Houston, we have a party.
Instead of the usual prank, Envisionit celebrated the first of April by joining the global commemoration of “the nicest man in Hollywood.” What started as an April Fool’s hoax by a couple of guys in Kalamazoo, Tom Hanks Day is now an international phenomenon benefiting the celebrity’s favorite charity, Lifeline Energy, which helps children access education in sub-Saharan Africa. And the best part? Tom Hanks is in on the joke.
The face of Apollo 13, Forrest Gump, and Castaway graced our office in the form of popsicle stick masks, punny posters, and paraphernalia from his movies, including an awesome recreation of the giant floor piano in Big. We had snack stations and Tom Hanks themed food and drinks, like a Rum Forrest, Rum mojito stand, puppy chow in honor of Turner & Hooch, and baseball grub as a nod to A League of Their Own.
At the end of the day, our team raised $263, and Envisionit matched the funds for a grand total of $526 for Lifeline Energy. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to distributed solar-powered media players to classrooms and communities in sub-Saharan Africa so that people in isolated areas can have access to a wider breadth of knowledge and information. The money we raised was enough to provide 1,000 children with access to radios in their classrooms. Go team! Thanks for chipping in!
Check out all of our Tom Hanks swag below:
Our Forrest Gump themed station included the “Rum Forrest, Rum!” mojitos, a box of chocolates, and of course, popcorn shrimp.
”Houston, we have Bacardi.”
No office door was spared. Even our restrooms sported appropriately themed Tom Hanks posters.
