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The Group Travel Leader Going on Faith Select Traveler

Global Spectrum does good in communities

Examples abound of the good that Global Spectrum Charities has done. Some projects are small, others are large; but all, ultimately, fulfill the Global Spectrum charitable arm’s mission of giving back to the communities in which the company does business.

In Richmond, Va., for example, Global Spectrum staff from the Greater Richmond Convention Center have hopped on bikes and ridden part of the Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bike ride to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. In St. Charles, Mo., Global Spectrum staff have loaded 200 leftover floral bouquets into pickup trucks and delivered them to residents of a senior-citizens home.

Green warriors

Decked out in fluorescent safety vests, the Roanoke (Va.) Civic Center’s Green Team has spent an afternoon cleaning up a mile of road in the city through the Adopt-a-Street Program.

“We don’t just live here; we’re part of the community,” said Monty Jones Jr., general manager of the James Brown Arena and Bell Auditorium in Augusta, Ga. “We want this town to be as good as the hometowns we grew up in.

“I’m from out-of-state, but got married and bought my first home and had my two children in this community, which has accepted my company and the things we try to do.”

Jones’ employees work with the family foundation of the late entertainer James Brown, who was from Augusta. They help distribute turkeys to the needy at Thanksgiving and toys to children at Christmas.

Other projects are equally hands-on. When Global Spectrum’s parent company, Comcast-Spectacor, has its Comcast Cares Day, “we’ll work at a soup kitchen or a women’s or children’s abuse [prevention] center,” said Jones. “We repainted the women’s home, cleaned it up inside and out.”

Many directors of Global Spectrum venues get involved by becoming community leaders. They join the boards of charitable or civic groups, the chamber of commerce, or the convention and visitors bureau.

In Loveland, Colo., Rick Hontz, general manager of the Budweiser Events Center, strives to achieve Global Spectrum’s “smart goals.”

“One of them every quarter is to do outreach. It’s important for team morale so staff feel good about helping the community,” said Hontz.

His employees have helped build homes for Habitat for Humanity.

“It’s one of our favorite projects. You can really see the work you put in,” said Hontz. The arena staff also invites members of the Boys and Girls Clubs and other organizations that serve less-fortunate youth to events at the arena so they can experience things they otherwise might not, such as skating on a professional ice rink.

Dan Dickson

Dan has been a communicator all his professional life, first as an award-winning radio and TV news reporter for two decades and then as a communications director for several non-profits for another decade. He has contributed to The Group Travel Leader Inc. publications since 2007.