MORGANTOWN, W. Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 4, 2014--
This football season, Coke Zero® has been helping fans ‘Countdown to
Zero’ with their favorite collegiate teams; but on Saturday, October 4,
they partnered with West Virginia University for a different kind of
countdown - the surprise homecoming countdown of former WVU student,
Taylor Sutphin, who currently serves in the United States’ Air Force.
After the first quarter of the WVU vs. KU Homecoming game, military
families were recognized on the field. It was then that Taylor’s
unsuspecting family was surprised with the greatest homecoming of all –
their daughter’s.
Sutphin, 21, grew up in Marmet, WV and attended WVU for a year before
joining the United States’ Air Force. On her decision to enter the
military, she says, “I am passionate about my country and wanted to try
something different. I knew I needed help with getting school paid for,
so it was the right decision for me.”
Taylor has been in the Air Force for a year. She has been stationed in
Guam since January, before that she was at Keesler Air Force Base in
Biloxi, Mississippi and she completed her basic training at Lackland Air
Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Since she has been stationed in Guam,
she has been training for the Casualty Assistance Program, learning to
assist the families of ill, injured or deceased service members. Sutphin
says the hardest part of being in Guam is the 14-hour time difference.
Keeping up with her family is challenging - which is why this homecoming
surprise means so much to her.
“I haven’t talked to my mom since last weekend. I told her I was going
to be in field training. I am super close with my family and they are
huge Mountaineer fans so to get to do something like this is awesome.”
Taylor had been saving up her leave days and planning to come home for
some time, and knew that she wanted to do something special. She reached
out to WVU, who then partnered with Coke Zero® to make her dream a
reality by bringing her family to the game and helping her make travel
arrangements.
When Taylor was asked about the surprise she said, “I’d like to give a
HUGE thank you to WVU and Coke Zero® for organizing this, thank you for
everything you’re doing. My stepdad called me and said ‘Oh-my-gosh I
wish you could be here because they’re recognizing military families on
the field.’ When he told me about it I was so happy – because he had no
idea!”
“It’s been a privilege to partner with Coke Zero in reuniting a former
WVU student with her family at a Mountaineer football game on
Homecoming,” says Nathaniel Zinn, Assistant Athletic Director for
Marketing. “What a special moment for Taylor and her family and we are
happy to be a part of it.”
Taylor will be home for eighteen days, and then she will return to Guam.
She signed a six-year contract to serve in the United States’ Air Force,
and plans to volunteer for several deployments after that. Last month,
she was coined by the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Robert O. Work, for
her participation in a high-level discussion.
Taylor is currently working on her bachelor’s degree, and plans to
pursue a PhD in Psychology. Her dream is to work at St. Jude Children’s
Hospital, working with children as they undergo treatment.
Sutphin’s advice to young women thinking about entering the military? “A
lot of people don’t understand, you can do it. Once you get
through training, you adapt. A lot of girls don’t think they can do it,
but I promise, you can. There are a lot of people around that can help
you, there’s always someone there for you. The people that I’ve met in
the military are like a second family.”
Coca-Cola is a proud partner of West Virginia University and is honored
to be a part of this service member’s homecoming. WVU, IMG Learfield
Ticket Solutions and Coke Zero® have also teamed up with the National
Guard to take care of those that serve and protect us with the new
Seats4Soldiers program. For just $20 per ticket, you can provide a
memorable experience for service members and their families by sending
them to the WVU vs. TCU game on November 1. Coke Zero® will match the
first 500 tickets purchased for the Seats4Soldiers program. So team up
with your Mountaineers and make this a special day!
To participate, enter Promo Code: S4SCOKE at www.WVUGAME.com.
Keep up with this story and tag your posts with: #Home4Homecoming #WVU
#CountdownToZero.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage
company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still
brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and
recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 16 billion-dollar
brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater,
POWERADE, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are
the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and
juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage
distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our
beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day. With an enduring
commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused
on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active,
healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our
associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities
where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the
world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system
associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com,
follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog,
Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com
or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.
About Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated (CCBCC)
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated (CCBCC) (NASDAQ: COKE) is the
nation’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler. Headquartered in
Charlotte, NC, the company’s nearly 7,000 employees make, sell and
deliver Coca-Cola products in franchise sales territories across the
Southeast. For more information, visit www.CokeConsolidated.com.
About West Virginia University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics
The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics at West Virginia University
sponsors 18 varsity sports with more than 500 student-athletes competing
in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s cross country,
football, women’s gymnastics, women’s indoor and outdoor track, rifle,
men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, women’s
tennis, women’s volleyball, women’s rowing and wrestling.
West Virginia University competes in the Big 12 conference in all sports
except men's soccer (Mid-American Conference), and rifle (Great American
Rifle Conference) and strives in its athletics program for national
excellence and prominence. Accordingly, the recruitment of
student-athletes and emphasis on and support of athletics are national
in scope.
The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics subscribes to high standards
of academic quality as well as breadth of academic opportunities. More
than 4,000 student-athletes have earned a place on the Garrett Ford
Academic Honor Roll by attaining at least a 3.0 grade point average
since its inception in 1989.
The University is committed to financing the athletics program from
revenues generated by the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and it
shall conduct its program consistent with the letter and spirit of the
NCAA and the mission of West Virginia University.
Additional information regarding the University’s intercollegiate
athletic program may be obtained at www.WVUsports.com
Additional general information about the university may be obtained at http://www.wvu.edu.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20141004005010/en/
Source: Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated
Alison Patient, 704-557-4632
Senior
Director, Corporate Affairs
alison.patient@ccbcc.com