MOKENA, Ill., Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 1,000 Provena Health employees walked more than 600 million steps (approximately 300,000 miles) during the eight-week "Footsteps to Athens" wellness program.
"The program's objective was to encourage employees to stay active throughout the summer by increasing the steps in their day," said Terry Solem, system vice president for human resources. "They earned credit at work as well as after work."
Employees were offered a free pedometer and could select their own level of participation at 5,000, 8,000, or 10,000 steps per day. Walking 10,000 steps a day has been shown to decrease blood pressure, increase HDL (good) cholesterol, and decrease glucose levels.
The names of the 979 employees who met their goals for the eight weeks were put into a drawing for a number of prizes such as tickets to the Chicago Cubs, a day off, dinner for two and even a treadmill.
The walking program followed Provena Health's Bottom Line Challenge held earlier in the year where employees joined teams to exercise and lose weight for points. The 1,200 employees who participated in that program shed more than four tons of weight.
Scores
Employees at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center, Joliet, Ill., walked the most with more than 96 million steps or approximately 48,256 miles.
Employees at other sites achieved the following: Provena Covenant Medical Center, Urbana, Ill., 23,634 miles; Provena Mercy Center, Aurora, Ill., 36,606 miles; Provena Saint Joseph Hospital, Elgin, Ill., 26,921 miles; Provena St. Mary's Hospital, Kankakee, Ill., 38,682 miles; and Provena United Samaritans Medical Center, Danville, Ill., 28,682 miles.
About Provena Health
Provena Health is a Catholic health system that includes six hospitals, 16 long-term care and senior residential facilities, 28 clinics, five home health agencies and other health-related activities operating in Illinois and Indiana.
Provena HealthCONTACT: Clinton Giese of Provena Health, +1-708-478-6356
Web site: http://www.provenahealth.com/
