Monday FunDay: Love Is Spelled…B-I-N-G-O
While the ExactHire team has enjoyed a somewhat mild winter this year, February in Indianapolis is still a time to hunker down and indulge in some tried and true indoor activities. February’s Monday FunDay was no exception.
ExactHire’s Fun Committee (Yes, that is the official name; and, yes, I am a member of it.) channelled childhood memories of Valentine’s Day parties for this month’s event. What ideas came to mind?
- Cupid…a Nerf bow and arrow contest perhaps?
- Greeting Cards…ExactHire craft time, anyone?
- Candy…why not another sugary treat exchange?
- BINGO…saaaaay whaaat?
One childhood memory our committee had was of classroom bingo set to a Valentine’s theme. This means that the board contains words of love, affection, and secret admiration. And the markers are pieces of cheap, questionable candy. A fine memory indeed. But what could we add to this event to take it over the top?
Winner takes The Golden Vase, of course. Bingo! We had our Monday Funday competition.
The following story is based on real events and names. The emotions, actions, sounds, and details in general have been changed to dramatize an otherwise pleasant game of bingo. Reader discretion is advised.
Dawn
The morning leading up to February’s FunDay showdown was tense. The previous month’s event saw Jess triumphantly reclaim the Golden Vase back from Jeff, who had been parading the trophy around since the New Year began. But Jess’s return to glory was not universally acclaimed.
You see, some members of the team took issue with Jess’s victory in the January competition, which was billed as a snowball toss, but in actuality resembled a game of beer pong (minus the beer). “Weeks of preparation wasted!” The disgruntled losers had cried.
And so chit-chat was minimal while we worked through the morning’s company-wide meeting. Game faces were firmly fixed as we ate our lunches in silence. The ExactHire team had a game, and bingo was it’s name-oh.
B…I…N…G…O.
The game got off to a rocky start when it was quickly realized that very few of the words being drawn matched any of the words on our boards. Boos and hisses snuck out the corners of anonymous mouths. An uneasiness settled over the conference table.
Sensing the unrest and impending fisticuffs, Darythe (Fun Committee Chair and Bingo M.C.) promptly tossed her “random word” list and grabbed the “winning words” list. A fateful decision!
For as she uttered the words, Jeff–the promenading pariah from January–smiled with glee, marking box after box, and coming oh so close to completing his B-I-N-G-O.
But Jess and Randi were also quickly putting together winning lines of their own. Two-time champ, Allen, was in the mix too. Meanwhile, I was questioning the legitimacy of my board.
It seemed to be neck and neck–as far as bingo goes. Giddy giggles and nervous flailing of hands began to accompany each call. The winner would soon be named. And then, it happened.
“BINGO!”
The Aftermath
Jeff stood, hands outstretched above his head, a beaming, triumphant smile. Following his “YES! Whoo-hoo,” the room went silent. Jeff’s eyes glazed over with visions of the Golden Vase.
One-by-one, the ExactHire team members filed out the door, heads lowered, sour tastes in their mouths–likely due to the questionable candy. Only Jeff remained. A man alone with his vase.
“Sweet,” he softly remarked.
Yes, Jeff, if only for the bitterness of defeat.
Monday Funday is one way in which ExactHire seeks to build and grow a fun work culture. Each month–on a Monday of course–we recognize the workiversaries and birthdays of our team. We also participate in creative competitions that sometimes turn fierce.
We will share recaps of these events via our blog in an effort to spread the word that Monday can be a fun day. But we also want to know how you have FUN at your workplace too. So add that in the comment section below. Our Fun Committee is always looking for ideas!
