Meeting News - June 16, 2008 - (Page 58)

Live from the Forum @ MeetingNews.com TOPIC: Creative ideas for a midsummer corporate picnic I am working on a corporate picnic for a new client here in Miami. The clients wants to do it in late July, in the middle of the blazing hot summer at a park near the beach. I have the location picked out, and trust me, I have my risk management mode in gear (will hire an off-duty EMT and have tons of drinking water available). However, I am looking for creative ideas. My client says the event doesn’t have to be anything wild and crazy, but rather a simple company barbecue. It will have mostly adults, but children are welcome, and it will have around 150 people overall. Do you have a burning question to ask your peers? Log on to the MeetingNews Forum to get answers fast. meetingnews.com/forum Here are some of the details, restrictions, etc: 1. It’s being held at a county-run park. Alcohol is allowed, but not in glass containers. 2. We will have one pavilion that can hold up to 70 people, but will have plenty of outdoor grass area. (I am considering tent rentals for additional covering.) 3. Staging/noise is limited (no DJs or large public disturbances). 4. This is a Latin American division of a major technology company. The food idea is to do an Argentinean parillada (barbecue). 5. The giveaway I am considering is sport bottles, pre-ﬁlled with ice and water, to give to people upon arrival. That’s just one idea. 6. The client has a (pretty good) budget of around $100 per person. I would love to get creative thoughts from everyone! Also, can anyone recommend an event insurer that does one-time policies? I have searched but found little information. Thanks! Eli Gorin, Owner, gMeetings Inc., Aventura, FL Eli, it sounds like you’re on the right track. Every year at our company, we employ an event company that has lots of games for children and adults alike. They are team-oriented competitions that include relay races, hulahoop contests, etc. I can highly recommend utilizing this mode of entertainment, as everyone has a great time and the teambuilding is very memorable. Michelle Gothan, Senior Marketing Coordinator Early Warning Services LLC, Scottsdale, AZ Eli, I was impressed by one company that set up a dedicated dessert tent for the kids in attendance. It featured fun frozen treats, watermelon wedges, and cookies. Not that the adults had much different, but it was in the presentation, and the kids felt the tent was theirs. Finding out the number of kids expected, and their approximate ages, will tell you whether or not this idea is worthwhile. Nancy Sutta Berns, Corporate Meetings & Incentives Program Manager Cookies, ice cream sundaes, or other treats that kids can decorate on their own are always fun. Veronica Scrimshaw, Director of Corporate Communications NPA The Worldwide Recruitment Network, Grand Rapids, MI Eli, go to the following website, where I have purchased insurance for individual events: http://www.nasep.org/resources.html. It is the website for the National Alliance for Special Event Planners, and it’s a good resource and rea- sonable, cost-wise. I like the idea about pre-ﬁlled water bottles, especially with the green trend. Good luck with your event! Holly Swanzy, Senior Account Manager EventLink International Inc., Dallas Remember that not everyone wants to do a lot in the heat, so plan some activities in the shade, too (e.g., board games). Another great giveaway is spray bottles that come with fans—they are so nice in hot weather. Or, get those neck things that you soak and then wear—have them with the company logo. They can be dried out and reused over and over, and are stylish. Is watermelon popular in Argentina? Even if not, watermelon is cooling and nice. Joan Eisenstodt, Owner, Eisenstodt Associates LLC, Washington, DC A format in which all activities are optional works well. Lots of little traditional outdoor stuff—bounce ball, Frisbee, golf, water balloon toss, and even a giant Jenga all encourage people to get together without being too strenuous. Another item that has worked well for me is a water-gun tag game. It incorporates an inﬂatable maze and paintball barricades, but uses large water guns instead of paintball guns. The key is to have it manned and people utilize the guns only in the gaming area—no taking of guns and spraying unwilling participants elsewhere at the picnic. Shannon McCorison, Manager of Global Events, ProLogis Corp., Denver MEETING NEWS (ISSN 0145-630X, USPS No.356-010, June 16 2008, Vol. 32, No. 11 is published semi-monthly except for June, August and December, which is monthly, by Nielsen Business Media, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 100039595, tel. 646-654-5000. 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POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to MEETING NEWS, P.O. Box 1189, Skokie, IL 60076-8189. 58 MeetingNews June 16, 2008 www.meetingnews.com http://groups.google.com/group/MiForum http://meetingnews.com/forum http://www.nasep.org/resources.html http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - June 16, 2008
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Meeting News - June 16, 2008