By CHRISTINE BORN

Trying times bring out the best and worst in us. In the meetings business, we’ve heard some inspiring stories about planners who have worked to extend budgets, find bargains, rethink programs and combine events so their members can continue to meet. Faith-based planners know how important their conferences and events are to their churches and organizations.

There are almost as many creative ideas floating around the travel and meetings industry now as there are news stories and quotes about surviving during difficult times.

Last week, British Airways ran full-page newspaper ads announcing that it would give away every seat on three entire airplanes, flying from New York, Los Angeles and Chicago to London and beyond, as part of a promotion to “prove … the power of face-to-face meetings.”

Quoting a Harvard Business Review reader poll that found “95 % of business people agree that face-to-face meetings are key to building long-term relationships,” the ad invited readers to tell how connecting face-to-face will help their business grow. Who gets those free seats will be determined on the basis of the submissions (which, presumably, will be used in the continuing campaign).

This spring, the Charlotte Harbor (Fla.) Visitor & Convention Bureau challenged community residents to employ their business and personal contacts to help bring overnight meetings and conferences to the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center through a program called “Bring Your Meeting Home.” The award was “an exclusive” deed to an acre-foot of Charlotte Harbor – of dubious value but a clever publicity stunt nonetheless. The innovative program encouraged residents to think of the various associations and civic organizations they belonged to, which hold small to medium-sized meetings, including alumni, military or social connections.

Then, there are the bargains. One planner proudly shared her excitement about the fact that she had booked her 2010 church conference at The Ritz-Carlton, Dearborn – a “dream” site she never felt would be within her reach. She negotiated $99 room rates (usually $250 and up) and free meeting space.

There are discounted rates, special offers and plenty of other incentives pouring in from hotels and resorts that might have been beyond most faith-based planners means in the past. Starwood Hotels & Resorts announced a “sizzling summer sale,” reducing rates by as much as 50 percent at nearly 600 participating hotels and resorts.

Results are not in yet on any of these campaigns or the larger programs being pushed by the travel and meetings industry, especially “Meetings Mean Business,” but the creativity involved in some of these efforts is impressive and reinforces common axioms about succeeding in tough times.

We’d like to hear how you’ve stretched your planning budget or applied new methods in response to the current economy.

There may be no quick solutions but we offer the following as further inspiration or solace:

“Life is like a grindstone – whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends on what you’re made of.” Unknown

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved.” Helen Keller

“Determination, patience and courage are the only things needed to improve any situation.” Unknown

“An enterprising person is one who comes across a pile of scrap metal and sees the making of a wonderful sculpture.” Jim Rohm

“Every cloud has a silver lining.” Proverb attributed to both Phineas T. Barnum and John Milton