A Day of Volunteering and FellowshipGenerously Underwritten by National Oilwell Varco
In November of 2019, the Spindletop Emerging Leader Steering Committee hosted its inaugural flagship event, Spindletop Unity in Community, a day of volunteering and fellowship. Nearly 100 volunteers from across the oil and gas industry dispersed among five different charities serving at-risk youth to participate in service projects. Charities included Bo’s Place, KIPP Texas Public Schools – Houston, Small Steps Nurturing Center, The Children’s Assessment Center and Yellowstone Academy.
Volunteers were greeted by the charity’s leadership and given a tour and overview of the organization efore starting their project. Activities varied from reading, doing crafts and STEM activities to painting, gardening and more! In appreciation of the work the charities do to support at-risk children in our community, Spindletop awarded each organization with a donation to be used toward their programming. Immediately following the service projects, volunteers gathered at Churrascos River Oaks for a social to network with fellow volunteers and industry executives as well as learn about others’ volunteer experiences of the day.
Participating Charities
Bo’s Place
Bo’s Place is a bereavement center offering support services for children ages 3-18 and their families during their grief journey. Grief is both a universal experience and a uniquely individual experience. Bo’s Place understands the importance that all must be free to grieve in their own way, but no one person needs to grieve alone. Their services provide companionship and friendship within a community of peers with shared experience of loss. Spindletop volunteers spent their afternoon assisting with projects to prepare Bo’s Place for upcoming group activities, including planting in Matthew’s Garden, preparing activity boards, sorting art supplies and more.
“This is by far one of the easiest and most heartfelt volunteering opportunities I have participated in. Bo’s Place was a heart string pulling event. I passed up the location twice before I could find it because it appeared to be a place someone lived not what I was expecting Bo’s Place to look like. I was pleasantly surprised to walk into a place that was purposely built to feel like a welcoming home for all those needing a helping hand to get through their grief. Our group was happy to help in any way possible to brighten someone’s day that would benefit from our volunteer time there.”
Katrina Ortega, Weatherford, Spindletop Army Volunteer
KIPP Texas Public Schools – Houston
KIPP schools are tuition-free, public charter schools open to all students. KIPP is built on a foundation that if they help children develop the academic and character strengths they need for college and choice-filled lives, the students will be able to build a better tomorrow for themselves and for their communities. Volunteers visited KIPP Liberation Middle School and assisted Ms. Rodriguez, the environmental and Sustainability teacher, with her Ecology class. The Spindletop Army worked closely with her students to replace and add garden beds as well as some fencing to make the garden more aesthetically pleasing.
“The students and volunteers had a blast helping with the gardening project for Ms. Rodriguez’s Ecology class. It meant a lot to the KIPPsters, families and school to know that their community loves and supports them.”
Jovanny Orellana, Director of Development, KIPP Texas Public Schools – Houston
Small Steps Nurturing Center
Small Steps Nurturing Center operates two preschools for economically at-risk children living in the Fifth Ward and surrounding areas of inner-city Houston. They provide a high-quality education, social and emotional support, a nurturing Christian environment, transportation, and nutritious meals to children ages 2 through 6 living in poverty. Small Steps operates five days a week, nine months each year (plus one month of summer enrichment), at no financial cost to the families served. Spindletop volunteers spent quality time with the Jensen campus preschoolers during recess. They made arts and crafts with the kids, built foam towers on the playground and played the parachute game!
“The Spindletop group was so impressive. They genuinely cared about our mission and were so engaged with our children. Several of the teachers came to me after recess expressing how much they enjoyed the visit. The students soak up these moments where they are the number one focus and priority of others. We are grateful for each volunteer who gave up their afternoon to love on our children!”
Brittany Amend, Director of Advancement, Small Steps Nurturing Center
The Children’s Assessment Center
The Children’s Assessment Center (The CAC) provides a safe haven to sexually abused children and their families – a place where they can receive the kind of care they so richly deserve. The CAC is dedicated to providing a multidisciplinary team approach in the prevention, assessment, investigation and treatment of child sexual abuse and is committed to serving as an advocate for all children in the community. With the recent expansion of their building, The CAC can now treat and heal even more children and families victimized by sexual abuse. The Spindletop Army took time to transform the walls to a bright blue in order to best showcase the child-centered environment that The CAC strives to provide to the Harris County children who pass through each day.
“We give thanks this Holiday Season for Spindletop Charities and for their support of our mission to treat and heal children victimized by sexual abuse. Their new initiative, Unity in Community, should be
recognized for providing opportunity and meaningful action, which is a gift truly treasured.”
Amber Waska, Development Manager, The Children’s Assessment Center
Yellowstone Academy
Yellowstone Academy is a safe and supportive learning environment, located in Houston’s Third Ward. Students engage in academic excellence and spiritual growth to reach their full and greatest potential. The teachers strive to make learning a joy for them, so that each day they come to school excited to prepare for their future. The Spindletop Army spent time with many grade levels – pre-K3, pre-K4, kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade and middle school levels. Throughout the lower school, volunteers read to the students and helped with arts and crafts. Within the middle school, volunteers helped with tutoring and classroom activities. All were unique opportunities to work first-hand with the children and mentor them during their school day.
“Our Inaugural Spindletop Unity in Community Day was a large success with 100 volunteers across both operators and service companies attending. Yellowstone Academy was one of the key organizations we supported. The impact they make in the third ward is profound, and we look forward to supporting Yellowstone in the future through contributions and volunteerism.”
Shane Albers, HESS Corporation, Spindletop Emerging Leader Steering Committee
Spindletop Social
As the service projects came to a close, the volunteers reconvened for a social to mix and mingle with fellow colleagues and peers across the oil and gas industry. Remarks were given by National Oilwell Varco Chairman, President & CEO Clay Williams and members of the Spindletop Emerging Leader Steering Committee. They shared information on the history and growth of Spindletop as well as what is planned in 2020 for the Emerging Leaders and Spindletop Army. True to our mission of encouraging fellowship among our participants, bonds were formed between the guests as they visited, learned each other’s oil and gas history and heard about the activities at each of the charities.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to volunteer with Spindletop. They have a great program that has done a ton of good around Houston.”
Clarence Howell, Vallourec USA, Spindletop Army Volunteer
To view all photos from Spindletop Unity in Community, visit our Photo Gallery.
Participating Companies
Aramco
BP
Canyon Midstream Partners
Chemjet, Inc.
Chevron
ConocoPhillips
DrillScan
ExxonMobil
Flowserve
Halliburton
HESS Corporation
Innovative Energy Services
Key Energy Services
Maersk Drilling
Marathon Oil Corporation
Murphy Oil Corporation
National Oilwell Varco
Noble Energy, Inc
Oxy
Premium Oilfield Technologies
Schlumberger
Tidewater Inc.
Transocean
Vallourec USA
Weatherford
