CME Federal Credit Union hosted a teddy bear team-building activity in Columbus, Ohio, on Oct. 12, 2026. Eighty-nine team members met at the credit union’s office on East Mound Street. They had gathered to review the year and plan for the next one. After a long stretch of spreadsheets, they took a 90-minute break for Rescue Bear®. By the end of the morning, the team had built 42 bears for the Columbus Fire Department.
CME Federal Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. It was chartered in 1935 to serve Columbus municipal employees. Today, anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Franklin County and the surrounding counties can join. So can employees of more than 200 select employer groups. The credit union runs branches across central Ohio. It offers checking, savings, loans, mortgages, business banking, and investment services. Because it is a cooperative, its earnings go back to members as better rates and lower fees.
Credit Union Team Trades Spreadsheets for Teddy Bears in Columbus, Ohio
The group had spent hours poring over numbers before the activity started. Nobody knew quite what to expect from the next part of the agenda. Instructor Toby Martini kicked things off at 10 a.m. He split the 89 participants into three teams. Then he handed them their first challenge.
Each challenge called for creative problem-solving. Teams had to listen, share ideas, and try new approaches until something worked. It was a welcome change of pace from the morning’s meeting, and the group really played along. Before long, the room was full of laughter.
Every win earned a team the materials for its bears. First came the bear bodies, then the stuffing. Next came the outfits, and finally the carrying bags. Teams that had been competing a few minutes earlier were soon side by side, stuffing and dressing bears together. By 11:30 a.m., they had finished 42 teddy bears, each one dressed and tucked into its own carrying bag.
The Columbus Fire Department received all 42 bears. Rescue Bear® bears go to children who have experienced trauma. A soft bear to hold can help a child feel a little safer during a frightening moment.
We’d like to thank Devon Revels and the whole CME Federal Credit Union team for having us. We’d also like to thank the Columbus Fire Department for the work it does for the community.
Every long planning meeting needs a break from the spreadsheets. Our team-building activities in Columbus might be exactly what your team is looking for!