Monscierge headquarters is located in Downtown Oklahoma City, blocks away from the Oklahoma City National Memorial and a few miles away from Moore, OK. Many of us were born and raised in Oklahoma and know first-hand the resiliency of our neighbors.
Oklahomans are asked on occasion why we would want to live in Tornado Alley. We answer with a bit of bravado, rubbing the toe of a boot in the red dirt while brushing off any claims of fear. We have the best meteorologists in the world, we know how and when to prepare, and we have a battle plan. In reality, anyone who has stared down an EF5 tornado is on a first-name basis with fear.
So why do we stick around? That part is easy. It’s what happens later. We are fiercely proud of our extreme weather, breathtaking sunsets, the dirt that dyes everything red, our heritage, and the many natural wonders our state holds; but those are secondary.
We are here because of the men and women who rush into a building seconds after a bomb goes off to look for survivors. We are here because of ordinary people who step out of a cellar to find everything they have blown away, and get right to work pulling their neighbors from the rubble. We rejoice with our neighbors when loved ones are found, and we grieve with the families of those lost. We delight in the stories of survival, and those who are gone leave an indelible mark on our hearts.
Our people pull together with a combination of compassion and hard work, innovation and kindness, and we make things happen. Within hours, Oklahoma children tug at our heartstrings as they line up with donations from emptied piggy banks or lemonade stands. Local businesses get creative. In Moore, we have people changing tires on the vehicles driving through the debris, restaurants are staying open and serving people free of charge, eye doctors are replacing lost glasses and contact lenses, and hotels are offering snacks for workers as well as hosting numerous people who have lost their homes.
So while living in the middle of Tornado Alley comes with its share of troubles, we love our home for a natural resource you can’t find anywhere else in the world – the Oklahoma Spirit.