As part of NetSuite.org’s commitment to the communities where we live and work, the SuiteImpact Team (opens in new tab) program provides employees across all our NetSuite offices with opportunities to get involved with local charities. Each office has its own set of SuiteImpact Team Ambassadors, employee volunteers who manage the program. This month, we are delighted to feature a guest blog from Trevor Hecht and the SuiteImpact Team Austin.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On August 2nd, NetSuite’s Austin SuiteImpact Team competed in the Strength to Serve Tech Paddle Games benefitting Austin Sunshine Camps. NetSuite was one of nine Austin tech companies to field a team. Hosted in and around Quarry Lake in Austin, the games challenged both body and spirit, and consisted of stand-up paddle board racing, a paddle board obstacle course, a Hoover-Ball tournament (like volleyball with a 10-pound, full sized medicine ball) and a land-based obstacle course completed while running with 20-pound sandbells!
The team put up solid times in both water events and shined on land, advancing to the semi-final round of Hoover-Ball, before eventually falling in a close match with Google. In the final event of the day, Team NetSuite really hit our stride, setting the record for the land-based obstacle course, resulting in a medal winning finish.
Paddling, running and obstacles aside, the real goal of the day was raising funds for Austin Sunshine Camps. Through registrations and generous donations from supportive colleagues, the event raised nearly $27,000 for this worthy cause. We were proud of the part we could play in raising awareness and funds for the camps. Through our office fundraising efforts, we raised more than twice our original goal, which will help scores of disadvantaged youth in Austin attend summer camp, giving them access to an otherwise out-of-reach experience.
It was a challenging and exhausting experience, but a great competition and a rewarding event. The Austin office is already buzzing with preparations for next year’s games, and future SuiteImpact Team community service events. We can’t wait to see what the team gets involved with next.
