Look at these happy campers who got to Clean the World before PCMA's Annual Convening Leaders 2013 meeting in Orlando this week. We did a similar activity last spring with our Pharma Forum 2012, and it was an amazing (if slightly gross at times) experience to prepare lightly used soap bars and shampoo bottles donated by hotels for redistribution to help prevent deaths caused by hygiene-related illnesses around the world.
PCMA attendees put together hygiene kits, which were donated to the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida. We did that too, which was much less gross than scraping the gunk off used soap bars (CtW does provide gloves). It not only reduces waste and helps keep people healthier, but it's also a lot of fun, and you do get to know your fellow soap-scrapers and kit-stuffers in a way you wouldn't otherwise.
PCMA also was kind enough to send along this photo for those of us who couldn't be there this year:
These happy, shiny people are, from left to right: Kathy Canning, executive director of the Orange County Convention Center; Deborah Sexton, president & CEO PCMA; Gary Cain, president Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida; Tammi Runzler, vice president of convention sales and service, Visit Orlando; and Sherrif Karamat, chief operating officer, PCMA, prepare to enter Party with a Purpose, the annual fundraiser connected to PCMA’s Annual Meeting—Convening Leaders.
It sounds like they got a good turnout for the Party, too, with more than 1,500 attendees partying at Hard Rock Live Orlando! on Monday night to generate funds for the PCMA Education Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, and PCMA’s Network for the Needy. A check for $25,000 was presented to the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida during the next day's general session, according to a press release.
Do you incorporate some sort of corporate social responsibility activity into your meetings? If so, what type (on site or off? During the meeting or pre- or post? Hands-on or donation based?) do you find resonates most with your attendees? I'm sure it varies, depending on who they are and why they're meeting, but any insights you have to share, I'd love to hear.