Community Service is an important part of my life. I have served on the committee for an annual local industry event that raises money for the Food Bank of the Rockies for years. I am currently serving as the Chair of the National Network for the Needy Committee for PCMA. Community Service has always been important to Experient and I am grateful that my employer gives us the ability and support to participate in some very important activities.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands.  You need to be able to throw something back.  ~Maya Angelou

Experient Denver "Pack for Impact" 2009

Our Denver Experient Office holds an annual event called Pack for Impact that combines raising money and doing good work. We collect leftover convention bags and spend the afternoon with clients and supplier partners at the Food Bank of the Rockies stuffing the bags with food with the children that participate in the Kid’s Café program to take home every weekend. Last year, in addition to actively stuffing 500 bags, we presented the Food Bank with a check for $7500. This year’s event was held on July 8^th and I am very proud to share that with the help of some very generous sponsors we will be presenting a check for $7,750!

I know that many groups include some community service component in their events, so I was curious to learn what some of our clients were doing at their meetings.

Church of the Nazarene Youth Project

I spoke with Diane Miller, Senior Coordinator Meeting Services for the Church of the Nazarene. She told me that they have been holding service projects at their events since 1987. The Church feels that it important when they go into a city – that they don’t just “take” – hotel rooms, food and beverage, etc. but also “give back” to the community. I was most impressed that at their Youth Conference, the service project is mandatory. Attendees are instructed to bring two suitcases – one for their personal belongings and one filled with food. Once the teens get to the event, they sort the food and fill boxes that will feed a family of four for a week. In 2007 in St. Louis they were able to provide enough food to feed 10,000 families! According to Diane, they believe that if you can expose these teens to service early enough, hopefully the practice of giving back will stay with them for life.

I then reached out to Heather Plush, Senior Meeting Manager at the National Conference of State Legislatures. Heather explained that they have done a community service project the past two years. The last two years their project was an adult “paint by numbers” activity where attendees could come and paint for as long as they had and then the paintings were donated to a local hospital. This year, they are working with the USO, selling specially designed children’s books in their bookstore for attendees to purchase. The books are equipped with recording devices and after the event, NCSL will send the books purchased back to the USO who will send them to parents on active military duty. Those parents can then record themselves reading the book to their children.

One of our large corporate clients is celebrating their 25^th anniversary so every employee has been challenged to commit 25 hours of volunteer service over the course of this year.  In an effort to support this challenge, six charities were showcased at a networking event at their office. A pre event video montage (viewed as pre-work in the virtual environment) described the charter and works of each organization prepared the attendees to meet with charity representatives and discuss the possibilities for personal and team volunteer opportunities. Additionally, they incorporate volunteer and community/charity work at almost every internal event.

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It’s not.  ~Dr. Seuss

If you are doing a Community Service project at your events – thank you. If you are not, maybe you should ask yourself why not? The projects are good for the community and rewarding for your attendees that participate. If you are concerned about not knowing how to get started, contact the meeting industry organization of your choice – both PCMA and MPI have Community Service components and may be able to guide you. The Convention & Visitors Bureau in the city where you are meeting is a great resource for ideas. Destination Management Companies can also help you put on a great event.

Debbi Beldon, CMP

I cried today on the way to work. For those of you that know me, the fact that I cried isn’t really that big a surprise. I cry a lot – the usual stuff – sad movies, Grey’s Anatomy most weeks, that stupid PSA with Sarah McLachlan about animal cruelty. This morning it was because when I got on the train to go to work, there was a homeless woman on the seat across from me. Now maybe in other cities, the sight of a homeless person on a train may not be that big a deal, but in the leafy suburbs outside of Denver, this is not such a common occurrence.

The woman was asleep, hanging off the bench and I was hesitant to wake her, but I was terrified that she’d fall off the seat and hurt herself. The two women that boarded the train with me watched as well, not sure what to do. At the next stop, a young woman boarded the train, sat with us and immediately asked if any of us had tried to wake the woman. We told her no – what we didn’t say was that we weren’t sure that we wanted to get involved. I volunteer tons of hours to raise money for the Food Bank of the Rockies – heck I’m on the Network for the Needy Committee for PCMA and yet when faced with a real, live situation I froze.

The young woman gently tapped the woman on the shoulder, and asked if she was okay. She then began a conversation with her that lasted the rest of the train ride. Turns out that the woman wasn’t “going anywhere” she was simply riding the train trying to stay warm on this cold morning. On this day before Thanksgiving, while we were all grumbling about having to go to work, she had nowhere to go.

Before getting off the train to go to school, the girl gave the woman her gloves – a small offering, but necessary. I realized that the woman might get kicked off the train if she was caught riding without a ticket, so I gave her a few of mine. One of the other ladies gave her a few dollars to get a cup of coffee. She was so grateful for a little help, but I think what she appreciated most of all was the conversation. We all had tears in our eyes.

No matter what your politics, there is nothing more painful to see at the holidays than someone with no plans, no family, and no hope. So while you are enjoying this special time of year with those that you love, I encourage you to build in some time to help someone less fortunate. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, buy presents for children that otherwise might not get a visit from Santa, just say good morning to the person you would normally walk by without noticing. After all, isn’t that what the spirit of the season is all about?

Happy Holidays!