There’s no better way to build communication skills than to be one of a group of 6 people trying to assemble a wheelchair! AccentCare hosted a day-long event for its staff that concluded with Magnovo’s WheelCharity™. The company hoped to help employees, who are health care workers that typically work remotely, bond. They also hoped employees would learn to improve information and resource sharing.
A Productive Day in San Antonio, TX
AccentCare’s event planners could not have ordered up a more beautiful day. Folks showed up with sunny smiles and ready to get to work. Because most of the 50 participants didn’t work together in-person on a regular basis, we opened with a few quick ice-breakers, and then we assigned folks to eight teams. Teams played games and worked to overcome more than a few challenges we threw at them. Successful teams earned the parts necessary for putting together a wheelchair. Once teams earned their parts, they commenced with assembly. But we still had a few tricks up our sleeve to encourage creativity and problem-solving!
WheelCharity™ Makes Learning Fun
Each of the activities, from Flip Cup to Group Writing to Wordles, offered participants the opportunity to work together and be good communicators through guided trial and error, instead of listening to us talk about how to be a good communicator. Laughter and cheers filled the ballroom of the Embassy Suites Riverwalk in San Antonio. Once the wheelchairs were completed, everyone had a chance to write a personal note of encouragement as we prepped the chairs for delivery to Soldiers’ Angels, a local nonprofit agency.
AccentCare Helps Soldiers’ Angels Aid Returning American Veterans
We invited David Campos and Heather Krauss, representatives of Soldiers’ Angels to come and accept the donated wheelchairs. Mr. Campos happily spoke to the group, telling us that Soldiers’ Angels supports active duty military service members and their families, as well as returning soldiers and veterans. Their help comes in the form of letters and care packages for those serving overseas or baby shower items for families at home; veterans in need receive food assistance, while those in VA medical facilities may receive visits from Soldiers’ Angels volunteers. One of the ways that the group helps veterans is by providing wheelchairs, like the ones put together by AccentCare teams.
Mr. Campos shared a few stories of the veterans who have received wheelchairs from the group and how that mobility has changed their lives. Several of the AccentCare team members got a little teary; some of the folks they helped as part of their day-to-day responsibilities were elderly veterans. As the workshop wound down, there were many hugs and lots of photos taken. These employees started off their day as a group and finished the Wheelcharity™ workshop as a team.