Job at HRT Cultivates Friendship and Community

For Advertising Sales Specialist Tina Cowan , Hampton Roads Transit has been more than a job; it’s been a lifeline to the community. After spending 15 years in the beverage industry and spending a lot of time away from home, Tina was ready for a better work-life balance. An unexpected layoff gave her just the boost she needed to make a change.??

Tina started her career at HRT in 2012 as a Fare Media Retail Account Specialist before being promoted to Advertising Sales Specialist in 2019.??

Not long after joining HRT, a colleague, Carol Russell, invited Tina to join her one evening at the Aragona Village Moose Lodge in Virginia Beach. Russell paid for her first year of membership, and Tina was hooked. She says she likes going because it’s a safe place and feels like family. It’s not just a place to hang out though.??

Through the lodge, she’s become very involved in the community and enjoys volunteering and fundraising. The lodge supports two major charities: Mooseheart and Moosehaven. Mooseheart is a community in Illinois for children who are unable to live at home for a variety of reasons. Moosehaven is a community for seniors in Florida.??

The Lodge is also involved in community service projects throughout the region. The Moose donate toys to fire fighters and police to hand out to children when responding to a crisis. Members also do a lot with the local animal shelters, donating time and money to Virginia Beach SPCA, Hope for Life, and others.??

Tina is also involved in the Norfolk-based CHAS Foundation – Courage Hope Acceptance and Support.? The group is dedicated to removing the stigma surrounding mental health issues and providing support to individuals and their families.???

Just like her friend Carol had done all those years ago, Tina invited an HRT colleague to a Moose gathering. When she found out he was looking for a new home for his riding group she invited him to visit the Lodge. He, too, was immediately hooked and now his group is part of the organization. Another lifeline to the community, extended. All thanks to an unexpected layoff.??