Time goes so quickly. We lower our heads, do the work, attend the meetings, activities, and events, and before we know it, weeks, months, and even years have passed.
That is why I have always believed it is important to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and milestones. These moments give us an opportunity to pause and reflect on how far we have come, celebrate what we have accomplished, and look forward to what lies ahead.
How We Celebrate
At the end of May, Around The Corner Productions celebrated its 20th anniversary with a company retreat at Camp Pine Lake. All full-time staff members and their families were invited to join us for a two-day event filled with many of the experiences you would expect from a summer camp adventure.
We played games, embarked on a three-hour canoe trip down the Iowa River, skipped rocks along the shoreline, some tried their best to catch fish, and enjoyed an exhilarating zip-line adventure through the trees. We made homemade pizzas, ate ice cream, roasted marshmallows around the campfire, slept in cabins, and shared popcorn while watching some of our favorite videos that we had created both as individuals and as a company.
The weather was perfect, and spending time together outside the walls of the office, surrounded by the beauty of nature, created an ideal environment for building deeper relationships beyond the workplace.
My Highlights
One of the best parts of the retreat was that there was no discussion about work. The focus was simply on having fun, celebrating our journey, and enjoying time together. You know an event has been successful when people are packing up to leave and saying, “We need to make this an annual tradition!”
I am incredibly grateful to the planning committee of Jack, Prushia, and Devin for organizing all of the logistics that made this retreat possible. Special thanks also go to Camp Pine Lake Director Betsy Kuecker, who devoted so much time and energy to making our weekend memorable. We were fortunate to have support from wonderful volunteers like Steven Brunk, the individuals who prepared meals, and those who helped with the zip-line course.
Some of my favorite photos from our team’s retreat at Camp Pine Lake.
Why it Matters
As I drove away from Camp Pine Lake with my wife and three children, my heart was full. I knew we had accomplished something special while celebrating an important milestone in our company’s history.
Around The Corner Productions is a video production company, but it has always been a business built around people. We have an incredible team, and I could not be more proud of what we have built together over the past 20 years.
The retreat reminded me that while the work we do is important, the relationships we build along the way are what make the journey truly meaningful. That is why I am excited for the future!
Jack’s wife Jeane going down the longest zipline.