It may have been a chilly spring day in the Northeast but the employees of Philadelphia Insurance Companies were full of warmth as they prepared wagons as part of a charity team building workshop.

Philadelphia Insurance Companies Kicks Off Event in Philadelphia, PA

Members of the Philadelphia Insurance Companies team who met at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue were really energetic and excited to carry out the Wagon Builders™ workshop. Because these 50 people work in offices across the country, they don’t get to connect in person very often. This was a great opportunity for them to improve camaraderie and boost communication skills as a unified group.

The company already had contacts at the American Diabetes Association, and so they wanted to donate their wagons to the children who attended the American Diabetes Association’s summer camp. Having such a close connection to a cause dear to the organization really motivated folks to give their all.

Wagon Builders™ Gets Underway

Our 2-hour workshop had three main parts: build the wagon, decorate the wagon, and fill the wagon. We arranged folks into several teams, and teams earned the wagon parts for assembly through games. A little friendly competition kept things interesting! These activities were designed to improve folks’ communication and teamwork skills.

Then, everyone got to work putting their teams’ wagons together, followed by packing each wagon with books, toys, and more. There was a slight interruption as one of the tables the hotel provided broke, but we quickly made adjustments and moved on. Everyone took it in stride, and we had just enough time left over for folks to take “wagon selfies”! Folks had a good time and also learned valuable strategies for working smarter with off-site colleagues.

Helping the American Diabetes Association

To bring the Wagon Builders™ charity team building workshop full circle, we invited someone from the charity to attend the conclusion of our event. Everyone was pleased to see Kevin J. Kelly, Ed.D., from the American Diabetes Association. We were fortunate to have him come and accept the donated wagons. He spoke to the group about the organization and the work they did helping educate and serve people with diabetes. He also shared stories about the group’s summer camp program and how it helped kids. It was a great way to wrap up the Wagon Builders™ event and provide participants with a personal connection to the cause they worked so hard for.