Meeting News - March 9, 2009 - (Page 36)

Planners Guide to Florida Team-Building Opportunities Abound in Jacksonville Region Planners have seen team-building programs gain renewed importance in today’s rough business climate. But they needn’t worry; a variety of programs are available in the Jacksonville-Ponte Vedra Beach-Amelia Island area. New this year is NaturalTeams, a partnership between Kayak Amelia and Kayak Adventures. The aim of the program is to let “clarity, creativity, and collaboration flow,” spurred by nature. Facilitators guide groups to draw lessons for teamwork, after “we show them how the environment works together,” said Jody Hetchka of Kayak Amelia. Programs use kayaks, bikes, hiking, or a combination thereof, in the area’s national or state parks. A seven-hour program for a Whole Foods store—prior to its opening—helped employees develop communication and camaraderie, said Hetchka. At the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, art is the stimulus in an exercise called Token Response. Participants get eight cards, each bearing an icon (for instance, a clock) and a statement (“this took the most time to create”). Participants place their “tokens” in front of the artwork that, in their judgment, corresponds with the statement. “It gets [participants] in the position of the art critic,” said Susan Gallo, associate director of education at the museum. In Token Response, the wrap-up discussion promotes conversation over questions such as, “Which piece of art do you think is the most/least expensive?” and “Which piece of art do you absolutely hate?” “It allows individuals to see that colleagues may have a point of view that is different from their own,” said Gallo. Amelia Island Survivor is one of the most popular team-building programs offered at Amelia Island Plantation. Following the format of television show Survivor, facilitators divide the “tribes” into teams of four to 10 people. Teams compete in five challenges, such as a memory puzzle and the Amelia Smoothie, where—based on the roll of a dice—team members have to down concoctions containing ketchup, honey, mustard, and other “gross” combinations. The Ponte Vedra Inn & Club and the Lodge & Club, two luxury beachfront resorts 1.5 miles apart, share a recreation department that offers team-building activities such as the popular Beach Olympics. The two-hour program can include any of some 20 options available, most of which score higher on the fun scale than on the lessons-to-be-internalized meter. For instance, teams can compete to build a cardboard boat that will float long enough to complete a course. —Julie Barker EXPERIENCE OUR ISLAND Not Your Typical Meeting Spot… Where 10 acres of exclusive beach meet 390 comfortable guest rooms and suites, the Sheraton Sand Key puts forward everything to help you plan the perfect meeting. Whether you’re meeting for a conference, a celebration or just a weekend of soaking up the sun, we can accommodate you! We offer 24,000 sq.ft. of extensive conference facilities, a relaxing pool deck, nearby attractions, and extraordinary cuisine. Come see for yourself why meeting planners prefer the Sheraton Sand Key Resort! Sheraton Sand Key RESORT CLEARWATER BEACH 727-595-1611 www.sskmeetings.com 1160 Gulf Boulevard Clearwater Beach, FL 33767-2799 36 MeetingNews March 9, 2009 www.meetingnews.com http://www.sskmeetings.com http://www.sskmeetings.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - March 9, 2009

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