Making a Difference in Muskogee: Helene's Journey on Spark Driver™ 

To get a better idea of what life looks like in Muskogee, Oklahoma, let’s take a trip down the Arkansas River. It’s famous for its scenic views, mild climate, industrial history and being the hometown of country music superstar, Carrie Underwood. 

However, at its heart, Muskogee is still a quaint, residential area built on the belief that families should spend regular quality time together and help their neighbors when they are in need. 

This culture, which places people at the center, is what drove Helene Holland to sign up to drive on the Spark Driver™ platform. 

Prior to driving on the Spark Driver app, Helene says she worked at a pharmacy for 10 years. Then when the pandemic hit, she unexpectedly lost her mother to COVID-19.  

She says “They [the pharmacy] didn’t want to give me days off, so I started driving on the Spark Driver app because I was able to drive when I wanted. Plus, I took care of my dad at the same time, so the flexibility around that was awesome.”

That was two years ago, and Helene has never looked back. 

Now she enjoys the process of making a difference in her community through delivering essentials they need. She has become friendly with associates at the Walmart stores in her area and loves delivering to various assisted living facilities. 

“I deliver to nursing homes and senior living centers because they don’t have any other way to get out and get their groceries,” she says. “I’m making a difference in their lives by helping them get the essentials they need.”

Outside of her time driving on the Spark Driver platform, Helene also volunteers for a local nonprofit that allows people to get their GED and citizenship at the Muskogee public library. She has a heart to selflessly give. We are so excited to announce her as one of the recipients of the June 2024 Make it Spark! giveaway.

At first, she did not believe she had won because she said she never wins anything. “I had my brother check everything because he does that for a living. But I was excited. I’m still excited.”

Helene’s excitement is contagious, and she recommends to anyone who is interested in driving on the platform is to give it a try. She says, “It takes time to get used to, but it’s easy once you get into the swing of things.”

We appreciate Helene and all the drivers who Make it Spark!

Make it Spark! is a biannual event that aims to recognize and thank drivers on the Spark Driver™ platform for providing exceptional service to customers of Walmart and our retail partners.