http://www.delawanaconferenceresort.com/centre/blog/index/ en lisa@delawana.com Copyright 2010 2010-05-07T17:49:22+00:00 http://www.delawanaconferenceresort.com/centre/site/small-little-steps-add-up-to-big-change/ http://www.delawanaconferenceresort.com/centre/site/small-little-steps-add-up-to-big-change/#When:17:49:22Z Spring has arrived and that means the shutters are about to swing open for another glorious season at the Delawana Inn Spa & Conference Resort on Georgian Bay.  We’ve been busy over the winter.  In fact when sitting down and reviewing our “green” perspectives and corporate responsibility at the resort, we have in fact been making some great strides in pledging our commitment to the environment and community that surrounds us.  We’ve been quite passive and quiet about broadcasting and sharing our efforts.  And, for some unknown reason have just casually been making a conscious effort, one department at a time, without anyone really knowing… at times, even us!!  It’s another testament to our passion for making the resort a better place of business and a better environment for our guests.  I guess you could say it comes naturally to us! Now obviously, it is impossible for an organization to become ‘green’ overnight.  However, we do believe that every opportunity that is feasible at the time should be considered and implemented.  So, recently I thought I would just start writing down some of the great initiatives we’ve accomplished silently over the past year or so and I thought I would share them with you… Our entire resort uses energy efficient light bulbs Onsite Recycling Program - Recycling bins are located in multiple, convenient and visible locations Resort wide Towel/Linen Reuse Program in all the rooms Low Flow Showerheads in all the rooms Reusable Cups, Dishes, & Cloth Napkins in our food & beverage departments Beverages at coffee breaks are served in bulk Eliminated individual bottled water in meeting rooms – large water jugs are used Use of Fair Trade Coffee in all food and beverage outlets Most condiments are from refillable bulk containers Food Waste – supplied to local pig farmer as food for the pigs Oil Waste – supplied to local engineer for heating his house Old furniture products are given new life by offering them free of charge to families in need Reusable and recyclable take-out containers are used in all food & beverage outlets Packaging is minimized by buying products in bulk Guests are offered complimentary loaner bicycles to enjoy during their stay Utilize local guides and suppliers to maximize economic benefits for our community and region We incorporate national park visits into our itineraries.  Guest fees to the park are paid by the Delawana Inn Spa & Conference Resort and help support park upkeep and conservation projects, which in turn help to preserve our natural heritage We support the local community by providing jobs to residents and developing projects that improve the quality of life for locals We contribute to the community by donating to local charities dedicated to the preservation of Canadian wildlife as well as events like Midland Bike Day that supports healthy, green comminities We educate our guests on local flora & fauna, wildlife, species, habitats and wetlands through our partnership programs with the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre Old towels and bedding are donated to the OSPCA wildlife rehabilitation program We consistently monitor water quality We’ve introduced the Trees Ontario Program – for all our meeting and events held at the resort, the Delawana Inn Spa & Conference Resort supports the efforts of Trees Ontario in helping organizations take the necessary steps to officially designate their meetings or events as being “green.” We encourage organizations to help offset their environmental footprint by participating in a Trees Ontario program Our suppliers of fish and seafood are Ocean Wise certified.  Ocean Wise is a Vancouver Aquarium conservation program created to educate and empower restaurants and their customers about the issues surrounding sustainable seafood We’re not making all these small step changes for accolades!  Being on the shores of Georgian Bay we see and experience the beauty and wonder of our surroundings everyday.  Being responsible and sustainable should not be considered a chore or errand.  It is a dedicated duty to insure that our environment is nurtured and cared for.  Better yet, perhaps we should consider it a contractual obligation with ‘Mother Nature’ in the fact that we are really just leasing HER land.  In addition to our ongoing development of our ‘green’ initiatives the Delawana Inn Spa & Conference Resort also supports the following: 2005 - 2015: Water for Life Decade - The Delawana Inn Conference Centre proudly supports the UN in the International Decade for Action in Water for Life. 2010 - Year of Biodiversity- The Delawana Inn Conference Centre proudly supports the UN in the 2010 Year of Biodiversity. Georgian Bay Littoral Biosphere - With extreme diversity in plant and wildlife ‘The Thirty Thousand Islands’ is a complex association of bays, inlets, sounds, islands and shoals lying along the edge of the Canadian Shield bedrock. In 2004 UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization) designated the area as a Biosphere Reserve. And just one more little tidbit of how we help… Supporting Our Troops For the fifth year in a row, the Delawana Inn Conference Centre is pleased to provide Base Borden Military and Borden Family Resource Centre - Family Separation and Reunion Services, ten complimentary weekends for returning service personnel and their families. The complimentary weekends are distributed to families of troops who have recently returned from serving in foreign destinations including Afghanistan. Now, I’m sure I haven’t covered everything, and I’m sure as the season progresses, we will continue to add to our list of ‘green’ initiatives and corporate responsibilities.  Many small steps will lead to big change – and we’re proud of our small steps, as is Mother Nature I’m sure! Lisa Lauder Sales & Marketing Manager       General 2010-05-07T17:49:22+00:00 http://www.delawanaconferenceresort.com/centre/site/how-training-and-teambuilding-impact-your-bottom-line/ http://www.delawanaconferenceresort.com/centre/site/how-training-and-teambuilding-impact-your-bottom-line/#When:16:03:41Z Scott Kress, president of Summit Training and Frontier Teambuilding is a professional trainer and EMBA Professor. Scott has graciously offered us the opportunity to share his thoughts and talk about how he is often asked why corporations should engage in training and team building. As a practitioner, he firmly believes in the importance of training and team building and has seen countless success stories over his 20 years as a trainer. However, not everyone has the same point of view. Hence, this is why training and team building are usually among the first budgets to get cut when times get tough. Scott would like to argue that these are exactly the budgets that should be doubled in challenging times. We are starting to pull out of this current recession and enter a recovery mode and those companies that really focused on developing their people during the down-turn are poised to take advantage of the rebound effect. A study by McGraw-Hill revealed that companies that maintained focus on people and marketing during a recession realized a 275% rebound when the economy recovered. Those that cut spending to people and marketing only saw a 19% rebound from their low point. Even if you did cut back, it is not too late. You can still grab the tail of this train as it leaves the station. Now is the ideal time to get your people poised and motivated to take advantage of what will soon be a quickly recovering economy. Even during good times it is difficult to keep teams performing, leaders focused, and individuals motivated. In a recent study by the Hay Group, only 15% of employees said they felt they worked in a high trust environment. What might this look like now after all the layoffs and cutbacks? Economy aside, this same study revealed that:   • Only 20% of employees understood how their role contributed to the overall goal   • Only 17% felt their organization fostered open communication   • Only 37% understood the company vision   • Only 20% were enthusiastic about company goals, and   • Only 50% were satisfied with work accomplished at the end of a week We all know that just by putting experienced individuals together does not guarantee that you will get a high performance team. As Scott says in his Mount Everest keynote, there are no shortcuts to the top. Jack Welsh wrote in his book ‘Winning’ that, “Training motivates people by showing them a way to grow, that the company cares, and that they have a future.” A further study revealed that in order to get commitment from an employee they must know what to do, how to do it, why they need to do it, and they need to feel an emotional connection to their job and to the company. Training and team building help in all of these areas. Engaging in training and team building has also been shown to lower work related stress and key staff turnover, and to increase work satisfaction, team problem solving, work engagement, productivity and customer service. The question you should be asking is not how much the training or team building will cost, but what is the cost to your bottom line if you do not do it. Teambuilding 2010-03-05T16:03:41+00:00 http://www.delawanaconferenceresort.com/centre/site/welcome-to-the-delawana-inn-conference-centres-new-blog/ http://www.delawanaconferenceresort.com/centre/site/welcome-to-the-delawana-inn-conference-centres-new-blog/#When:19:01:02Z Hello, and welcome to the Delawana Inn Conference Centre’s new blog.  It’s an exciting time at the resort with the launch of our new corporate website and all the preparations taking place for our 2010 season - which I’m happy to report looks like it will be very successful. For 113 years the Delawana Inn Conference Centre has graced the shores and sparking waters of Georgian Bay – we have an historic past, a strong present, and a sustainable future that will continue to grow with the relationships we nurture.  Our new blog offers us yet another social avenue to build these relationships and provide our valued clients with up to the date information about our beautiful Muskoka resort.  You’ll get great insight as to all the news, exciting events and happenings going on at the resort throughout the season.  We’ll let you know about the conferences and meetings taking place and what programs continue to prove to be valuable to our clients.  We’ll introduce you to new opportunities and we’ll provide you with feedback as to what our clients are telling us. Stay tuned and check in often with us….as you don’t want to miss anything our great resort can offer for your next offsite meeting or event.  And of course, if you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me directly at 1-888-335-2926 – it’s always a pleasure to speak with our guests – past, present and future! Lisa Lauder Sales & Marketing Manager General 2010-01-26T19:01:02+00:00 http://www.delawanaconferenceresort.com/centre/site/but_i_thought_you_were_just_a_family_resort/ http://www.delawanaconferenceresort.com/centre/site/but_i_thought_you_were_just_a_family_resort/#When:19:15:26Z “Wow, if I had a quarter for every time someone said that to me” says Lisa Lauder, Sales & Marketing Manager.  “Yes, we are very proud to have been selected Canada’s #1 Summer Family Resort for the past 5 years in a row - it’s a great honour and a wonderful testament to our success.  But that’s not all we do!  Our specialty is conferences and business meetings for four out of the six months we are open.” Did you know…? • We offer no hassle, no risk, complete meeting packages with up to $10,000.00 in additional booking incentives. • We’ve waived all room attrition. • We offer complimentary onsite golf, bonfires and boat cruises. • We have an extensive list of onsite teambuilding programs. • We have the full service Wanakita Wellness Spa onsite - perfect for individual treatments, spousal and incentive programs. • We are located only 90 minutes north of Toronto. • We are the largest conference facility on Georgian Bay, offering meeting space and accommodation for up to 450 people. • We’re located in a United Nations Biosphere Reserve and are Eco-Aware in everything we do. • Companies like IBM, CIBC, Government of Canada, Bell Canada, Telus Mobility and many, many more corporations and associations have used our facilities for meetings and conferences…..and have come back to enjoy our resort on numerous occasions. • We support our troops by providing 11 complimentary weekends to returning service personnel and their families to get reacquainted and spend some quality time together. So the next time your company is looking to hold a productive and inspiring conference, business meeting, retreat or corporate fun day….. We simply ask that you consider our beautiful Muskoka resort for your next offsite event. For a detailed quote and some creative ideas for your next event call the Corporate Sales Team at 1-888-335-2926.   E-Newsletters 2010-01-25T19:15:26+00:00