The best building activities for teams are the ones that help bear the burdens of our neighbors. Why? Because they bind our hearts to people outside the team itself, and in so doing they reveal the real hearts–sensibilities, gifts, and values–of each member of the team.
During this holiday season you and your colleagues can reach out to some of your cash-strapped neighbors and shoulder a part of their financial burden by participating in our Happy Tails Charitable Team Building Workshop–one of the best building activities for teams ever conceived. During an afternoon of friendly competition and team challenges, you’ll get better acquainted with your coworkers; and win pet care items to donate to a family of prospective pet-owners.
If you’re a pet-lover like me, you know that your beloved pooch or puss is as pricey as he is priceless. Last year pet-parents spent more than 60 billion dollars on their furry babies. At least 23 billion of those simoleons were for kibble, catnip, and other munchables.
Whether it’s a puppy, a kitten, a rabbit, or a Guinea pig, that first year of pet ownership can cost families between 1 and 2 thousand bucks. There’s a long list of budget-busting expenses and bills that can pile up when you become a pet parent.
For starters, before you get the little critter home, there are spaying or neutering, and medical exam fees. You may need a cage, crate, or kennel; food, water bowls, and placemats; along with blankets and bedding. If the fur baby is a “shedder,” you may need a lint roller and furniture slipcovers.
Depending on the layout of your home, you may also need a baby gate to protect the pet from injury—and to protect the house from the pet, especially the frisky ones. Speaking of which, training and housebreaking can be expensive, but necessary investments, as well. Your city government may require you to get a license. There are even medical insurance policies for pets now! Scratching posts; litter boxes; leashes; grooming brushes; even toothpaste and toothbrushes–the list and the costs can seem endless.
No chew toy should chew a hole in a family’s budget, right? These costs often discourage families from pet adoption. That’s where you come in: you can deliver a pet-care package to a local animal shelter which will happily hand off your gift to a family who needs some financial support to make that big commitment.
Your donation of toys, treats, training pads, leashes, and other pet paraphernalia will make sure the family-pet honeymoon doesn’t turn into a nightmare. Building activities for teams like our Happy Tails Charitable Team Building Workshop, are a perfect way to celebrate the holiday season and bring cheer to a family in your community.