Who's Ready for the 2020 Des Moines Corporate Games?
The 2019 Des Moines Corporate Games, held this past summer in Greater Des Moines (DSM), was one of the best experiences I’ve had with my co-workers during my time at Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLBDM). It was our first year participating in the Corporate Games, and, boy, did we have a blast! As the lead organizer and recruiter for my organization, I can confidently say that every conversation I had with my coworkers during the months of May, June and July started with the same question: “Have you heard about the Des Moines Corporate Games?”
I’m proud of the fact that the Bank is a strong supporter of wellness-related activities, and I knew the Corporate Games was a great opportunity for FHLBDM to get people excited about this event, we held a kick-off session, where Des Moines Corporate Games Director Matt Beatty shared more about the event. The rest, as they say, is history.
With more than 20 competitive games, there was something for everyone — from trivia to drinking water to an intense round of tug-o-war (from which my arms are still recovering). I met many professionals from other organizations, plus I was able to meet and get to know coworkers I don’t regularly see in the office — and witness their talents first-hand!
Making Memories, Building Camaraderie
The most notable memory for me is the track and field meet at Drake Stadium. Track was my forte in high school, and I absolutely loved — LOVED — the excitement of hearing the gun go off and cheering on my teammates. The day before the event, our entire team had butterflies in our stomachs just thinking about our upcoming events. We were that serious about it. I even had a coworker lend me her daughter’s track spikes. Things were getting real.
Upon arriving at the stadium, our team was full of energy and hit the track running — hard! Approximately 30 medals later (including awarded hardware in both the 4x100 and 4x400 team relays) — we took a final team lap and couldn’t stop talking about how much fun we had just had. It felt like high school all over again, and I was so incredibly proud to be on such an amazing and supportive team.
As the events progressed, our organization remained in the running to take first place in our division. While I’ve never thought of myself as a competitive person, my competitive juices were flowing.
We found ourselves in a hard-fought battle with a competitor that was undefeated in our division. Our second-place finish didn’t diminish our drive in the final and most intense event of all.
Have any of you ever participated in a tug-o-war with the CEO of your organization? I am proud to say that I have. Mike Wilson is an amazing guy who participated in many 2019 Corporate Games events, showcasing our Bank’s commitment to wellness and teamwork. Even with less-than-ideal weather, he showed up to the tug-o-war event ready and willing to fight the good fight, giving it his all, even allowing me to trample him as we both fell to the ground, unable to get back up.
While we didn’t win our division, we celebrated our successes with our own closing ceremony, handing out numerous awards to participants. And get this: Mike will be retiring next year, but we’ve already recruited him for the 2020 Corporate Games. We’ll be stepping up our game, so watch out teams in our division!
Interested in participating in the 2020 Des Moines Corporate Games? Registration is now open. The company registration deadline is March 1, 2020.
Tristan Habibi
Tristan Habibi is associate director of accounting policy at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines. She's been with the Bank for 11 years and is an active member on its Wellness Council. Tristan is a graduate from the University of Northern Iowa.