By Meredith Parker, account associate
On my favorite TV show of all time, The Office, the Party Planning Committee is responsible for commemorating personal and professional milestones for employees and the company. From the launch of a new website to baby showers to a Moroccan Christmas, they always utilize their creativity to bring everyone closer together.
At IMI, we have our own Party Planning Committee called the Fun Committee. In addition to coordinating the IMI Annual Meeting, planning the IMI Annual Christmas Party and recognizing employee birthdays, the Fun Committee is given the freedom to devise events throughout the calendar year to provide an opportunity for connection outside of the traditional workflow.
It was my pleasure to serve on the Fun Committee in 2017. As a final farewell to my time with this group, I would like to highlight the events completed during my tenure.
February 14: Valentine’s Day Goodies and Recipes Exchange
Inspired by the grade school tradition of bringing cards and bite-size candy to share with the class on Valentine’s Day, we asked IMI staff to bake bite-size sweet treats and bring the accompanying recipes. Then, we provided treat bags so everyone could gather the goodies and recipes of their choice. Each of us enjoyed satisfying our sweet tooth and celebrating a day about sharing love with people you care about.
March 13: IMI Annual Meeting at the NC Museum of History
Every year, IMI staff meets for a review of the previous year and a team-building activity. In 2017, we chose to meet at the event space in the North Carolina Museum of History. After completing the meeting, we broke into teams of 4-5 and did a Scavenger Hunt hosted by Motley Clue Adventures. We had to solve puzzles in teams to gather clues based on exhibits in the NC History Museum and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, which is across the street. It was hilarious seeing the competitive spirit displayed by each team and inspiring seeing how well everyone worked together.
Check out the photos below from our memorable day:
May 8: Duke Lemur Center
On a beautiful spring day, we visited the Duke Lemur Center, which is a sanctuary for many furry monkeys of the lemur species (and, notably for me, featured on the hit PBS TV Show Zoboomafu.) In reflecting on her experience, Lee Claassen, account manager, commented: “Not only was it a beautiful day and an awesome opportunity to get to know my colleagues outside the office setting, I was completely fascinated by the fuzzy little creatures. Who knew they came in so many sizes and colors and were giving researchers insights into human diseases like Alzheimer’s? As we toured the facility and the various enclosures, I got the sense that the lemurs were as interested in us as we were in them. It was a great learning experience and one worth repeating.”
I have to agree with Lee after capturing the below photo – doesn’t this lemur look like he’s posing for the camera?
June-August: Summer “Treat Yourself” Series
Our offices are located in Raleigh, N.C., and if you’ve visited here in the summer, you know that it is miserably hot and humid for the duration of the season. To provide a respite from this weather, we arranged for food trucks featuring icy treats to visit the office each month of the summer. First we had delicious homemade ice cream in flavors like Blackberry Hibiscus and Banana Nutella Waffle from Two Roosters Ice Cream. Then, we devoured sugary shaved ice from Kona Ice. Finally, we enjoyed flavorful soft serve concoctions when visited by Jam Soft Serve Ice Cream.
September 8: “Labor” Day Fiesta Baby Shower
Are you a fan of Dad jokes? We certainly are. When we discovered that one of our staff members was expecting, we knew that we wanted to throw a surprise baby shower and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have it around Labor Day (get it?). Anyway, we planned a baby shower inspired by the bright colors and delicious food featured at a Mexican Fiesta. In preparation, we enjoyed buying baby gifts and transforming our conference room with tissue paper flowers and cacti. Though our staff member was ultimately unable to make it to the surprise shower, our whole staff FaceTimed her from the vibrant party space and wished her our very best. We also saved cupcakes, presents and tissue paper flowers for her.
October 13: Pullen Park Family Picnic
One of our goals this year was to provide an event where we could spend time with each other’s families and close friends. So on a sunny Friday afternoon, we travelled to a local park to eat pulled pork barbeque and participate in giant Jenga, cornhole, and a photo scavenger hunt. Here are some of our favorite photos from this day:
November 16: Cocktail Hour to Honor Keith and Dick
It is important to us to highlight milestones for our staff, so when one of our staff members married his longtime partner in October, we hosted an after-work wine and cheese reception for them. I personally enjoyed the opportunity to both relax with coworkers and celebrate something so special.
November 29: Thanksgiving Breakfast
In the past, we have held a traditional potluck Thanksgiving dinner. This year, we decided to incorporate breakfast food into our event. As always, I was amazed at the variety and creativity of our staff: some highlights included cinnamon French toast, an oatmeal toppings bar and mimosas. I was pleased that, to me, this breakfast felt like a comfortable and low-key balance to the stress of the holiday season.
December 9: Staff Holiday Party at Coquette
For our formal holiday party, we traveled to Coquette, a French restaurant in North Raleigh, and partook in an intimate, delicious sit-down dinner. Though we couldn’t pronounce some of the menu items, we were delighted with how they tasted.
December 13: Around the World Holiday Party & Gift Card Roulette
In addition to our formal holiday party where we invite the significant others of staff, we also host a casual staff holiday party in the office. This year, the Fun Committee asked staff to get together in groups of 3-4 and pick a country to highlight. Each group then chose a space in the office for their “booth” and provided food and decorations for the selected country. In this event, we hosted Greece, Mexico, South Africa, Nigeria, New Zealand, France, and North America. Kimber Williams, account associate, commented: “It was really great to experience such a vast number of cultures from the comfort of our offices. And the food was really great too!” Kara Stachowiak, account associate, added: “I enjoyed the planning stage, which allowed me to learn more about a group of my coworkers, just as much as the event. The celebration was eye-opening as well. Many of our clients serve individuals throughout the world, yet it is easy to focus on the customs and traditions in our own areas. It was nice to learn about different cultural norms for holiday celebration and be reminded that there are many different ways to celebrate.”
I truly appreciate working in a space that values creativity, community and connection with each other. It was wonderful to share food, laughter and family with my IMI coworkers through Fun Committee events in 2017. I look forward to the next year of Fun Committee activities!
If you have any ideas for our 2018 adventures, feel free to comment below.
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