DB Joe Porter and TE Kevin Brock serve up the meal at Thunder Road Rehabilitation Facility.
Recently, TE Kevin Brock and DB Joe Porter visited Thunder Road Rehabilitation Facility through Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland, Calif., to participate in the Culinary Arts Program with the kids. According to Carolyn Kemp, Regional Manager Communications and Public Relations of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, "Thunder Road is a nationally-recognized non-profit program that has specialized in substance abuse treatment since 1987, supporting more than 6,000 young people and their families through the challenges they face, many of whom have no insurance and are unable to pay for care. Most of the young people in this program are without role models."
Under the direction of Armando Corpus, Culinary Director with Thunder Road's Culinary Arts Program, Porter and Brock worked with the teenagers to batter and deep fry chicken. After cooking the meal, the Raiders had a chance to sit and talk about the steps necessary to accomplish goals.
Porter enjoyed his time with the students and had the opportunity to share his experience as a student. "I had to work really hard in school and it was not easy," said Porter. "I understood getting good grades was important in order for me to move forward with a bigger goal. I am glad we had a chance to talk to the kids about their lifestyle and giving them insight on their own situations and struggles. We compared our struggles when we were growing up as young kids and shared with the students how we overcame them."
Brock talked about the importance of learning from past mistakes. "We all go through tough times and just because you make a mistake doesn't mean you cannot overcome the situation," said Brock. "I shared with the students that there is life after mistakes and that you can rebound and get better. I enjoyed sitting down with the kids when we were eating and sharing my life experiences with each one of them. Porter and Brock emphasized the importance of being team players, a message Kemp hopes resonated with the kids. "The kids at Thunder Road Rehabilitation have learned to work as a team," said Kemp. "Brock and Porter used a great example referring to football. It is not just you. It's the quarterback you're protecting or the pass you're trying to intercept. It's about how you work with each other as a team. I also liked how Brock and Porter mentioned that although a person may mess up, it is a matter of learning from the situation and not doing it again."
Brock and Porter hoped that by sharing their stories they were able to inspire and motivate the students of Thunder Road Rehabilitation Facility. "These kids are still young and have so much ahead of them," said Brock. "If they continue to stay positive and get good grades they can be successful."
