A group of employees gathers around a table to create a fall craft
University of Richmond faculty and staff gather around a table on the Intramural Fields to create crafts and celebrate Fall Fest.
Photographed by Jamie Betts

Falling Into Fun: How UR Celebrates Employees

October 31, 2025

On Thursday, October 9, faculty and staff gathered at the Intramural Fields for Fall Fest, an annual employee appreciation event hosted by Human Resources and Health Promotion, partnered with Sports Backers. Fall Fest offered employees a chance to unwind, connect with colleagues, and partake in fun activities. 

This year, there were various activities that employees could partake in, including lawn games, an obstacle course, a fun fall craft, and classic field day challenges such as egg-on-a-spoon and water jug holding. But the grand finale was the showdown between teams for tug-of-war. A total of four teams competed for the glory of being crowned Tug-of-War Champions.

Employees also had a chance to donate small prizes to “Kids On The Move,” a Sport Backers program that supports schools in the Richmond Region. Sports Backers representatives were “…blown away by the generosity of the University of Richmond faculty and staff.”

The Sports Backers team also shared that “The box we provided for the Kids On The Move prize box donations wasn’t even big enough to hold all of the awesome prizes you all donated.” They continued, “Our team of volunteer coaches will put these to good use as they motivate the kids in their clubs to reach their goals. They say it takes a village and we sure are happy that [University of Richmond] is a part of our Kids On The Move village!”

Over 350 employees attended the event, making it an exciting employee appreciation event. Angeline Gardner, the Events Coordinator for Human Resources, shared her thoughts on the event. “It was a beautiful fall day,” Gardner continues, “Employees enjoyed the opportunity to connect with colleagues, the Wellness craft station, the tug-of-war competition, and the tote bag giveaways.”

Gardner and the team at Human Resources want to thank everyone for attending and encourage all employees to mark their calendar for the next employee appreciation event: WintUR Chill on Tuesday, December 9, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Jepson Alumni Center. Employees can expect winter treats, festive fun, and end-of-semester cheer. Employees will also have the opportunity to donate winter coats and other warm essentials to CARITAS — so make sure you set aside gently used items in preparation.