PEANUT ISLAND

Who knew you could find so much to do on one tiny little man made island! In the past, Peanut Island was used as a JFK Cuban Missile Crisis Bunker and a Coast Guard Station. Over the years it has shifted into a public park with lots to do. With over 20 campsites, a picnic area, and the Maritime Museum; Peanut Island has become the place to play! On either side of the inlet you can find dining, shopping, and lodging, making this the perfect destination for your next teambuilding event. Recently we had a client looking to host a teambuilding program, but wanted it to be something out of the ordinary, out of the office, and out of this world. We made the suggestion to take this group to Peanut Island for a Kayak Teambuilding. Of course, a day on the water seemed like the perfect thing for this group to do, Paragon got to work! A plan was in place, and time to execute the fun. As everyone gathered at the marina you could tell that the excitement was building. Teams had been pre-selected and believe me; it only got more interesting as the pairs found out who their kayak mate would be. The guides gave some instruction and after that they were off! The group participated in team challenges while in the water and surprisingly…no one ended up in the inlet! Once the group arrived at Peanut Island Park they had some refreshments and of course more teambuilding! The dynamics of the activity changed drastically, in the water they all seemed to be somewhat “in the same boat” no one knew really what to expect, but once their feet touched land it was a whole new ball game….literally. By the end of the program you could tell that the group had a whole new outlook on work. They had faced challenges together, come up with solutions together, and had fun with each other. A true teambuilding success story!

OUR PLANNERS APPROACH TO A BETTER RFP"

Profile - Include information about your company or organization sponsoring the event (let us know if you do not want your company name mentioned, if confidentiality is required).     Space - We do the homework and ask the pertinent questions of your event to anticipate growth and/or attrition in attendance from the previous year or event.  History - We include a history of the event, such as where it was held before, how many rooms were used, the specs on your concession requests, etc.  We also recommend additional concessions you might not have considered.  Key Specs - Specs for F&B and A/V must be very detailed, including setup times between events and desired pre-set time

CAN SOME BUSINESSES BE BOOMING?

 “Digging the Future,” an article within Small Market Meetings magazine, has recently stated that “many meeting venues in small cities are forging ahead by expanding their facilities and building new ones.” Small meeting facilities continue to grow and renovate not only because of the constant pent-up demand, but with the downturn in the economy, supplies and labour costs have become more affordable, giving these business owners more options than they have had in years.  Building and meeting rooms that were once in disrepair now have the ability to get a makeover at a fair price. Adding space onto rooms is not as costly as it once was, making building expansion a viable option. Though such repairs mean daily construction, business has not been lost nor slowed. “Even as people booked three years ago, they knew every step of the way there would be inconveniences,” said Mark Barker, President of the City Centre Authority in Saratoga.  And with such inconveniences, customers will be given certain considerations in exchange, making people more apt to booking with these facilities. With the economy going the way it is, being given certain considerations in exchange for one’s business is vital to the growth of our economy as well as keeping businesses alive.