Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Danielle Hallam's Surfside Summer Story at Plantation Resort

What happens when a senior from Brigham Young University travels across the country for an internship at Plantation Resort in South Carolina? Well, you can expect some great adventures along the Grand Strand (the area stretching from above North Myrtle Beach all the way down to Georgetown) and a lot of learning opportunities. As a Human Resources major I didn’t expect to learn much this summer that would apply to my field. But working in the recreation department I’ve been able to work with the most important people in any organization—the guests, and gain insight into what it takes to make a resort (or any operation) run smoothly. My name is Danielle Hallam, and this is my Surfside Summer Story.



Let’s cover the good stuff first, what I do for fun in a resort town. I’ve had some great adventures in the Myrtle Beach area. I have visited the Boone Hall, Hopsewee, and Magnolia Plantations, taken the ferry to Fort Sumter, lost to my roommates at putt-putt, boogie boarded at the beach, kayaked along the waterway, caught a firefly, learned to slalom ski, spotted gators, watched a Pelicans game, lost at putt-putt again, pet sting rays, caught a shark while deep sea fishing, perused the markets in Charleston, learned to surf, built stellar sand castles, and lost at putt-putt a few more times. It’s definitely been a summer to remember, but not just because of sightseeing. Working at Plantation Resort has taught me a lot.
My favorite part of working at Plantation Resort is meeting so many interesting people. I meet a lot of great families when I work activities like the rubber duck races at the Lazy River and the ever popular tie dying t-shirts. Tie dye is always a lot of fun. I love it when the kids make amazing shirts and their parents are so impressed they have to make one for themselves. My favorite venue has to be the dinners. The atmosphere at the Sticky Fingers BBQ and the Tie Dye Fish Fry are fantastic. Live music, good food, great people—and I get paid to be there.

So what will I take with me from my summer in Surfside? Well, there is the slight tan line from spending time at the beach and my amazing tie dye skills. But, more importantly I’ve learned some valuable lessons from working at Plantation Resort. I’ve been able to be a part of the planning and preparation necessary to make a good event/activity a success. I’ve also learned a lot about the importance of employee training and motivation that will be a great help as I graduate and begin my career. Although my putt-putt skills have not improved, my knowledge has increased over my summer at Plantation Resort.


(Editor's Note: This is the last of a three-part series of articles from our interns. If you know of someone who might be interested in applying for an internship at Plantation Resort, feel free to contact us at hr@plantationresort.com.)

Friday, August 21, 2009

Katie Butterfield's Summer Internship Experience

Hi, I’m Katie and I’m from Peru. I spent this summer working as an intern at Plantation Resort. This is my first time in South Carolina and I loved my experience here! The scenery is gorgeous in and around the Resort. My best memory is sitting inside during thunderstorms and watching the beautiful lightning show!

Throughout the summer I’ve helped with many of the activities offered at Plantation Resort. We provided great activities for the whole family. My favorite activity has been tie-dying t-shirts. Helping guests tie their shirts and then watch as they add multiple bright colors was so fun. I loved to see their faces as they untied their shirt and saw their amazing creation!

I have spent time working at each of the three pool areas: indoor, outdoor, and lazy river. My favorite is the lazy river and watching the toddlers play in the kiddie pool. They have so much fun making friends and playing with their toys in the water. It’s also fun to watch families as they float around and around the lazy river having a great time together.

Having the opportunity to work at a beautiful resort all summer was exciting! I’ve been able get to know the great staff at the Resort and interact with wonderful guests. I loved talking with and getting to know so many people from so many diverse places. It was an incredible experience helping to provide our guests with a memorable summer vacation!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

My Summer Internship Experience by Lizzy King

Hi! My name is Lizzy King. I am studying Recreation Management, with an emphasis in Leisure Services Management, at Brigham Young University (BYU), in Provo, Utah. I applied and was accepted for a summer internship with Plantation Resort in their Recreation Department.

Working at Plantation Resort this summer has been a wonderful experience. As an intern I’ve been able to work in many different capacities. It has been wonderful to see the Resort from many different perspectives. I’ve worked as a pool attendant, activities assistant, grill cook, breakfast buffet cashier, evening event specialist, and indoor pool receptionist. I have also worked with management on a variety of special projects. The most fulfilling aspect while working at Plantation Resort was helping with activities. It is a wonderful time to be able to get to know the guests and help them have a great time while on vacation.

While working at Plantation Resort I have learned a lot of things that will help me in my future career. By watching the management here at the Resort I have learned so much about how to be a good manager. I have also learned the importance of proper employee training. In the future I want to do fundraising and events planning so working at the evening events have been a great learning experience for me.

In addition to having a great time working at Plantation Resort I have also loved living in the Myrtle Beach area. There are so many fun things to do here in Myrtle Beach as well as the surrounding areas. I enjoyed two trips to Charleston and one to Columbia this summer. There’s lots of history to experience and beautiful things to see. Plus, it’s always great to spend a day at the beach!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Our Summer Experiences Interning at Plantation Resort

Well, the summer is winding down and school is starting. Unfortunately for us at Plantation Resort, it's time for us to say "Goodbye" to our summer interns. We appreciate all their hard work. They truly helped make Plantation Resort a wonderful place to vacation. We'll miss them and we wish them well in all their future endeavors. This series of articles is a tribute to the interns who made so much happen behind the scenes. Before they left, three of our interns, Lizzy, Katie and Danielle wrote about their experiences. In the upcoming weeks, we'll be publishing what they had to say in a series of three articles.

Thanks again, interns, for making the summer great this year!

Every summer there are internship opportunities available for those who love to make people happy and want to gain hands-on experience in the resort industry. If you would like to apply for an internship at Plantation Resort, feel free to send an email to hr@plantationresort.com.