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Bethani Blair
Operations ManagerGet to Know Bethani
Operating and planning events is more than a passion for Bethani, it’s a way of life. Bethani’s event operations don’t stop when she leaves the UV office. She has three children, so she has planned multiple elementary, junior high, and high school events over the last 13 years! From elementary school carnivals to a 15-person family camping trip (camping is her family’s passion), to currently chairing the Richardson High School Graduation Party at Hawaiian Falls, Bethani never misses a beat. She lends her professional expertise and logistical strength to ensure success in all avenues of her life.
Engaging Team-Building Activities with Bethani
Bethani has your back when it comes all things team-building. With five years of operating countless team-building programs, she understands her client’s goals and knows exactly what to do in order to achieve them. Bethani has witnessed different team-building trends throughout the years that impress attendees, but she knows that friendly competition and fun are always required. Additionally, we understand as a company that flexibility is key for a successful team-building event. Sometimes the group’s pace is much faster or slower than anticipated, and that is when flexibility comes into play. Bethani knows how to think on the spot and come up with creative solutions to ensure everyone is participating in the team-building event, all while having a unique, and entertaining experience!
Trash Boat Regattta
One of Bethani’s most memorable events was our eco-friendly Trash Boat Regatta team-building event that she operated this past January. A group of 25 colleagues gathered one very chilly morning (thankfully at an indoor pool at their hotel) and were randomly grouped into five teams. Each team was given the same amount of recycled materials with instructions to build a “pool-worthy” vessel in only one hour. As if that weren’t a hefty enough goal, a member from each team was required to race the boat from one end of the pool to the other. Teamwork, communication, and innovation were the keys to success in this sink or swim program. All the teams cheered on one another as they put their boats to the test. Everyone was laughing uncontrollably as teammates tried to balance, but inevitably fell into the water. Afterwards, the attendees raved about how exhilarating and entertaining the team-building event was for each of them. For Bethani, it was TRULY the most fun and memorable team-building experience she has operated to date.
It’s a Celebration
A completely different type of team-building (in almost every aspect!), was a corporate social responsibility event benefiting The Birthday Party Project and Minnie’s Food Pantry. The Birthday Party Project is a non-profit organization with a mission to bring joy to children experiencing homelessness through the magic of birthday parties. Minnie’s Food Pantry is a non-profit organization that provides meals, educational resources, and red-carpet treatment to every person that they serve. Both organizations are local to Dallas-Fort Worth.
Nearly 300 attendees from a large corporation gathered in a hotel ballroom for this one-of-a-kind team-building experience. Prior to the conference, they were given the opportunity to bring new, unwrapped toys that would be used as Birthday party gifts. Our client expected at least 50 items, but they were blown away by the generosity of their attendees that exceeded that goal by 250 items! The event facilitator put the attendees in a jovial mood by insisting everyone wear a party hat. They then began a friendly competition which allowed the 30 teams of 10 to earn points to “purchase” blank birthday cards, markers, stickers and other items to add to their Birthday Party Favor bags.
After birthday cards and favor bags had been brightly decorated and stuffed with colored pens, mini notebooks, bouncing balls, jumbo sized card games, bubbles, and kids’ microscopes, it was CUPCAKE TIME! The host hotel baked plain cupcakes which were then decorated by attendees and displayed in cupcake holders on each table. At the end of the evening, 300 birthday gifts, cards, and favor bags were donated to the Birthday Party Project. The cupcakes were boxed up and transported the following morning to Minnie’s Food Pantry. Not only did the attendees have a spectacular time, but their participation brought joy to the lives touched by the donations. Bethani hopes to operate another team-building celebration like this one soon!
Camp WannaHavaFunna
“Make new friends and leave a legacy!” is the motto at Camp WannaHavaFunna! This custom corporate social responsibility team-building program was an activity created by Ultimate Ventures and one of our team-building partners. Upon arrival, the group of Executive Chefs entered a ballroom decorated with canoe props, Adirondack chairs, tree stumps stools, a “flickering” campfire, camping gear, and twenty 60” rounds. Guests were greeted by our fully costumed “camp counselors” with warm smiles and colored bandanas. The bandanas determined the chef’s teams, and the guests moved to their tables accordingly. There were four zones: red, yellow, green, and blue; each marked by a flag on top of the designated tables. Altogether, the zones formed 20 teams of 10 individuals.
As a complete surprise to the attendees, in walked 20 teenagers from the local Boys & Girls Club. The mood immediately shifted from fierce competitiveness to cheers and applause. Each team “adopted” a child for the afternoon, gave them a company t-shirt, and made them feel like part of their team. The mission of the afternoon was to fill backpacks with as many school supplies as possible, which would ultimately be gifted to the Boys & Girls Club. In order to do so, each team would have to work together while playing a series of competitive, but wacky games to earn school supplies to fill their backpacks. With activities such as the 50-yard crabwalk dash, campfire stories, archery, and a marshmallow cabin showdown, the chefs, along with the teenagers, catapulted the group’s mood from “oh no” to “it’s on”! The kids left with armloads of backpacks, the chefs had a blast playing games while giving back, and laughter prevailed! Bethani was grateful to be a part of such an impactful event.
Unique, entertaining, and custom-made team-building events are no challenge for UV! Our in-house creative team and logistic operations miracle workers are here to design and engage your team with an experience that will foster collaboration, communication, and celebration.
Request a proposal today and see how team-building events positively impact the productivity of your workplace for the future!
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