ROPES Course Fun with 7-Eleven
I facilitated a team building ropes course with a group of distributors from 7-Eleven yesterday, and the program was great fun. I never tire of seeing people bonding over a shared experiential training program. Building cohesion, fostering trust, and simply getting to know one another in a novel environment can be so rewarding – sure beats meeting for drinks after work! (although that always seems to be the follow-up event – go figure!)
Here is a short video of a few of the activities – enjoy!
Team Building DIY on The National Mall
Another great team builder with the staff from Charles G. Koch Foundation!
We were called down to the National Mall to run a rotational team building program for 80 staff from the CGK Foundation. The main goal of the program was to create a sense of unity among the interns and staff of this international organization through the use of a rotational-style of recreational team building event.
The Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation was established in 1980 by Charles G. Koch. The mission of the Foundation is “to advance social progress and well-being through the development, application, and dissemination of the Science of Liberty.”
Birthday Climbing at The Pillar
We don’t normally take individuals out for a day of climbing, but we decided to “go for it” last weekend. A young lady had contacted us putting together a “Birthday Climb” for her friend. I wasn’t doing anything that Saturday, so I agreed to meet them for a few hours.
We had a great time – the girls were great friends who also happened to be very funny, and gave a go at every climb I set for them. By the end of the day, they were exhausted, but happy – and I imagine they will be back to climb again in the future.
Big Time Fun!
The Pipeline Challenge
We ran a Portable Team Challenge for the Women’s Soccer team at University of Maryland Baltimore Campus (UMBC) yesterday, and the program was a great success. The goals for the program were to bring the entire team together at the beginning of their season, and give the ladies a chance to build the trust and commitment they would need to be a successful sports team. Naturally, a group of high-functioning athletes were a tough group to challenge physically, but we made up for it with the problem-solving and trust building initiatives. The blindfolded tent-building activity gave the teams a bit of trouble, as it gave everyone a handicap – either lack of sight or lack of speech.
The culminating challenge of the day was “The Pipeline Initiative” in which the group was split into three teams that had to share resources and ideas to create a 35 foot aqueduct of PVC pipes, joints and gutters. The teams built a structure that suspended the aqueduct high enough off the ground that a marble could roll down the entire length of the apparatus without stopping.
Here is a short video of the project – enjoy!
If you’d like to learn how to run your own Pipeline Challenge, check out our description of the activity on Teampedia.net
TINY Campers on The Leap of Faith
Although we typically work with small groups ages high school and above, the Butler Camp frequently utilizes the ROPES Challenge Course during the summer months. We train their staff to run a safe and exciting ropes course program, and the kids absolutely love it!
Here is a video of some of the youngest, and most fearless ropes course participants you will ever see!
Butler Camp is a day camp located in Germantown, Maryland. Campers range in age from 3 to 16 years-old, and take part in a wide variety of activities.
Rock Climbing at Devil’s Kitchen
Every year we take a camp group from Pennsylvania out for three days of climbing in the Maryland and Virginia area. The group learns and practices basic climbing techniques in a wide variety of top-roping scenarios, and ultimately learns how to run a bottom-belay, top-belay and rappel station. The groups always do a fantastic job of keeping one another safe, and are always a pleasure to work with.
This year we are planning to take the adventure to the next level, with a multi-day, multi-sport backpacking program along the Appalachian Trail!
Stuck Inside? Socialize!
-
