Wellness Committee Honored for Innovative Approach to ‘Lightening Up’
Franklin & Marshall’s Wellness Committee has received a 2012 Lighten Up Lancaster Workplace Award, which honors local companies that develop creative strategies to encourage healthy lifestyles and weight management among employees. Lancaster General Health and its partner, Lighten Up Lancaster County, sponsor the award.
“Our committee is proud to have the opportunity and responsibility to provide programming for wellness activities for our campus community,” says Laura Fiore, assistant director of human resources, who co-chairs the 10-member Wellness Committee. “Running the same weight-loss program year after year doesn’t appeal to our committee, nor do we think it would appeal to our campus co-workers. Our solution has been to change it up as often as possible through creative programs.”
Weight management is one aspect of the College’s Lifestyle Returns Wellness Program, which is organized by the Wellness Committee in conjunction with Highmark Blue Shield. A feature on the program ran in The Diplomat in November.
The Lifestyle Returns Wellness Program offers two initiatives that address healthy weight management: Eat Well for Life, coordinated by Tia Guinivan, associate director of development information, and Personal Nutrition Coaching, coordinated by Wendy Gentile, executive assistant to the vice president for finance.
Two years ago, Gentile ran a “Biggest Loser” contest in which 20 participants lost a combined 123 pounds. Last year, Guinivan ran a “Drop 10 in 10” program that included 38 participants.
- Chris Karlesky
