Meeting News - January 5, 2009 - (Page 40)

Florida Incentives Planners Doing Good: Incentives Can Ride High On Social Responsibility Bike-building project, such as that undertaken by banking firm, can help shake incentives’ current negative perception Incentive programmers seeking a social responsibility angle can perhaps tap Stacey Paul Barabe, CSEP, president and owner of Orlando-based Exhilarate, for creative team-building that does good and mixes in a few surprises. A recent meeting Barabe helped plan for Misys Banking Systems had what started as a classic team-bonding exercise but ended up something much bigger. About 600 Misys associates had come from around the world for the company’s annual conference and training session in June at the Renaissance Orlando Hotel. They gathered in a ballroom for what they thought was a usual team-building drill: Sixty teams of 10 each assembling a bicycle and picking a member to race the other 59 teams around the ballroom. But what the attendees did not know was that Misys wanted something more fulfilling for them—an exercise in social responsibility. So the destination management company for the event, Florida Coast to Coast, contracted with Barabe to find 60 needy Orlando-area children to ride the bikes around the ballroom and then take them home as gifts, without the attendees knowing what was in store. But first, “in order to get the tools to assemble the bikes, teams had to answer questions based on the company’s educational message from the conference,” said Barabe. “They thought this would be a good, fun experience in which they could bond with each other.” Barabe continued, “When the bikes were assembled and tested, we told the team members to take the bikes out the door of the ballroom and ride them back in. Outside the door, we had 60 kids, who we found through local charitable groups—kids who never had bicycles of their own before.” Barabe said that when the attendees saw the kids ride the bikes back into the ballroom and the announcer told the group what was going on, “there was not a dry eye in the house. People were literally crying and applauding at the same time.” After a party that included pizza for the kids, the bikes were trucked to the neighborhoods where the kids lived, and each youngster claimed his or her new bike. “The attendees absolutely loved it,” Barabe said.“Groups really want meaningful experiences After helping put together a bicycle, a Misys attendee helps a youngster ride her new gift. theses days. All I have to figure out now is how to top this one.” —Rowland Stiteler F&B Option at Downtown Disney Can Be Dino Might For family-oriented incentive programs at Walt Disney World, T-Rex—a theme restaurant with giant, faux dinosaur skeletons and a menu filled with offerings like “Gigantosaurus Burger”— opened in Downtown Disney in late October, and it will start offering group options like complete buyouts after Jan. 20. The restaurant, which seats 600 and is operated by Landry’s Restaurants, was developed with Schussler Cre- Disney World opens an F&B option of prehistoric proportions. ative, which also helped create Rainforest Cafe. Water, fire, and ice are used in the prehistoric theme, including a waterfall, dinosaur skeletons embedded in faux ice walls, and bubbling geysers.A gigantic dinosaur skeleton—a replica of a real skeleton unearthed in Argentina—covers the entire roof of the building. Other menu offerings include “Caesarsaurus” (Caesar salad), “Raptor Ribs” (Asian barbeque ribs), “Pterodactyl Wings” (buffalo wings), and “Triassic Tortellini” (tricolored cheese tortellini). Also at Downtown Disney, Portobello Yacht Club has been renamed to just Portobello. It also has made menu changes and some decor alterations to make it a more authentic Italian eatery. Items now include suppli alla telefono and pork tenderloin over creamy polenta. Portobello seats up to 400 for private events. —RS 40 MeetingNews January 5, 2009 www.meetingnews.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - January 5, 2009

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