As I’ve mentioned before, we can no long run contests or do giveaways on our Facebook Fan Page.  Several months ago Facebook updated their TOS (Terms of Service) to prohibit most companies from running promotions.  From now on we will just run contests here on our blog and announce them on our Facebook Page which is allowed.

While we are on the subject of Facebook, what is your favorite Facebook Application?

Are you addicted to Farmville?  Farmtown?  Bejeweled?

To win a free Top of the World collegiate hat of your choice, leave a comment on this blog post answering the question above.   The first ten to comment that have not won before will win.  You MUST answer by leaving a comment on the blog.  Easy enough?

Have a great weekend!

Top of the World Hats on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

• Watch the Skaggs family episode this Sunday NEXT Sunday, March 14th at 7pm CST on ABC

Local spectators eagerly await the big reveal in their Ideal Homes/Extreme Makeover: Home Edition hats made by Top of the World.

Several months ago, Top of the World was contacted by Ideal Homes in Norman, OK to produce some hats and jackets for a very exciting project. Top of the World was honored to donate 3,000 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition/Ideal Homes caps for the crews and volunteers. There was also a need for jackets with the respective logos which we were happy to help with.

Who doesn’t love ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition? The show filmed it’s latest tear-jerking, heart warming episode right here in Oklahoma. The deserving family? Brian and Audra Skaggs of Lexington, OK as well as their two small children Merit, age 5, and Jhett., age 2.

The Skagg’s family of Lexington, OK

Born in 2007, Jhett later started showing signs that something was terribly wrong. Tiny Jhett was lethargic, crying uncontrollably, and losing weight. Jhett even stopped breathing on two occasions at which time his parents performed CPR and saved his life. After extensive testing, Brett and Audra were told their baby needed a heart transplant. Jhett’s chances of surviving were slim. His young and tiny heart had already suffered cardiac arrest on multiple occasions. At ten months old, a miracle occurred and a matching heart was found.

The Skaggs children: Jhett and Merit

Now 2 years old, Jhett runs and plays like a healthy child his age. However, he faces a lifetime of treatment. Jhett has to make numerous monthly trips to Houston for check-ups and his daily medications lower the resistance of his immune system. With his sensitivity to mold, germs, and illness the Skaggs family desperately needed a new home. Jhett’s new heart should last about 15 years so the family not only has to worry about current medical bills but save for the future ones. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Ideal Homes of Norman teamed with hundreds of local sponsors and volunteers to help this family live safely and prepare for the future.

In less than a week, the volunteers and Ideal Homes completed a 2,800 sq ft house in Slaughterville, OK. The build took 106 hours; 3,000 volunteers; 2,500 tons of gravel (roads); and ONE building company to put it all together and make it happen. Even the 3′ deep mud didn’t stop this crew!

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Ideal Homes also organized a community blood drive, food drive, and toy drive. The Oklahoma community really stepped up to turn these drives into a HUGE success.

Celebrity guest, rapper and actor Xzibit.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition host Ty Pennington, Xzibit, and former Bachelorette Jillian Harris notify the family and prepare them for their trip. Top of the World, along with Ideal Homes provided the black jackets.

Jhett is all smiles while awaiting take off. Because of his medical sensitivities a private plane was chartered for their trip and flew out of Norman’s Max Westheimer Airport.

The crew hard at work

The progress

Celebrity guest and former “Bachelorette” star, Jillian Harris

OKC Thunder players visit the work site.

(LEFT) Celebrity Guest, Rapper, and Actor Xzibit

Almost done!

Volunteers work to add the finishing touches.

Almost ready for the big reveal!

The family arrives to see their new home.

Audra and Merit Skaggs.

Brett and Jhett Skaggs. The black Ideal Homes/Extreme Makeover jackets we helped with.

Time for the reveal! MOVE THAT BUS!

Home Sweet Home!

The perfect finishing touch.

Don’t forget to watch this NEXT Sunday, March 7^th 14th on ABC!

*The pictures in this post are owned by Ideal Homes, Norman OK

To learn more about Ideal Homes visit their website at www.ideal-homes.com.

Top of the World currently has an opening in our Customer Service department.   This is an 8am-5pm hourly position Monday-Friday. Top of the World is located in Norman, OK at 3001 36th Avenue NW between Rock Creek and Tecumseh Roads.  You may pick up an application Monday-Friday between the hours of 8am and 5pm.  For questions regarding this position or to submit your resume, please email hr@towcaps.com.

Job Description

As a Customer Service Representative with Top of the World you will be responsible for interacting with customers, internal co-workers and external sales representatives to provide information in response to inquiries about products and programs, processing orders for merchandise, and handling complaints.

The Top of the World Customer Service Representative will confer with customers and sales representatives by telephone or in person in order to provide information about products, to take or cancel orders, or to obtain details of complaints; solicit sale of new or additional products; prepare change of address records; ensure that appropriate changes are made to resolve customers’ problems; contact customers in order to respond to inquiries;  maintain records, reports and/or files; process orders for merchandise; use computer to enter, access or retrieve data; use telephone communication techniques; attempt to sell additional products by telephone or through visits; recommend product that will meet customers’ needs; confer with purchasing, production, sales, art, licensing, shipping, warehouse, in order to expedite processes; check inventory records to determine availability of requested product; verify customer and order information for correctness, checking it against previously obtained information as necessary;  informing customers by email or telephone of order information, such as shipping dates and any anticipated delays; and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Strong Communication Skills

Working Knowledge of all Microsoft Applications

Strong Organizational Skills

Detail Oriented

Excellent Phone Skills

Ability to work well under pressure

Education/Experience

High School Diploma or Equivalent

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. This includes sitting for long periods of time, repetitive motion involving hands and fingers, and occasional lifting of up to 10 pounds.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Most tasks for this job will be performed in an office environment.

Disclaimer-

Although Top of the World has attempted to accurately and thoroughly describe this position, Top of the World reserves the right to change, add to, or subtract from the duties outlined, within the sole discretion of Top of the World, at any time, with or without advance notice. Top of the World is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Hello Everyone and  Happy Groundhog Day!    Groundhog Day is held every year on February 2nd.   Just how did this holiday begin?   The tradition dates back to 1887 and is said to have originated from ancient European weather lore in which a badger or or sacred bear predicts the weather, rather than a groundhog.

Just how does it work?  It’s said that if the groundhog, Punxsutawney Post sees his shadow , we’re stuck with another six weeks of winter.  If he doesn’t see his shadow, we get an early spring.

Today Punxsutawney Post apparently saw his shadow predicting six more weeks of winter.  However, other groundhogs did NOT which could mean an early spring.  Let’s hope for the early spring!

Now for contest time!  This week also happens to be Superbowl week.  If you have NOT won yet, leave a comment on this blog post with the name of the team you will be cheering for.  I’ll give the first ten a Top of the World hat.  You choose the team (collegiate) and color (white, black, team color).

Have a great Groundhog Day and week!  Oh, and I personally (my choice not Top of the World’s) will be cheering for the Indianapolis Colts.  # 20, T.J. Rushing and I grew up in the same small town and went to school together.

Due to new Facebook Contest and Giveaway rules we can not post contests on the page at this time.    Since we have not had a contest since the New Years holiday lets use that as the theme of the contest today.

To Win: Be one of the first 10 to comment on this blog post.

In your comment, please share your best memory of 2009 or a resolution you set for 2010.

For Fun, here are ten of the most popular resolutions as reported on USA.gov.

1. Get a better education
2. Get a better job
3. Get Fit
4. Lose Weight
5. Manage Debt
6. Quit Smoking
7. Reduce stress at work
8. Reduce stress overall
9. Save money
10. Take a trip

So, what is your best memory of 2009 or a resolution you have set for 2010?  Leave your comment now to win!

Each year Top of the World adopted around 50 kids from the Crossroads Youth and Family Services Center to help during the holidays. For Thanksgiving each child gets a full winter outfit including pants, shirt, shoes, socks, undies, a winter coat, hat, and gloves. For Christmas we purchase presents straight off the children’s personal wish list. This year Top of the World has adopted 51 kids from 17 families. Taking care of the task for shopping for 51 kids is a huge undertaking so each family of children is given to a volunteer shopper from Top of the World. We separate the clothing from the toys so that the kids get a new winter outfit before the Thanksgiving Holiday and they don’t have to open any clothes on Christmas Day.

Top of the World has adopted kids from the Crossroads Youth and Family Services Center since 2002. It started with just a couple of kids that employees would donate money to help with presents for Christmas. It was hard for some employees to donate from their pockets during such an expensive time of year. During this same time we were having a major problem of storing old sample caps that were no longer needed but that could not be sold for profit. We came up with the solution to have a sample sale to rid us of the excessive amount of sample caps and use all the money to adopt more children from the Crossroads Youth and Family Services Center. It started with just selling them to employees and their family and friends. Soon the word spread and we had people knocking on the door asking if they could come to the sale. The Sample Sale is the only time that Top of the World sells caps to the general public so they really enjoy the chance to see the place where their favorite brand calls home.

We started by holding public sample sales twice a year each June before fathers day and in November before Thanksgiving and the Christmas Holiday. We formed a relationship with the Sports Animals Morning crew and it has become a tradition to have them broadcast live on the first day of the sale. We sell all the caps at 2 for $5. We back the tax out at the end to keep the lines moving and hats flying out the door. If you have ever purchased a cap you know that 2 for $5 is an amazing deal especially when you know the money is going to charity. We have numerous regulars that come out every sample sale to marvel at the caps. Many come out to add to their collection but most people come to purchase caps as gifts for others. We love to see all the so happy with their new caps. It has turned on many locals to our brand and has made them life long fans of the 1Fit and the Top of the World quality.

After that first public Sample Sale in 2004 we adopted 55 kids and purchased them toys for Christmas. Each year we always adopt at least 50 children. We expanded from just purchasing them toys to purchasing them clothing for Thanksgiving. We have also donated car seats to the program for families who can’t afford to purchase them. All of the children are hand selected by the teaching staff from the Crossroads Youth and Family Services Centers and are part of the Head Start & Early Head Start programs. All of the children we adopted are from the Norman and surrounding areas so we are impacting our local community. The goal of these programs is to provide income eligible children and their families with an opportunity to strengthen their chances for future success. We are so honored to be able to help these families and to have such a great relationship with their employees to continue the adoption program that we have with them.

Top of the World has changed a lot of its processes to become a greener more earth conscience company. Part of those changes includes ways to limit the number of samples that are produced each year. Starting in 2010 we will have one huge sample sale during the fall. You don’t have to worry though, their will be plenty of amazing caps to buy at the same low price. We expect that in the years to come that we will still make enough at the yearly sale to continue to adopt the same number of kids from the Crossroads Youth and Family Services Center. It’s the perfect way for us to make many people very happy.

This post was written by Melissa Fontenot, Top of the World’s HR Manager

*Photos from the Terrell Owens Buffalo Bills press conference video on the Buffalo Bills team website.

Spotted…Terrell Owens in a Top of the World Alabama knit beanie.   T.O. is another player you either love or hate.  The controversial Buffalo Bills wide receiver’s  flamboyant touchdown celebrations have earned him many fines.  But, the six time Pro Bowl selection is one of the most dominant receivers of his era.

Born in Alabama and raised by his mother and grandmother, Owens was initially forbidden from playing sports until High School.  Owens later excelled in football, baseball, and basketball at Benjamin Russell High School.  T.O. went on to attend college at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he played football, basketball, and ran track.   Along with playing in the 1995 NCAA Basketball Tournament, Owens made his football breakthrough his Sophomore year and became a starter.

T.O. went on to play for the San Francisco 49er’s, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Dallas Cowboys before signing with the Buffalo Bills in March of 2009.  Outside of football T.O. has appeared in movies and television shows such as “Any Given Sunday”, “Punk’d”, “The Superstars”, and his own VH1 show- “The T.O. Show”.   This month he officially became a model by signing with top modeling agency,  Wilhelmina.

But behind that flamboyant and controversial athlete is a big heart.  “The Terrell Owens Catch a Dream Foundation” is a non profit organization created to help underprivileged families and children.  During the month of December, Owens not only celebrates his birthday but also chooses families to assist near the holidays.  This year the foundation hosted 81 local families at the Ralph Wilson Fieldhouse in Buffalo.  Wearing a Santa hat and meeting everyone in the building he showed a side you may rarely see, his heart.

I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas!  Are you all ready?  Is your shopping done?  Make sure to look for Top of the World hats for that special hat fan on your list!

In honor of the holidays I’ll do an easy give away with a Christmas theme.  I would love for everyone to reply to the post with the #1 item on their wishlist this year.  I’ll give the first 10 that have not won yet a free hat.  I would still love everyone to participate so even if you have won already I’d love to hear from you!

Of course your true wish may be to see family, end world hunger, etc… but lets stick to things that can be put under your tree.    I will start, my #1 item on my wish list this year is a new pair of warm, comfy Ugg boots.  So, what is on your list?

Have a great weekend everyone, comment Away!

Love him or hate him, Tim Tebow added another first to his long line of accomplishments by simply being nominated for the Heisman Trophy this year.  The Florida quarterback became the first player ever to be nominated three times.  Tebow became the first sophomore to win the title in 2007 and with another win he would become the second player to hold two Heisman trophies.   Ohio State’s Archie Griffin is currently the only player to hold two Heisman’s.    Last but not least, Tebow is also the first player and sixth overall to finish in the Top 5 of Heisman balloting three times since Georgia tailback Herschel Walker in the early 80’s.

The Heisman Trophy winner will be chosen Saturday at 8pm on ESPN live from NYC.

The other finalists-

Colt McCoy:  Senior QB for the Texas Longhorns.  McCoy had 3,512 yards in 2009 and 27 touchdowns.  With 13,244 yards and 112 touchdowns in his college career.  In the Big 12 Championship game against Nebraska, the Tuscola, TX native completed just 20-of-36 passes for 184 yards and three interceptions. McCoy is also one of three finalists for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, and won the 2008 Walter Camp Award.  The only player from Texas to be nominated twice for the Heisman trophy also holds the NCAA record career victories by a starting quarterback.

Other accomplishments include:  2006 “All Freshman Team” by College Football News, 2006 National Freshman of the Year by The Sporting News, 2006 Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year by the Associated Press, 2006 Valero Alama Bowl Offensive MVP, 2008 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl Offensive MVP, 2008 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press, 2008 Second-team All Big 12 by the Associated Press, 2008 First-team All-America by the Walter Camp Foundation, 2008 Archie Griffin Award, 2008 Co-Sporting News Player of the Year, 2008 Heisman Trophy Runner Up, 2009  Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP, 2009 First-team All-American by AFCA, 2009 First-team All Big 12, 2009 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, and the winner of the 2009 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

AP Photo by Dave Martin

Mark Ingram:  The Sophomore running back for the Alabama Crimson Tide had 249 attempts, 1542 yards, and 15 touchdowns this season.  The Flint, MI native’s career stats include 392 attempts, 2270 yards, and 27 touchdowns.  Ingram is the son of former NFL wide receiver Mark Ingram Sr.   In the 2009 SEC Championship game against the undefeated Florida Gators, Ingram rushed for 113 yards and 3 touchdowns while also catching two passes for 76 receiving yards to combine for 189 all purpose yards.  In that game Ingram also surpassed Bobby Humphrey’s single season rushing record for the Crimson Tide reaching 1542 rushing yards for the season.

Other accomplishments include:  finalist for Doak Walker Award, Walter Camp Award, and the Maxwell Award.

AP Photo by Paul Sakuma

Toby Gerhart:  Gerhart is a senior running back for the Stanford Cardinals who is considered to be a top prospect in the 2010 NFL draft.  Gerharts High School statistics garnered him interest from many top college football programs with him ultimately choosing Stanford.  Gerhart finished out the season with 311 attempts, 1736 yards, and 26 touchdowns.  The Norco, CA native’s career stats include 639 attempts, 3387 yards, and 42 touchdowns.

Other accomplishments:  2009 First Team All-America team, 2009 Pac 10 Offensive Player of the Year, 2009 First Team All-Pac 10, 2009 First Team Pac 10-All Academic team, four time Pac 10 Offensive Player of the Week, 2008 Second Team All-Pac 10, 2008 Second Team Pac 10 All-Academic Team, 2005 California Mr. Football, 2005 Gatorade California Player of the Year, and the 2005 Glenn Davis Award.

Ndamukong Suh:  The Senior defensive tackle for the Nebraska Cornhusker’s had 212 tackles, 0 fumbles forced, and 4 interceptions this season.  The Portland, OR native was considered a 4 star recruit by Rivals.com and ranked 6th among defensive tackle prospects in the nation in High School.  As a junior, Suh became the first Nebraska defensive lineman to lead the team in tackles since 1973.  Suh also earned First-team All-Big 12 honors in 2008, the first Nebraska interior defensive lineman to earn those honors since Steve Warren in 1999.

Other accomplishments:  All Big 12, finalist for Walter Camp Award, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, finalist for 2009 Outland Trophy, finalist for Lombardi Award, and winner of the 2009 Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the top defensive player in the nation.

***Some stats, accomplishments, and other information obtained from ESPN.com

Select Lids/Hat World/Hat Shack stores will open at midnight Black Friday with some awesome deals.

See their blog post for more details and to find a participating store near you!

Click here to go to the Lids Blog