#1: A huge part of being successful in the hospitality industry is listening to the people you provide services for and understanding the stories that make them who they are. Since today is National Get To Know Your Customers Day (it’s true, look it up), take a video of your team and any stranger that has a tattoo while they explain what that tattoo means to them or why they got it. The tattoo must be visible at some point during the video.

#2: Did you know St Pete was the location of the very first commercial flight in the world? In 1914, pilot Tony Jannus flew former St. Petersburg Mayor Abe Phiel to Tampa for $400, skimming across the water at a height of about 50 feet and arriving in 23 minutes. To honor this city’s role in advancing human commercial flight, take a video of your team completing the "Paper Airplane Challenge". Basically send some team members to the 2nd level of any building or parking garage and have them toss paper airplanes out into the air in front of them (not just dropping it straight downward). The rest of your team should be on the sidewalk or grass below. Any of your team members at ground level need to catch just one plane before it hits the ground. All team members at ground level can be attempting to catch planes, but only one plane needs to be caught. To watch a team complete this mission successfully click HERE.

#3: One of the core values of the Davidson Hospitality Group is that you “Have Each Other’s Backs”. To see just how true that is for your team, get to any hotel here in the city that is part of the Davidson Group and take a video of your team completing the Group Sit & Stand Challenge while the hotel’s logo is visible in the background. Basically, your team members will all be standing shoulder to shoulder in a tight clump/circle with your backs all facing in and your arms interlocked. Slowly lower the entire interlocked group to the ground until you are in a seated position with your butts on the ground, and then slowly stand all the way back up while remaining interlocked the entire time. To watch a video of a group successfully completing this challenge click HERE.

#4: Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy one final gift as a team. Wrap any one member of your team from head to toe in toilet paper (or multiple team members if they want to get in on the fun) leaving as few gaps as possible except around their nose/mouth so they can breathe easily. Then take a fun team picture with your newly wrapped co-worker and at some point throughout the process have each team member state one reason why the person being wrapped is a “gift” to your hospitality group or to them personally.

#5: Anywhere around town take a team picture with any boat name that would be considered an “alliteration” (two consecutive words that start with the same letter). For example, it could be a boat named “Speedy Salmon” but not a boat named “Speedy Trout”.

#6: Get every team member a large (16 ounces or so) open-top paper, plastic, or foam cup and fill it with water. Then somewhere outdoors, line up shoulder to shoulder and have each team member balance a full cup on their head. Once everyone’s cups are balanced, hold hands with the team members on either side of you and take a video of your team working together to all take 10 steps forward without anyone touching their own cup (or another team member’s cup) or having it spill. If someone’s cup spills make sure to encourage them and then refill any spilled cups and start again as a team. After your team successfully travels 10 steps together dump the cups to prove they were full, and celebrate!

#7: The U.S. Coast Guard Station here in St Pete was used as a training base for World War II troops and St. Pete became a major technical services training center for the Army Air Corps. More than 100,000 trainees filled every hotel in the city, swelling the population and creating a housing shortage as their families looked for places to live. After the war, many of the service members stationed here took up permanent residence with their families. Anywhere around the area find an active military person or a veteran. They could be wearing some form of military or veteran attire, have a military ID, or they could simply describe their military background while you’re completing your challenge. Once you’ve found someone, take a video of them watching your entire team doing 10 push-ups or sit-ups at their feet to honor their strength and courage. After you’ve finished recording, spend a few minutes learning more about their time in the service before you depart, as a small gesture of appreciation.

#8: At any point throughout the adventure get your team to Pour Judgement (269 Central Ave), the city’s first craft shot bar. This one of a kind bar features nearly 300 different types of shots! Once there, have each team member order a shot (traditional or non-alcoholic) that starts with the same first letter as their first name. Then take a quick video with each person one at a time saying their name and the name of their drink, followed by everyone doing a cheers and drinking up!

#9: Anywhere around the city find a tiki figure of any size (must be an actual physical one and not just a picture). Then take a fun team picture with the statue, while each team member imitates the facial expression of that tiki character.

#10: With an average daily temperature of more than 90 degrees, there aren’t many things hotter than August in Tampa. Well, except maybe this challenge. Anywhere around the area, take a video of your team members all at the same time consuming separate spoonfuls of any brand of hot sauce (the hotter the better). Make sure to show the bottle or packet of hot sauce in the video so it can be confirmed that it's actually hot sauce you're consuming. Disclaimer, this will likely not be pleasant, which is exactly the point. Because a team that suffers together, grows together.

#11: Tampa's first organized volunteer fire department began in 1884 with Seven "bucket brigades" organized to serve the city. The modern day department not only protects the citizens of this community, but also Tampa International Airport, Port Tampa Bay, and Raymond James Stadium. To honor the brave firefighters that protect this area, take a video of your team completing "Stop, Drop, and Roll" while any regulation/operable fire extinguisher is visible in the background. Be sure to yell each step of the fire safety technique as you all do it together and make sure the fire extinguisher is clearly visible at some point in your video.

#12: The news here in Florida is sometimes so bizarre that it became it’s own internet meme back in 2013 (did you see what that Florida man drew using the radar map and his private plane back in 2015). To honor this state’s legacy for publishing unforgettable stories, get your team to the newspaper seen HERE, located somewhere around the city. Once there, take a memorable team picture with you all surrounding the paper and reacting wildly like you just read the craziest Florida Man story ever!

#13: The Bucs season may be over but fans in this area have a lot to celebrate with another Division title and their recent Super Bowl win! To show your support, find a logo of the Bucs anywhere around the city being proudly displayed, worn, flown, etc. Then take a video of your group pretending to Gronk spike an imaginary football and immediately breaking into your very best celebratory touchdown dance while the logo is clearly visible in the background. If you need some inspiration for your performance you can click HERE.

#14: In recent years, St. Petersburg has landed on must-visit lists from the New York Times, TripAdvisor, Forbes Travel and AmericanStyle arts and travel magazine. Fueling the city’s vibrancy is a robust art community, the craft beer scene, and a variety of independently owned restaurants and shops. Get to any clothing or apparel store and find two different items with enough in stock that every team member can be wearing the same two items in their own sizes. Then take a fun team picture with everyone wearing those items. For example it may be a wacky shirt, and a pair of shorts. Or maybe some cozy slippers and a large sun hat. As long as everyone is wearing the same exact two items but in their own sizes.

#15: Over the years, we’ve found that the teams that bond the most are the ones that do something meaningful or impactful together. So here is your chance. Find a postcard that features this area in some way, or a fun greeting card, and purchase it. Then click HERE to go to the Love For Our Elders website and their letter writing project, which is focused on fighting loneliness with love, one letter at a time. As a team, choose someone from their list whose story or background resonates with you. Then on your card include a fun or uplifting message and sign it with your names or your group name. Stamp your card and take a picture with it to show you've completed your Act Of Kindness and then drop it in the mail along the way or after your event ends.