Galveston’s outdoor and historic attributes can be utilized for team-building events that will give groups a chance to experience the island’s recreational choices and chip in with community improvement projects.
A treasure hunt in Galveston’s historic downtown can encourage team building and fun pursuits. The Galveston Island CVB has prepared one for groups that includes the new Pirates! Legends of the Gulf Coast. Contact the CVB (www.galveston.com/cvb) or the museum (www.piratesgulfcoast.com) for information.
Groups wishing to give back to the community might consider beach cleanup or restoration work with Galveston Bay Foundation for a team building activity (www.galvbay.org). Julie Mintzer, director of community programs for the foundation, says inquiries are welcome about projects the group may be planning, especially for spring and fall seasons.
“The foundation’s mission is to preserve, protect and enhance the natural resources of Galveston Bay,” she says. “So we occasionally organize projects for 20 to 50 people, like beach cleanup, planting marsh grasses in the bay and building breakwater fences.”
Other team-building options include offshore fishing tournaments and sandcastle-building contests. Charter fishing boats take groups out for a couple of hours, a half day or a full day. (www.galveston.com/fishingcharters). For groups wishing to try sandcastle-building, expert builders will teach attendees the basics, then load them up with buckets, cups, shovels, cookie cutters and other “surprise” tools to inspire creativity.
Meanwhile, Adventure Associates (www.adventureassoc.com) offers boat-building contests that can be done in the Gulf or a hotel pool, according to Bill Jacox, director of the firm.
“There’s really no limit to the number of people we can accommodate with this activity,” he says. “We divide the larger group into teams of four or five people, give them duct tape, cardboard and a mandate to create a self-propelled craft. Then we do several timed heats to see who can make it to the finish line.”
Along with the building materials come designated goals teams must attain. The experience can encourage trust and bonding among team members, Jacox adds, especially among people who may not know each other.
“We’ve found this kind of team building to be very successful for building relationships among people who come from companies that have merged into a new one,” he says.
