Community Building Through Axe-Throwing

UCB Staff tried Axe Throwing

A few weeks ago, I went axe-throwing with my co-workers. Now, if you’re wondering what that is, it is exactly as it sounds: you throw an axe. At a target. For fun.

And it was fun. I couldn’t believe how exciting, how empowering it felt to whip an axe at a piece of wood. Of course, you had to be careful. We were given the low-down on where to stand, how to stand, and the “dos and don’ts” of axe-throwing safety.

But then we moved into friendly competition. And when I say, “friendly,” it truly was. Even though we split up into teams and were competing against each other, I couldn’t believe how supportive everyone was. Not only when we did well. But when we flubbed up. When we missed the mark.

And isn’t that what real community building should look like? A group of supportive friends who cheer each other on not only for the joys in life, but the times when we, too, miss the mark?

That day I experienced such a tangible sense of community. Community through axe-throwing! And to top it off, guess who hit the winning mark of the entire competition? That's right, me. Me, who wasn’t that great at axe-throwing. Me, who had wonky throws and made my team lose points most of the time.

But when I hit that last mark, you would have thought I had won an Olympic gold medal. Everyone was jumping up and down, whooping, dancing, celebrating. Because we were a team. And my win was their win.

We thrive when we're in community. Enliven when we have support. And today there could be someone in our community who could really use support. Because they messed up. Missed the mark. And maybe it's up to you and me to be their cheerleader today, that voice that shows them that together is better.

If you’re looking for more ways to connect, you can check out UCB Canada’s Try some community building ideas on your own. Perhaps you can find some ideas at our community calendar.