This blog was written by Chris, who works in our technical assistance center. Chris graduated from Wright State University in 2010 with a major in marketing and has been a member of our team for 8 years. Chris loves participating in the Battle of the Businesses, and wanted to share his experience.

About Battle of the Businesses:

The Battle of the Businesses is the number one fundraiser for Special Olympics of Greater Dayton. In the past three years, the Battle of the Businesses, on behalf of the participating companies, has donated to the Special Olympics of Greater Dayton on average over $70,000 annually. Teams representing over thirty Dayton-area businesses compete in 12 coed sporting events over the course of eight days. Teams gain points in each event based on their overall placement versus other businesses. The events range from volleyball to miniature golf to track sprint. There’s something for everyone!

When I first started at Reynolds, I noticed there were a lot of different sports leagues and everyone seemed to know each other. Initially this was intimidating to me, but as I started to get comfortable with the company, I joined some of the teams. When I first heard about Battle of the Businesses in 2012, I knew we were the defending champions and there were people participating from all around the company I wasn’t familiar with. Unfortunately, I held off joining in. I let intimidation creep in, thought it wasn’t for me, and stayed in my comfort zone.

By 2014 I was more familiar with other associates and someone mentioned signing up for Battle of the Businesses again. Even at that moment I was unsure, but I agreed to join and found that I was completely  wrong in my expectations. Although it is a competition and naturally we strive to win each event, Battle is more about doing your best in a variety of events, meeting new people, fundraising, volunteering, and having fun in the process.

Some of my favorite people to talk to at Reynolds and even at different companies throughout Dayton, I met through Battle. I know a diverse group of people at Reynolds partially because of Battle, and look forward to the month of March every year to see what new faces will sign up. I like to be a source of good energy and fill others with positivity throughout the Battle season. In the process, I’ve grown a deeper appreciation for Special Olympics as an organization because our efforts raise money in their name.

Joining Battle has been one of the most fun and rewarding decisions I can imagine making with this company. The people make the participation more enjoyable, the friendly competition helps fuel the excitement among everyone involved, and the philanthropy makes the entire commitment meaningful. And let’s be honest, winning feels great at the end of the day also!