Playing a Round for Kids

The first time someone yelled “fore” to International Outside Sales Representative Argelis “Argie” Roski, she had no idea she would become so involved with the game of golf. For the past 10 years, Roski has organized the Play for Kids Golf Tournament, which raises money for the Toys for Kids program in Panama.

Roski begins organizing the annual event a year beforehand. Sponsors of the March tournament purchase a hole, and golfers pay to play. The money raised goes to purchase toys for kids at Christmas and also benefits Nutre Hogar, an organization that teaches families how to farm their land.

“I had no idea what I was getting into,” says Roski, who volunteered to organize the tournament at a meeting when no one else spoke up. “Play for Kids is very important now, and it’s not hard work when you see the outcome,” she says.

The March 2008 tournament raised more than $52,000, and Toys for Kids hopes to increase that amount by $5,000 for the 2009 event. The fruits of the hard work come at Christmas when Roski and her volunteer crew purchase toys for more than 7,000 kids in Panama. For many of the kids, it’s the only toy they receive.

“One year we had a 17-year-old girl, who didn’t meet the age requirement, tell us she had never had a doll in her life. We couldn’t refuse, and at that moment I realized even little things mean so much to these children,” Roski says. “It feels so good to give back.”

The 777 of BBQ

Good barbecue isn’t hard to find at Continental, where the all-volunteer 777 Barbecue team cooks up flavorful eats for events throughout the year.

The team starts its year at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, serving up food at the World’s Champion Bar-B-Que Contest for more than 2,000 Continental employees and vendors who support the three-day event. Other Houston-area events include the Continental Airlines Cycling Classic, the BP MS 150 Houston-to-Austin bike race, the March of Dimes March for Babies, Continental’s Houston Intercontinental Festival, Continental Management Association’s Casino Night, and Golfers Against Cancer.

The 777 barbecue pit is the hit of every event. It is a replica of a Continental 777 that travels in its own self-contained barbecue trailer, complete with refrigerators and a working kitchen.

Team members Benny King, Ray Raymond, Sinasi Stewart, Bob Wampler, Dan Strang, Kim McLerran, Harry Rogers, and Jon Nelson are all co-workers at Continental’s aircraft maintenance base at the William P. Hobby and Bush Intercontinental airports in Houston. A steering committee works to support the team and select events that represent Continental’s culture and community.

“This team started more than 20 years ago with two members and a Weber grill,” recounts King, a base maintenance senior director at Hobby. The team now has two barbecue smokers, including a new environmentally friendly model, and a prep kitchen at the Hobby maintenance base. — L.O.

You’ve Got to Know When to Hold ’em

Continental’s OnePass frequent-flyer program turns 21 this year, and as part of the celebration, a Texas-sized party takes place August 6–10 in Las Vegas.

More than 400 OnePass members will be celebrating the event with a Texas hold ’em poker tournament at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino. The grand prize, 21 million OnePass miles, will be awarded to the winner of this unique compe-tition. The top 40 finalists will also receive prizes.

In June, OnePass celebrates its 21st birthday with an online auction at continental.com. Members can redeem or use miles to bid on some fantas-tic merchandise. In addition, Continental and MasterCard will offer 21,000 OnePass bonus miles to new card holders opening a Continental Airlines World MasterCard account. Also, any traveler who uses any MasterCard to purchase a BusinessFirst or first-class ticket on continental.com during the 21st birthday celebration will receive 2,100 bonus miles. — L.O.