01/19/12 – New Years' Resolution: Walking the Walk When it Comes to Wellness
by Joanne JohnsonActing CFO, The Colorado Trust
As a health care grantmaking foundation, The Colorado Trust knows that a key factor in determining how healthy we are individually and collectively comes down to wellness – eating well, exercising and taking better care of ourselves physically and mentally through healthier behaviors.
Early in 2011, we recognized a need to be more proactive in encouraging these healthy behaviors among our own staff. So began The Trust's five-month Wellness Challenge, with more than 90% of our staff participating both individually and as part of a team competition. We were all challenged to walk, workout, eat better, live healthier and – to the delight of our evaluation director – track our outcomes through a point system.
Overall, Wellness Challenge participants scored 37,906 points and along the way dropped a few pounds, cut out some unhealthy habits and raised our own awareness about how we can all lead healthier lives.
Plenty of incentives were offered to individuals, but the big prize was for the winning team, which had the opportunity to award a $5,000 grant to a Colorado nonprofit of their choosing. The winning team – a.k.a. the MisFITS – was comprised of Phil Chung, Gay Cook, Jenny Lehman, MaryAnn Davis, Scott Downes, Chris Armijo and myself, Joanne Johnson. Each member of the team nominated groups to receive the award and then voted to determine the winner.
We are happy to announce that the unanimous vote went to Roundup River Ranch, which is a medically-supported camp for kids with life-threatening illnesses. Roundup River Ranch focuses on kids having fun, not on their conditions. Most importantly, the Ranch provides kids an experience that simply allows them to enjoy the fun, games and joys of childhood. The MisFITS and our Trust colleagues are grateful for the opportunity to provide some small measure of support for an organization that takes on such an important endeavor.
As we head into a new year, our resolution is not just about trying to lead healthier lives, but also a chance to work together in recognition of the many great partners in our state that make such tremendous contributions to improving the health and well-being of the people of Colorado.
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