If you weren't at the Duck Pond and Botanical Quad on Thursday, July 30th, you missed a morning full of laughter, friendly competition, and one very adventurous duck.
The Employee Wellness team hosted its first official Employee Summer Carnival, which replaced the much loved Ducky Derby due to drought conditions. BYU faculty and staff turned out in force, with more than 300 employees and their family members stopping by throughout the event. The goal was simple: give campus a chance to slow down, connect with coworkers, and enjoy a little summer fun together.
There was plenty to do. Lawn games kept things lively with cornhole, ax throwing, a game of Giant Connect 4, and more, while an Egg-Spoon race and Hopper Ball race brought out everyone's competitive side. Popcorn and popsicles kept spirits (and energy levels) high under the shade of the Botanical Quad.
The talent show was a highlight of the day, featuring a bagpipe performance, musical and dance acts, a magic show, and even a live Rubik's Cube solve. Cosmo made an appearance to cheer on the fun, and a petting zoo gave employees a chance to unwind with some furry (and feathered) friends. A craft activity of make-your-own pinwheels rounded out the day's offerings. In the event's most memorable moment, a visiting duck briefly made a break for it before being safely rescued and returned to the petting zoo.
The day wrapped up with a raffle, and congratulations are in order for Emily Andersen, DNA Sequencing Center, and Jocelyn Hall, Language Sciences Lab, who each took home a BYU lawn chair.
None of this would have been possible without the volunteers who made it happen. Wellness advocates and HR student employees gave their time and energy to help pull off the carnival's many moving parts, from running game booths to keeping the talent show on schedule.
Feedback has been rolling in, and the response so far has been heartwarming. One attendee shared, "I loved the talent show. The axe throwing was fun. The popcorn was yummy. The shaded location was awesome." Another said, "I thought this year was so fun. ... I loved the pinwheels and I really loved the petting zoo. Having games with ribbons was fun too." Michelle Forstrom from the Harold B. Lee Library put it this way: "I loved being able to meet the children of my employees. I loved the talent show, the animals, the craft, all of it!!"
As the Wellness team gathers more feedback from this first official year, one thing is already clear: campus showed up ready to play, laugh, and connect. Keep an eye out for details on next year's event, and in the meantime, thank you to everyone who came out to make this year's event such a memorable one.
