(Utica, NY – March 2013) Recognizing that people spend a good part of their day at work and that employee wellness initiatives can reap big rewards, five companies in the Mohawk Valley have taken on the American Heart Association’s 2013 Corporate Challenge.

The Arc Oneida-Lewis, First Source Federal Credit Union, AmeriCU Credit Union, Revere Copper Products, Inc. and Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare have entered a team in the Corporate Challenge – an eight-week workplace wellness challenge that kicked off March 4th and will culminate with an announcement of the results on May 1st at the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Luncheon at Hart’s Hill Inn in Whitesboro.

 “These companies recognize a responsibility to help employees lead healthier lives, and they’re leading the charge in the Mohawk Valley by taking on the 2013 Corporate Challenge,” says Lauren Mattia, Go Red For Women Corporate Challenge Chair. “It’s a win-win for the employer and employees. Active, healthy employees enjoy a better quality of life, individual and organizational productivity goes up, absenteeism goes down and so may health care costs.”

The Corporate Challenge requires each company to field a team of employees who will participate in wellness activities and programs organized by their team captains for the duration of the eight week program. Each employee will also log on to the American Heart Association’s “Life Simple 7” Web-based wellness program and health assessment tool (www.heart.org/mylifecheck), where their progress is tracked. Team captains will turn in their company average starting score and finishing score. This is a score that considers smoking habits, weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and nutrition and activity levels. Once the four companies turn in their scores at the end of the program, the results will be compiled and winners selected in various categories including:

  • Most improved company
  • Company with the highest average score
  • Company with the most participants
  • Company of the year
  • Most inspiring individual
  • Company with the most spirit

There will also be a passion award given to an individual who participated on one of the five Corporate Challenge teams and is a heart survivor. The five companies will be invited to nominate an individual whose story exemplifies the determination to overcome heart disease and commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

Lauren Mattia also notes, “These five companies have long supported the American Heart Association’s efforts to raise awareness of heart disease and promote a healthy lifestyle, but now they’re taking it to another level with a very visible effort to promote a healthy workforce. The Arc Oneida-Lewis, First Source Federal Credit Union, Revere Copper Products, Inc and Faxton – St.Luke’s Healthcare are charting a course in the Mohawk Valley that we hope other companies will follow. Their efforts won’t end with this eight-week challenge and the wellness initiatives they have undertaken are inspiring. We look forward to sharing the results in May.”

The Corporate Challenge results will be announced May 1at the Go Red For Women Luncheon at Hart’s Hill Inn.

 

By martha

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