SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: Making A Difference In Virginia Beach

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New VB CVB Social Responsibility Program Rolls Out

After months of collaboration, research and hard work, the Virginia Beach CVB recently rolled out a comprehensive social responsibility program.  "One Beach, One World" encompasses the various aspects of the CVB's overall give back program.  A new, online resource is designed to match incoming meeting planners, conventioneers and group tours with local non-profit organizations in need of volunteers for short-terms projects.  As a bureau, the Virginia Beach CVB has been recognized as a trendsetter in the industry when it comes to social responsibility. The web presence of One Beach, One World completes the CVB's three-prong approach to giving back: in the local community as a department, on the road as part of sales missions, and online for groups planning to visit our destination.

For more information, visit http://www.visitvirginiabeach.com/meetingplanners/giveback/

September 4, 2012

(Virginia Beach, VA - September 4, 2012) Thousands of racers met the challenge of the 12th annual Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon over Labor Day weekend despite warm temperatures and high humidity.  By mid-Sunday, new champions were crowned in the men's and women's races.  Nicholas Kurgat of Kenya was the first across the finish line on the Virginia Beach boardwalk, covering the 13.1-mile course in 1 hour, 4 minutes and 45 seconds. Running her first race in the United States, 21-year-old Rei Ohara from Japan won the women's race in 1:13:38.

Thanks to the generosity of the event promoters, Competitor Group, Inc., (CGI), several local charities also ended up winners as well.  As racers and spectators geared up for post-race celebrations, CGI and members of the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (VBCVB) organized distribution to local food pantries and shelters the dozens of cases of bottled water and sport drinks on hand after the race.

Jennifer Vaughan, Volunteer & Pantry Manager at The Potter's House, arrived at the pickup location with one helper, a hand truck and a grocery shopping cart.  Vaughan grinned when she spied the pallets sitting on the boardwalk, stacked high with cases of beverages. "Looks like we're coming back with the van!" an excited Vaughan exclaimed.   Four trips and a few hours later, Vaughan was back at the pantry calling other charities to come share in the wealth of the donations.

CGI, headquartered in San Diego, CA, is a leading media and event entertainment company dedicated to the endurance sports industry of running, cycling and triathlons.  One of their core national events is the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series which brings thousands of sports enthusiasts to Virginia Beach annually.

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August 7, 2012

2012 DC Sales Blitz End on High Note Virginia Beach CVB Leads the Way in Emerging Industry Trends The Virginia Beach CVB Meetings & Convention Sales Team held their 2012 DC Sales Blitz during the week of July 22. This annual sales initiative includes local industry partners who travel with CVB sales staff in teams to make sales calls in the DC-Metro area. This year, six teams, each led by a CVB sales manager, met with meeting planners from more than 80 organizations.   Each call ended with the CVB teams presenting their prospects with a note card thanking them for their time and outlining the CVB's intention to make a donation to a Virginia Beach charity in their name. This practice represents CVB's commitment to being a leader in the travel and tourism industry trend of replacing material gifts with the gift of charity. For this sales mission, a food drive for The Potter's House, a food pantry in the heart of the Virginia Beach resort area, was held. Donations were collected from the CVB sales staff and the industry partners represented during the blitz. The food drive was a huge success and resulted in the collection of more than 200 pounds of non-perishable food, which was graciously accepted by volunteers from The Potter's House donations during the sales wrap-up meeting on August 7. SOUP'S ON! The Convention and Visitors Bureau held a 2012 Spring Tourism Industry Meeting. More than 160 people and BCF, an advertising and public relations firm, donated more than 450 cans of Campbell's soup for the Potter's House, a local food pantry. Presenting the the meeting was David Stangis, vice president of corporate social responsibility and community affairs for the Campbell Soup Company. Pictured from left: Elizabeth Parker, Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB); Shevonne Morgan, CVB; Jennifer Vaughn, Potter's House;  David Stangis, Campbell Soup Company; Jim Ricketts, Director of CVB;  Rubylee Gardner, CVB and Tiffany Twine, CVB. United Way + Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau = Social Responsibilty Hand in hand, we can do something good. The Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau has partnered with the United Way of South Hampton Roads to provide convention delegates a chance to give back to the community during their time in Virginia Beach. This new program invites visitors to join in our mission to enhance our seaside destination and its natural and historic treasures, with the hope that meeting-goers will reap the rewards - both of the long-term results and the immediate feel-good benefits of pitching in. Simply review the list of agencies providing volunteer opportunities and coordinate the details with the CVB's Volunteer Resource Manager, Renée Berry, at (757) 385-2000 or rberry@vbgov.com. BE RESPONSIBLE & RECYCLE! The Virginia Beach Convention Center diverted 69.28 tons of recyclable material from the landfill in 2010!  That's the same weight as 10 African Bush Elephants or at least 2 Humpback Whales seen off the VB coast! The majority of VBCC recycling is through their partnership with TFC Recycling.  TFC provides single stream recycling which includes:  paper, cardboard, plastic and glass bottles, and aluminum, steel and tin cans.  TFC recycled 54.12 tons from our building in 2010. Please see the chart below for additional recycling details: Material Quantity Recycling Vendor Batteries 100 lbs. or .05 tons Veolia Environmental Services Incandescent Light Bulbs 112 lamps Veolia Environmental Services Wood Pallets 182 or 3.19 tons (approx. 35 lbs. each) Steve's Pallets Cooking Oil 1,915 lbs. or .96 tons Valley Proteins, Inc. Donated Food Overages 2,323 lbs. or 1.16 tons Judeo-Christian Outreach Center Food Compost 19,600 lbs. or 9.8 tons Natural Organic Process Enterprises, Inc. (NOPE) Single Stream Recycling 54.12 tons TFC Recycling TOTAL 69.28 TONS   They also collected tubular fluorescent light bulbs, crushing them in our bulb eater and capturing the mercury for proper disposal.  They have disposed of approximately 640 bulbs, but are unable to verify the weight.  The bulb eater collects the crushed glass in a 55 gallon drum that they have yet to fill.