Wellness Matters — Gratiot
A voluntary pilot program for Alma College
Walking Maps (PDF, 1MB)
“Wellness Matters — Gratiot” is a free wellness screening and education program sponsored by the Gratiot Physicians Foundation, Gratiot Area Chamber of Commerce and Gratiot Medical Center to assist selected area businesses implement wellness programming for their respective employees. Alma College has been involved in the development of the program and was chosen as one of the first pilot sites.
Participation in Alma College wellness activities is completely voluntary. Employees have the opportunity to assess their health, follow a recommended fitness program and learn more about making healthy life style choices. Goals include improving the health of the employee, increased productivity and a possible reduction of long-term health costs.
Potential benefits for those who choose to take part in the program include an overall feeling of physical and mental well-being. Participants are encouraged to identify someone who has similar goals and would enjoy a mutual accountability. Employees will have more information about their own personal physical condition and an opportunity to develop an exercise program suited to their needs.
Eligibility
Alma College employees, along with retirees on the College’s health insurance plan, who have a desire to improve their overall wellness are eligible.
Wellness Opportunities
Employees are encouraged to exercise regularly, eat right and make healthy life style choices.
Employees who wish to exercise during their lunch hours are permitted, with supervisory approval, to move their schedule a half or full hour either way from the normal noon to 1 p.m. lunch hour and to extend the lunch hour 15 minutes if needed to get in a workout, cool down, get something to eat, and be back to work.
Employees are welcome to take advantage of the fitness facilities in the Stone Recreation Center and the Hogan Physical Education Center.
Sodexho is excited to join in this effort and will have available more choices of healthy foods at Joe’s Place. Please visit their Web site for more information on nutrition, recipes and general information on promoting balance through healthy living.
Recap of Alma College Wellness Program Components
Alma College has been active with the Gratiot County Chamber of Commerce Wellness Matters-Gratiot Initiative from a county perspective as well as taken a number of initiatives on campus to further the wellness of our faculty and staff. Elements implemented on the campus include the following:
Added wellness components to our health plans in 2003.
Actively participating in the Wellness Matters-Gratiot wellness initiative.
First pilot site for the Wellness Matters-Gratiot workplace wellness screenings.
Instituted a policy formally approving a 15-minute extension of the lunch hour for faculty and staff who may wish to exercise during their lunch.
Instituted summer competitions for four-person faculty and staff teams in miles logged in biking, minutes logged in walking and miles logged in running.
Winners of the summer competitions each received a gift card from MC Sports. Prizes were distributed by President Tracy, and winners recognized publicly, at the kick-off Fall Conference gathering at the beginning of the 2006-07 academic year.
Held two community-building summer barbeques with a promotional give away drawing in each of them. The menu in both barbeques had a wellness component.
Created a separate Web site for the Alma College wellness initiative.
From the aggregated data received from the University of Michigan processing of the wellness screening and risk assessment questionnaires completed by 65 faculty and staff participants in February 2006, a specific matrix has been established for improving employee wellness.
Handed out Alma College/Wellness Matters-Gratiot t-shirts to participants in the February 2006 wellness screening.
As part of the February 2006 wellness screening two-day event, health- and wellness-related literature from the hospital, American Cancer Society, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan were distributed to employees.
After employees received the results of their health risk assessment and wellness screenings, both group and one-on-one follow-up sessions were held on campus with Dr. Gregg Stefanek as a way to leverage the results and help people take advantage of the recommendations coming out of the report findings.
Partnered with Sodexho to offer healthier food choices in the Joe’s dining area.
Created and distributed workout routines for individuals at various levels of fitness needs and goals at the Stone Recreation Center front desk.
Created two walking routes on campus to encourage walking as part of the wellness initiative.
While it has been true for many years, Alma College provides free membership to its faculty and staff to the Stone Recreation Center and the Hogan Physical Education Center.
Orientation sessions for using the Stone Recreation Center fitness equipment were held for faculty and staff.
Wellness screenings for faculty and staff took place Oct. 18 and 19, 2006, at the Stone Recreation Center.
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Wellness screenings for faculty and staff took place Jan. 31, 2008, with free pedometers given to the participants.
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A "Stepping Up for Spring" walking/running competition in May 2008 has a campus goal of 10 million steps.
