Rolling into Fun at SSI
Hello everyone! I’m Madeline, one of the summer interns here at Solution Systems, and I am thrilled to share my experience from our recent company outing! This year we all took a trip to Pinstripes for a bocce ball tournament, which gets way more competitive than you think…
In the weeks leading up to this tournament, there were people chirping all around the office. It is evident that success in these company events commands respect from peers, which I can appreciate as a generally competitive spirit. Each year's custom trophies validate my understanding of the stakes involved. Each previous victor made sure that their past achievement, or achievements, sat loud and proud in full view in their workspace. This was quite the intimidation factor if you ask me, who only has a large, framed photograph of a realistic cat making sushi behind my desk. Thank you, Mark.
After half a day of working in our office, we all headed off to the tournament just in time for lunch. Our superb office coordinator, Maribel, has the most incredible selection of food waiting for us upon arrival. This vast array of food had everyone in a wonderful mood. I was overwhelmed with the amazing food. Each dish was absolutely delicious, from the mini burgers to the freshly made bruschetta to the perfectly marinated chicken. Our excellent wait staff was constantly walking around ensuring that every person had just what they needed to get settled, whether that be a fresh plate or another special margarita! This was Maribel’s first outing that she coordinated all on her own. She expressed, “I think the famous phrase of that day was how much fun the event and food were. So being my first event that I coordinated, I was pleased to see everyone enjoying the food selection and being able to mingle with everyone." Upon arrival, I sat next to Maribel, and it was clear the amount of care she put into this event.
I was thrilled to see all the faces that I had never seen before or had only met once! I am currently working on a project that focuses on getting to know employees at SSI, and it was extremely beneficial for me to match everyone’s names to faces. Once I settled into my table during the meal, I truly felt a sense of belonging. This company has gathered up an amazing group of people, and I loved getting to know them all outside of the professional setting.
After a satisfactory amount of time eating, it was time to randomly select the teams. Maribel organized everyone's names into a paper folder and instructed various individuals to select each team's name to prevent any suspicion of foul play. As I mentioned earlier, this event is not to be taken lightly. Naturally, she asked me to pick Team 1 as I was sitting just to her left. I pulled out the first name, Keith. Alright Keith, strong start. Next, I picked Ken. Wow okay! Finally, due to the odd number of attendees, I selected Obaid's name for the team of three. The look of disbelief covered everyone’s faces as I realized that Ken and Obaid were the reigning champions in Solution Systems Bocce Ball. This was going to be good. Of course, after that pick I was not asked to pick another team, but you know, it made sense with that little fantasy bocce ball team I crafted up.
Rick and I formed a team and began warming up on one of the open courts. He was telling me how I was going to have to carry our team, and I had to break the news to him that I had never played and found out how to play only about 10 minutes before warming up. I guess you could say I had beginners’ luck though because on my first practice roll, my ball went right up to that tiny little silver ball in the distance.
After waiting for some time, Rick and I had to go against Keith, Ken, and Obaid, who had been winning with notable scores. The game was competitive but lighthearted, and the vibes were good. I know I mentioned how people get competitive and take the game seriously, but this group is extremely sportsmanlike and was just there to have a good time. I had a lot of fun playing, and I was just happy to be there. We ended up losing to this team of three, but that’s alright with me because these three ended up winning the entire tournament, so they had my respect.
The enthusiasm from everyone made it clear that this tournament was a huge hit. Another intern, Ed Nawrocki, noted, “I had a good time at the outing last week. It was a great opportunity to meet some of the other employees I wouldn’t normally get a chance to see outside of the monthly staff meeting. It’s clear that Solution Systems makes the wellbeing of their employees a high priority." SSI has done a phenomenal job at providing a great experience for its employees, as well as interns.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to have this fantastic day on this outing. It was refreshing to step away from my usual routine to connect with colleagues in that setting. It’s unforgettable moments like this that show the importance of strengthening team spirit and unifying different roles in the workplace. The camaraderie and unique relationships throughout were a perfect representation of the success that flows throughout this company. Thank you to everyone at SSI for an incredible summer!!
