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NMCers Log 20,600 Miles During Walktoberfeast
One hundred and twenty-three members of the Northwestern Medical Center staff logged more that 20,600 miles during the hospital’s Walktoberfeast competition. This challenge was offered by NMC as part of “Healthy U,” the hospital’s ongoing worksite wellness program.
Participants in Walktoberfeast logged their daily physical activity, which was then converted into miles walked. Participants also earned miles by logging good nutrition – the “feast” part of the activity.
“Participation was even better than we expected and it was very well received,” said Cindy Rutkowski, the Health Promotion Assistant at NMC who coordinated Walktoberfeast. “I heard from one long-time nurse on the night shift who said it really helped her eat better and be more active. She said this was a good tool for her because these healthy habits can be a particular challenge when you work nights.”
Kelly Sullivan of the hospital’s Medical/Surgical Unit took home top honors among the participants, logging 407 miles between October 4 and October 31. Courtney Hodet of the Laboratory came in second with 354 miles and Michelle Wilcox of Health Information Management was third with 329 miles. The top three each won a $75 gift certificate for a pair of sneakers from Kevin Smith’s Sports Connection.
The nutrition component allowed participants to log miles for eating the suggested daily servings of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. “People were surprised that they weren’t eating enough whole grains,” said Cindy. “I heard from a number of people that this motivated them to add more whole grains to the food they eat.”
“Walktoberfeast was a fun way to get our staff even more involved in healthier habits,” said Pam Cross, NMC’s Health Promotion Manager. “National research shows that participation in a comprehensive wellness program helps people reduce their health risks. It shows that lower health risks in a population ultimately mean lower health care costs. Here at NMC, we’ve found that our Healthy U program also helps morale as people really enjoy the various activities and incentives.” For more information on worksite wellness, please call Pam Cross at Northwestern Medical Center, 524-1227.
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