“The ocean is warming up, hurricanes are more common, and with the coral reefs struggling, this causes more damage,” said Roxane Boonstra, recreational dive program manager for Key Largo’s The Coral Restoration Foundation.
In response, the foundation takes certified divers to Rainbow Reef to plant coral. Boonstra spends the morning educating a group, talking about how in the past 30 years we have depleted the reefs in the Atlantic Ocean by 90 percent to 95 percent. She then guides the group to the nursery for the coral and takes the divers out onto the reef. For divers not certified, they are welcome to snorkel and watch divers replace coral. Groups can charter a boat for a day and each pay a $50 fee.
“It’s a great way for people to see the structural degradation and see why it’s so important to try and restore the reef,” Boonstra said.
In Key West, groups with a giving spirit can also find ample volunteer opportunities on dry land. Louisville, Ky.-based Brown-Forman Corporation is one of the largest American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business. Each year during its incentive awards program the company includes a volunteer project. When the group was in
Key West a few years back, it worked with Habitat for Humanity. Twenty incentive winners participated in a home-build.
“It was the highlight of their trip,” said Karen Krinock, employee volunteer and civic engagement manager for Brown-Forman.
“We not only like to go to incredible destinations for our incentive trips, but we think it’s important to give back to these communities,” said Kristy Brown, Brown-Forman’s manager for meetings and events. “We think a lot of our participants then go back to their own communities and volunteer.”
About 20 employees helped build a home in Key West, and at the final night awards dinner the video of the group was shown.
“It really is a great teambuilding activity for our group; one they really enjoy doing. I think more and more companies are starting to do these types of activities,” Brown said.
What’s her advice after a day of building with Habitat?
“Keep the evening light; they are exhausted.”
