsa and handing out hats/socks/blankets to our homeless population, or serving a stint in a soup kitchen (volunteering shifts for a week or something) or whatever.

Open to ideas... I am planning on taking my son to do some kind of community service stuff this holiday season, it would be great if we could all pitch in and do what we can.

Doesn't have to be a single event, but a season of giving, multiple events, a calendar we can keep up and post here of multiple events going on during the season - from bell-ringing, to caroling, to sponsored family shooting events, to service opportunities, etc.

We should get involved in the community in a public-eye kind of way. Shed some more light on the shooting community and what a great group of people we have. That's what I think, anyways.

Anyone interested? I don't know if I can do something every week, but I'd definitely be up for making a trip for a few events this holiday season.

Fat Boy Tactical is in for sure! I like the idea of handing out supplies to the homeless and we would even spring for some hot food for them.

The wife just mentioned John 3:16 Mission has a food drive set up where they set up outside Reasor's or something and has people buy things while they are doing their regular shopping to throw into the John 3:16 carts. When one fills up, they just swap it with an empty one. That's a pretty cool idea, and easy for people who are shopping to pick up a couple extra cans of food, an extra bag of pasta, an extra few packs of lunchmeat, etc.

Also, she suggested maybe we as a group could sponsor a few kids from the "Angel Tree" or something. She said she would be willing to do the shopping, wrapping and deliver stuff. I assume maybe we sponsor some from Tulsa, and some from OKC? Although someone else would have to do the OKC shopping/delivery. We're a little far for that.

Another idea is finding a children's home in the Tulsa or OKC (or both) metro area and sponsor the whole home or group of kids for Christmas?


I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I would be willing to commit a significant amount of time and money to efforts such as these. And it would be a great thing to show my son and teach him.


I remember one day a woman in front of me in the grocery line had her card declined and she was about to take her stuff back or abandon it or whatever, I just reached up and swiped my card to pay for her stuff. She was nearly in tears she was so grateful, and my son asked me why I did that, I explained to him that we were very fortunate in a lot of ways, and that that was just in the spirit of the holidays, helping out other people every day where you see the opportunity. I hope he remembers that...

I'm in.

How about a toys for tots kind of thing? Does it have to be Tulsa? Let's just float some ideas and then we can vote on the best idea

It can be anything you guys want. I choose Tulsa because it is close for me. I definitely think an OKC-area group project would be a good thing, too, but I can't help/participate as much with one there. It depends, though... if I'm able to make it, I will.

Great idea ! Wife and I typically work at the Red Andrews Christmas Dinner in OKC, but would be more than interested in helping organize/work something else here too. Does anyone have any particular interests in the OKC area we might focus our efforts on? Maybe we could find a way to help out veterans and their children.

Ok, well, I've emailed Steve (the owner) and asked his permission to use the OSA name and logo, but even without that, we can still do some stuff.

I assume Saturdays is probably our best day for most collection stuff, if we want to do a toy drive, food drive, clothing drive, whatever. Unfortunately, according to my December schedule, I don't have a single weekend totally off all month.

I do have off Saturday the 17th, would be willing to get together in the Tulsa area then, or if we can't get anything put together in Tulsa that day, could go to OKC.

I also am going to TRY to switch a day so I can have off the 3rd. Was planning on going deer hunting with The Boy as much as possible, but if I can manage this, then we could possible go early in the morning and still do something in the afternoon in Tulsa, but not OKC.

So... should we start separate threads for OKC and Tulsa groups or events? Does anyone else have any specific ideas on what to do and when and where to do them? John 3:16 is collecting donations for Thanksgiving, they have a list of things for Thanksgiving baskets, but that all has to be in by tomorrow. Of course, they willy probably be doing a big Thanksgiving meal at the mission, but I am working the night before and night of, so I can't volunteer there for that day. Same goes for Christmas Eve. And New Year's Eve. Definitely got the "short end" on the holidays this year at work.

Come on, folks, we need to get some definitive ideas on what you guys want to do. Here are my ideas so far. We can definitely add to them, but I'd like to see how many people would be willing to show up, donate and/or serve in whatever capacity. Please don't think we're limited to these days, either - I have some weekdays/weeknights available, I am just going on the assumption that most people would want it on a Saturday. If you would rather do during the week, that is fine with me! I am focusing on Tulsa at the moment due to my proximity. OKC members, please feel free to contribute ideas for your own areas and dates as well.

1. Food drive - collect canned or boxed goods, possibly set up outside a grocery store (or several) some day and ask people to purchase extra to donate to our chosen cause - whatever that may be. We would need additional space for storage (who has garage space in the Tulsa area they can lend for a day or two?)

2. Winter clothing drive - people pick up stuff like heavy wool socks, stocking caps, maybe blankets, thermal underwear, also sanitary items. Also would need storage space and people to help distribute it. This would probably be an ongoing collection rather than a single day even, with people getting together on a final day to do the distribution. Making and/or giving out hot food in this instance was brought up as well. FBT is in for this one, I think I'd like to do this one, too.

3. Toy drive/stuffed animal drive - we'd need to choose a receipt organization or organizations, i.e., John 3:!6 Mission, one or more local hospitals, Children's Hospital, one or more children's homes, or sponsor some angels from a tree somewhere, or whatever. Again... need someone willing to accept collections/dropoffs and then some folks to help load them up and deliver them.


Come on guys, let's get some things going on. Ideas, whatever.

Habitat For Humanity projects are a lot of fun. We (work) have framed four houses in a new neighborhood near Wiley Post Airport in NW OKC. If somebody wants to take that on I would be happy to participate.

We'd willingly donate items etc, I'm not that big of a Grinch!
We went thru our old coats, hoodies, sweaters last fall about this time and donated them, closet was thinned way down.