Shew! It’s been a crazy summer! I hope nobody has stopped production waiting on a Days of Summer update. A quick apology goes out to all the faithful followers of the happenings in Blacksburg. Now, let’s get to the good stuff – what have we been up to? No, we haven’t given up, we are still going strong. Let’s get everyone updated!
Week 5 – Has anyone been to a preschool classroom lately? Rackers got to revisit their younger days with an afternoon snack of milk and cookies. We had seasonal fruit and a small Fourth of July celebration featuring ice pops, sparklers and the little things that pop when you throw them (not sure what those are called).
Our entertainment for the week came from a piñata! After working with Judith and Antoine in a very strategic fashion, we got that sucker filled with candy, hung and let people vent a little frustration by taking whacks at it! The highlight of the week came from Cold Stone Creamery. They setup a sundae bar, putting smiles on faces before our Open Book meeting. Can we say AWESOME?
Week 6 – Drinks, Drinks, Drinks! This week was full of liquid gold. So, we have been having some San Antonio –like weather here in the mountains of Virginia. To keep our Rackers refreshed, we served up piña coladas (coconut ice cream mixed with pineapple juice – delish) and a kiddie pool filled with beer! Lanham was featured on CNBC this week. So, what else would be appropriate but to tune in with a little popcorn and pretzels to enjoy the show.
Week 7 – We finally got a rainy day here. So, to allow employees for some relaxation, Judith and I ran out to Taco Bell and picked up Cinnamon Twists, which we also delivered. The office munched on dried fruits and nuts and had a summertime favorite – SMORES! And, we decided to try out a game recommended by Brian Hartsock (hate that he wasn’t here to see it).
The game goes like this: blow up a balloon, tie a string to it and tie it to your ankle. When we say go, it’s a free-for-all trying to pop everyone’s balloon. Last balloon standing wins! We weren’t too sure at first, but as usual, all participants’ competitive sides came out and we had an all out war! Way to go Jay Faulkner – the proud winner of a Starbucks gift card.
Week 8 – Of course we couldn’t just let the “Balloon on Foot” game go on just once. Employees were able to seek revenge on Jay with a rematch of this event. Same action, new winner. Nice work Naveed – recipient of a Cold Stone Creamery gift card.
Boxes of candy (think M & M’s, Twizzlers, Milk Duds – all the movie theater favorites) sparked an impromptu showing of 2001: A Space Odyssey . Another refreshing drink made the list – Cherry Limeades! Made with….wait for it….you guessed it….Sonic Ice!
Finally this week was rounded out with a Company Happy Hour. Judith and I passed out Dum-Dum suckers with tags attached reading “Don’t be a dum-dum, show up for Happy Hour.” Fun!
This rounds out an exciting 4 weeks. Glad to get everyone back in the loop. Stay tuned for what’s ahead. For the record – no event has been duplicated yet (unless you count the rematches we HAD to have) – new ideas keep on coming.
The Days of Summer forge ahead!
If you missed the previous posts, check them out here:
- Fanatical Days of Summer
- Fanatical Days of Summer – Sidewalk Chalk and Bubblegum
- Fanatical Days of Summer – Water Balloon Fights and Limbo
- Fanatical Days of Summer – Hula Hoops
Ashleigh started her career at Rackspace in 2009. She is part of the HR team in Blacksburg, working specifically on office management, culture and events. Ashleigh likes to help and support people, playing up her number one strength – Developer. She has found her role of making sure Rackers have the environment they need to be the most productive to be both fun and rewarding.
In her spare time, Ashleigh enjoys spending time with her awesome family – husband, Matt and children Lucas (3) and Savannah (3 months). She also loves to visit new places and coaches a high school tennis team.
