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The power of a corporate team: American Airlines Flight Attendants

American Airlines flight attendant Abby Alconcher created two corporate teams for the 2009 Chicago Walk to Cure Psoriasis. Here's how Abby used workplace organizing to make the walk fun and successful.

Find the right team
Is there a group of outgoing and excited people in your workplace? Get them on board to help with fundraising and walk organizing!

"Flight Attendants are a different breed," Abby says. "We have to know how to converse with a large amount of people every day we fly. We are not a shy group of people!"

Recruit a good captain
Abby found people who liked to get together outside of work and created two teams. She recruited an enthusiastic organizer to be the captain of each team.

"The first team was called American Airlines, targeting not only flight attendants, but pilots as well. My good friend LaMar Thomas became the team captain, as he is such a strong presence among our friends and everyone loves being around him.

"American Airlines Hawaii Team was captained by another great friend of mine named Cappy Souza. She is from Hawaii, is married to another flight attendant also from Hawaii, and there is a group of us who usually hang out in Chicago and who are either from Hawaii, lived in Hawaii, or have relatives in Hawaii."

Make it fun
Abby's teams found ways to have fun with their fundraising and reached out to involve other co-workers.

"Both teams decided to 'costume' to make it even more exciting. They networked via Facebook or e-mails. There is a group of flight attendants who get together every month to donate their time to the community... As the news got around of the Psoriasis Walk, it was then brought to the attention of (co-workers) to have the Psoriasis Walk be their September giving opportunity."

Think of great ways to communicate
Abby found fun ways to communicate with hundreds of employees and customers about her walk teams.

"I had posters put up in our American Airlines operations at O'Hare airport and also had in-house e-mails sent to all AA Chicago flight attendants via our base manager. For the captains of the teams and myself, I had luggage tags made of our Chicago Walk to Cure Psoriasis logo for our own 'rolling publicity'!"

Find success
Abby's two teams raised $5,450, had a great time and are planning to walk again in 2010. Check out the video they made while at the walk.