Melaleuca Family Picnic Brings Team Members and Families Together for a Carnival-Style Celebration

 

For one afternoon, the everyday rhythm at Melaleuca Global Headquarters was replaced by helicopter rides, barbecue, bounce houses, and mechanical bulls.

On Thursday, July 9, about 3,000 Team Members and family members came together for the annual Melaleuca Family Picnic, an afternoon of food, rides, games, prizes, and gratitude.

The picnic is one of Melaleuca’s most visible celebrations of its Team Members each year. The company pauses its normal workday and welcomes spouses, children, parents, and grandparents to celebrate the people who help make Melaleuca what it is.

“The Family Picnic reminds us that every Team Member has a family, a story, and people cheering them on,” said Jamie Reynolds, Melaleuca’s Chief Human Resources Officer. “When you see Team Members laughing with their children, introducing their spouses, and making memories together, you understand why this tradition matters.”

A Small Beginning, a Lasting Tradition

The Melaleuca Family Picnic dates back to the company’s earliest years, when Founder and Executive Chairman Frank VanderSloot gathered a small group of Team Members and their families at a local park.

That was in 1985. Melaleuca has grown dramatically since then, but the purpose of the picnic has stayed the same: to thank Team Members and include the families who support them.

A Carnival on Campus

This year’s picnic filled Melaleuca’s campus with the sights and sounds of a summer fair. Children climbed, bounced, slid, and ran between more than 20 inflatable attractions. Lines formed at the four rock climbing walls, and mechanical bulls drew steady crowds as riders tried to hang on while friends cheered them on.

A cornhole tournament added another dose of friendly competition, with champions from Melaleuca’s various facilities facing off for bragging rights during the afternoon.

The face-painting station added its own color to the afternoon, with children leaving as princesses, Spider-Man, dinosaurs, monsters, and whatever else they could imagine.

“My kids have been counting down the days,” said Austin Boyce, Senior Supply Chain Manager in Forecasting & Planning. “Between the snow cones, bounce houses, and prizes, they didn’t want to leave.”

Above it all, a helicopter circled over Idaho Falls, giving Team Members and their family members a rare view of the city from the sky.

“I am known in my family for my fear of heights, flying and bridges,” said Jessica Gines, IT senior administrative assistant. “But when I was asked if I would like to go on the helicopter, I was surprised that I found myself saying yes. Once we were in the air, I loved it. Looking down at the campus, the Snake River, the mountains, and all the families gathered below literally gave me a new perspective about how much Melaleuca does for us.”

Across the field, the smell of barbecue mixed with popcorn and cotton candy. Team Members stopped to eat, visit, and introduce their families to the people they work beside throughout the year.

Melaleuca executives also helped serve food, a familiar part of the tradition and a simple way to show appreciation for the people who keep the company moving.

More Than 100 Prizes Awarded

The prize drawing brought one of the loudest moments of the day.

More than 100 prizes were awarded, including three grand prizes: a trip to Orlando with theme park passes, a $2,500 shopping gift card, and an all-expense-paid trip to Alaska for two.

Accounts Payable Manager Brandon Jolley won the Alaska trip, one of the day’s biggest prizes.

“When they called my name, it took a second for it to sink in,” Jolley said. “I came to enjoy the picnic, not expecting to win anything, and ended up walking away with a dream vacation. That is something I will never forget. Moments like that make me grateful to be part of Melaleuca.”

The drawing also recognized loyalty. Team Members with more years of service received additional entries, giving long-serving Team Members a greater chance to win.

It was a small detail, but it reflected a larger message repeated throughout the picnic: Melaleuca values the people who stay, build, lead, serve, and contribute year after year.

A Culture of Appreciation

The picnic offered a glimpse of the workplace culture that has helped Melaleuca earn national recognition. Forbes has named Melaleuca one of America’s Best Employers four times, based on employee feedback and recommendations. Recently, U.S. News & World Report also recognized Melaleuca as one of the Best Companies to Work For.

That kind of recognition is built over time. It comes from the everyday experience of working at a company where people feel seen, valued, and connected to a larger purpose.

The Family Picnic is one visible expression of that culture. So are the company’s many other Team Member traditions, including sporting activities, a free day at the zoo, a night at the baseball park, and paid service projects such as spring and fall beautification cleanups.

Together, those moments point to the mission that has guided Melaleuca from the beginning: to enhance the lives of those we touch by helping people reach their goals.

Celebrating Those Who Make Melaleuca Special

By the end of the afternoon, the helicopter had landed, the final prizes had been awarded, and families were making their way back to their cars.

Children carried their treats. Parents pushed strollers. Team Members gathered prizes. Families said goodbye to colleagues who, for a few hours, had become part of a much larger family gathering.

Decades after the first picnic, this old-fashioned tradition still says something simple and important: Team Members matter here.